Town government · Erie County, NY

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

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended December 31, 2023), Lancaster took in $42.5 million and spent $37.9 million.

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

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Where it comes from

Town taxes63%County and local tax money20%Fines and other11%Federal tax money3.2%Fees for services (parks and recreation, garbage collection)2.0%State tax money1.4%

What stands out

20%

of Lancaster's money comes from county and other local tax money.Most U.S. townships and towns of 10,000 to 50,000 people get none.

Town taxes63%

Property tax
58%$24.8 million
Other taxes
4.2%$1.8 million
What's in other taxesOther licenses; public utility taxes and 2 more
  • Other licenses$1.1 million
  • Public utility taxes$460 thousand
  • Other taxes not classified elsewhere$245 thousand
  • Amusement licenses$9 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services2.0%

Fees for services
2.0%$840 thousand
What's in fees for servicesOther service charges; parks and recreation and 2 more
  • Other service charges$576 thousand
  • Parks and recreation$238 thousand
  • Garbage collection$22 thousand
  • Water$4 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money3.2%

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

From the federal government
3.2%$1.4 million

State tax money1.4%

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

From the state
1.4%$609 thousand

County and local tax money20%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From the county and other local governments
20%$8.3 million

Fines and other11%

Interest, rents and other
11%$4.5 million
Fines
0.5%$202 thousand

Where it goes

Running the government and other costs35%Police, fire, courts and jails34%Roads, transit and parking8.3%Water, sewer, trash and utilities7.8%Parks, recreation and libraries7.0%All other spending8.2%

What stands out

34%

of Lancaster's spending goes to police, fire, courts and jails.A typical U.S. township or town of 10,000 to 50,000 people spends 16%.

Spending by category100%

Running the government and other costs
35%$13.3 million
What's in running the government and other costsOther and not broken out; government buildings and 2 more
  • Other and not broken out$11.1 million
  • Government buildings$769 thousand
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$761 thousand
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$715 thousand
Police, fire, courts and jails
34%$12.8 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice; fire protection and 2 more
  • Police$8.3 million
  • Fire protection$3.5 million
  • Courts and legal services$562 thousand
  • Inspections and regulation$422 thousand
Roads, transit and parking
8.3%$3.1 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways
  • Roads and highways$3.1 million
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
7.8%$3.0 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesGarbage and solid waste
  • Garbage and solid waste$3.0 million
Parks, recreation and libraries
7.0%$2.7 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation and libraries
  • Parks and recreation$2.6 million
  • Libraries$46 thousand
Interest on debt
6.8%$2.6 million
Environment and natural resources
0.7%$277 thousand
What's in environment and natural resourcesNatural resources, farming and conservation
  • Natural resources, farming and conservation$277 thousand
Health and hospitals
0.6%$234 thousand
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$234 thousand
Sent to other local governments
<0.1%$25 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$25 thousand
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

Town of Lancaster. 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 Town of Lancaster 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.