City government · Chemung County, NY

Elmira's money: where it comes from and where it goes

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended December 31, 2023), Elmira took in $56.6 million and spent $53.3 million.

Latest recorded year: ended December 31, 2023Comes fromGoes to

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Where it comes from

City taxes30%Fees for services (water, garbage collection)25%State tax money14%Federal tax money13%County and local tax money12%Fines and other5.7%

What stands out

13%

of Elmira's money comes from federal tax money.A typical U.S. city of 10,000 to 50,000 people gets 1.2%.

City taxes30%

Property tax
28%$16.0 million
Other taxes
2.2%$1.2 million
What's in other taxesOther licenses and public utility taxes
  • Other licenses$689 thousand
  • Public utility taxes$529 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services25%

Fees for services
25%$14.0 million
What's in fees for servicesWater; garbage collection and 3 more
  • Water$9.3 million
  • Garbage collection$3.1 million
  • Parks and recreation$895 thousand
  • Other service charges$540 thousand
  • Parking$107 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money13%

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

From the federal government
13%$7.5 million

State tax money14%

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

From the state
14%$8.0 million

County and local tax money12%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From the county and other local governments
12%$6.7 million

Fines and other5.7%

Interest, rents and other
5.6%$3.1 million
Fines
0.1%$68 thousand

Where it goes

Running the government and other costs40%Police, fire, courts and jails27%Water, sewer, trash and utilities16%Roads, transit and parking8.1%Housing and community development3.6%All other spending5.4%

What stands out

40%

of Elmira's spending goes to running the government and other costs.A typical U.S. city of 10,000 to 50,000 people spends 18%.

Spending by category100%

Running the government and other costs
40%$21.2 million
What's in running the government and other costsOther and not broken out; central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology) and 2 more
  • Other and not broken out$18.5 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$982 thousand
  • Government buildings$942 thousand
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$811 thousand
Police, fire, courts and jails
27%$14.4 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice; fire protection and 3 more
  • Police$7.9 million
  • Fire protection$5.5 million
  • Inspections and regulation$642 thousand
  • Courts and legal services$364 thousand
  • Prisons and jails$13 thousand
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
16%$8.6 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesWater supply; garbage and solid waste and 1 more
  • Water supply$7.3 million
  • Garbage and solid waste$1.2 million
  • Sewer systems$12 thousand
Roads, transit and parking
8.1%$4.3 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways and parking
  • Roads and highways$4.1 million
  • Parking$173 thousand
Housing and community development
3.6%$1.9 million
Interest on debt
2.2%$1.2 million
Parks, recreation and libraries
2.1%$1.1 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation
  • Parks and recreation$1.1 million
Health and hospitals
0.7%$369 thousand
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$369 thousand
Sent to other local governments
0.4%$226 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$226 thousand
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

City of Elmira. U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, individual unit file, fiscal year ended December 31, 2023.

What this covers. The money of City of Elmira 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.