Town government · Erie County, NY

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

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended December 31, 2023), Tonawanda took in $127 million and spent $151 million.

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

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Where it comes from

Town taxes41%Fees for services (sewer, water)23%Federal tax money15%County and local tax money11%Fines and other7.9%State tax money1.6%

What stands out

15%

of Tonawanda's money comes from federal tax money.Most U.S. townships and towns of 50,000+ people get none.

Town taxes41%

Property tax
39%$49.2 million
Other taxes
2.6%$3.3 million
What's in other taxesOther licenses; public utility taxes and 3 more
  • Other licenses$1.6 million
  • Public utility taxes$992 thousand
  • Other taxes not classified elsewhere$744 thousand
  • Amusement licenses$21 thousand
  • Other selective sales taxes$10 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services23%

Fees for services
23%$28.6 million
What's in fees for servicesSewer; water and 3 more
  • Sewer$12.3 million
  • Water$10.8 million
  • Parks and recreation$4.7 million
  • Other service charges$798 thousand
  • Garbage collection$23 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money15%

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

From the federal government
15%$19.6 million

State tax money1.6%

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

From the state
1.6%$2.1 million

County and local tax money11%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From the county and other local governments
11%$14.2 million

Fines and other7.9%

Interest, rents and other
7.1%$9.0 million
Fines
0.8%$1.0 million

Where it goes

Water, sewer, trash and utilities30%Running the government and other costs29%Parks, recreation and libraries15%Police, fire, courts and jails12%Roads, transit and parking7.1%All other spending6.8%

What stands out

30%

of Tonawanda's spending goes to water, sewer, trash and other utilities.Most U.S. townships and towns of 50,000+ people spend nothing on this.

Spending by category100%

Water, sewer, trash and utilities
30%$45.1 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesSewer systems; water supply and 1 more
  • Sewer systems$17.8 million
  • Water supply$16.4 million
  • Garbage and solid waste$10.9 million
Running the government and other costs
29%$44.6 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$40.9 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$1.4 million
  • Government buildings$1.3 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$1.0 million
Parks, recreation and libraries
15%$22.9 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation and libraries
  • Parks and recreation$21.6 million
  • Libraries$1.3 million
Police, fire, courts and jails
12%$17.6 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice; inspections and regulation and 2 more
  • Police$14.4 million
  • Inspections and regulation$1.2 million
  • Courts and legal services$1.2 million
  • Fire protection$885 thousand
Roads, transit and parking
7.1%$10.8 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways
  • Roads and highways$10.8 million
Interest on debt
4.0%$6.1 million
Housing and community development
1.3%$2.0 million
Health and hospitals
1.3%$1.9 million
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$1.9 million
Environment and natural resources
0.1%$213 thousand
What's in environment and natural resourcesNatural resources, farming and conservation
  • Natural resources, farming and conservation$213 thousand
Sent to other local governments
<0.1%$63 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$63 thousand
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

Town of Tonawanda. 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 Tonawanda 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.