City government · Burke County, NC

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

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended June 30, 2024), Morganton took in $128 million and spent $70.9 million.

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

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Where it comes from

Fees for services (electric power, sewer)77%City taxes17%Fines and other3.8%State tax money2.2%County and local tax money0.4%Federal tax money<0.1%

What stands out

77%

of Morganton's money comes from fees for services such as water, sewer and parking.A typical U.S. city of 10,000 to 50,000 people gets 30%.

City taxes17%

Property tax
11%$13.6 million
Sales tax
5.4%$6.9 million
Other taxes
0.9%$1.2 million
What's in other taxesAlcoholic beverage taxes; motor vehicle licenses and 3 more
  • Alcoholic beverage taxes$598 thousand
  • Motor vehicle licenses$290 thousand
  • Other selective sales taxes$225 thousand
  • Occupation and business licenses$75 thousand
  • Other licenses$14 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services77%

Fees for services
77%$98.0 million
What's in fees for servicesElectric power; sewer and 7 more
  • Electric power$55.5 million
  • Sewer$14.4 million
  • Water$14.3 million
  • Other government-run businesses$6.7 million
  • Liquor stores$4.3 million
  • Garbage collection$1.7 million
  • Parks and recreation$955 thousand
  • Other service charges$181 thousand
  • Parking$9 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money<0.1%

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

From the federal government
<0.1%$67 thousand

State tax money2.2%

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

From the state
2.2%$2.8 million

County and local tax money0.4%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From the county and other local governments
0.4%$457 thousand

Fines and other3.8%

Interest, rents and other
3.8%$4.8 million

Where it goes

Water, sewer, trash and utilities54%Police, fire, courts and jails16%Running the government and other costs10%Parks, recreation and libraries8.5%Housing and community development5.3%All other spending5.6%

What stands out

54%

of Morganton's spending goes to water, sewer, trash and other utilities.A typical U.S. city of 10,000 to 50,000 people spends 24%.

Spending by category100%

Water, sewer, trash and utilities
54%$38.4 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesElectric power; water supply and 3 more
  • Electric power$25.3 million
  • Water supply$5.1 million
  • Liquor stores$3.6 million
  • Sewer systems$3.1 million
  • Garbage and solid waste$1.3 million
Police, fire, courts and jails
16%$11.3 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice and courts and legal services
  • Police$11.2 million
  • Courts and legal services$82 thousand
Running the government and other costs
10%$7.4 million
What's in running the government and other costsOther government-run businesses; central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology) and 3 more
  • Other government-run businesses$4.9 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$1.1 million
  • Government buildings$515 thousand
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$493 thousand
  • Other and not broken out$376 thousand
Parks, recreation and libraries
8.5%$6.0 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation
  • Parks and recreation$6.0 million
Housing and community development
5.3%$3.7 million
Roads, transit and parking
3.7%$2.7 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways
  • Roads and highways$2.7 million
Environment and natural resources
1.3%$908 thousand
What's in environment and natural resourcesNatural resources, farming and conservation
  • Natural resources, farming and conservation$908 thousand
Interest on debt
0.5%$345 thousand
What's in interest on debtInterest on general debt and interest on electric power debt
  • Interest on general debt$336 thousand
  • Interest on electric power debt$9 thousand
Health and hospitals
<0.1%$65 thousand
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$65 thousand
Sent to other local governments
<0.1%$14 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$14 thousand
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

City of Morganton. 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 Morganton 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.