City government · Dona Ana County, NM

Las Cruces's money: where it comes from and where it goes

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended June 30, 2024), Las Cruces took in $359 million and spent $258 million.

Latest recorded year: ended June 30, 2024Comes fromGoes to

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Where it comes from

City taxes49%Fees for services (gas, water)24%Fines and other10%Federal tax money8.6%State tax money6.0%County and local tax money1.7%

What stands out

38%

of Las Cruces' money comes from sales tax.A typical U.S. city of 50,000+ people gets 7.8%.

City taxes49%

Sales tax
38%$137 million
Property tax
7.6%$27.1 million
Other taxes
3.3%$12.0 million
What's in other taxesOther selective sales taxes; public utility taxes and 6 more
  • Other selective sales taxes$2.8 million
  • Public utility taxes$2.6 million
  • Amusement licenses$2.1 million
  • Occupation and business licenses$2.0 million
  • Other licenses$1.4 million
  • Motor vehicle licenses$605 thousand
  • Public utility licenses$396 thousand
  • Alcoholic beverage licenses$3 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services24%

Fees for services
24%$87.4 million
What's in fees for servicesGas; water and 5 more
  • Gas$23.6 million
  • Water$23.1 million
  • Garbage collection$18.8 million
  • Sewer$18.5 million
  • Other service charges$2.6 million
  • Transit fares$568 thousand
  • Airport$214 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money8.6%

Grants from Washington, paid for by the federal taxes residents also pay.

From the federal government
8.6%$30.7 million

State tax money6.0%

Money the state passes on, paid for by the state taxes residents also pay.

From the state
6.0%$21.7 million

County and local tax money1.7%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From the county and other local governments
1.7%$6.3 million

Fines and other10%

Interest, rents and other
10%$36.7 million
Fines
<0.1%$126 thousand

Where it goes

Water, sewer, trash and utilities34%Police, fire, courts and jails25%Running the government and other costs22%Parks, recreation and libraries6.4%Roads, transit and parking5.2%All other spending7.3%

What stands out

34%

of Las Cruces' spending goes to water, sewer, trash and other utilities.A typical U.S. city of 50,000+ people spends 20%.

Spending by category100%

Water, sewer, trash and utilities
34%$88.3 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesGas supply; water supply and 2 more
  • Gas supply$24.5 million
  • Water supply$23.9 million
  • Garbage and solid waste$20.9 million
  • Sewer systems$19.0 million
Police, fire, courts and jails
25%$64.7 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice; fire protection and 1 more
  • Police$39.7 million
  • Fire protection$24.9 million
  • Courts and legal services$75 thousand
Running the government and other costs
22%$56.6 million
What's in running the government and other costsOther and not broken out; government buildings and 2 more
  • Other and not broken out$31.5 million
  • Government buildings$17.9 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$6.6 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$486 thousand
Parks, recreation and libraries
6.4%$16.5 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation
  • Parks and recreation$16.5 million
Roads, transit and parking
5.2%$13.5 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingPublic transit and airports
  • Public transit$9.0 million
  • Airports$4.5 million
Interest on debt
4.5%$11.6 million
What's in interest on debtInterest on general debt and interest on water supply debt
  • Interest on general debt$7.6 million
  • Interest on water supply debt$4.1 million
Environment and natural resources
1.8%$4.7 million
What's in environment and natural resourcesNatural resources, farming and conservation
  • Natural resources, farming and conservation$4.7 million
Housing and community development
0.6%$1.5 million
Health and hospitals
0.2%$485 thousand
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$485 thousand
Sent to other local governments
0.2%$405 thousand
What's in sent to other local governmentsSent to local governments: other and not broken out
  • Sent to local governments: other and not broken out$405 thousand
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

City of Las Cruces. U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, individual unit file, fiscal year ended June 30, 2024.

What this covers. The money of City of Las Cruces itself. Other governments that serve the same area (the city, county, school district and state) are separate and not included. Borrowing, transfers between a government's own funds, and pension trust funds are not counted as revenue.