Township government · Northampton County, PA

Bethlehem Township's money: where it comes from and where it goes

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended December 31, 2021), Bethlehem Township took in $28.8 million and spent $28.4 million.

Latest recorded year: ended December 31, 2021Comes fromGoes to

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Where it comes from

Township taxes57%Fees for services (sewer, parks and recreation)22%Federal tax money9.0%State tax money7.1%Fines and other5.5%County and local tax money0.2%

What stands out

18%

of Bethlehem Township's money comes from a personal income tax.Most U.S. townships and towns of 10,000 to 50,000 people get none.

Township taxes57%

Property tax
25%$7.1 million
Individual income tax
18%$5.2 million
Other taxes
14%$4.1 million
What's in other taxesOccupation and business licenses; real estate and stock transfer taxes and 2 more
  • Occupation and business licenses$2.2 million
  • Real estate and stock transfer taxes$1.5 million
  • Public utility licenses$355 thousand
  • Amusement taxes$42 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services22%

Fees for services
22%$6.3 million
What's in fees for servicesSewer; parks and recreation and 1 more
  • Sewer$5.6 million
  • Parks and recreation$499 thousand
  • Other service charges$154 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money9.0%

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

From the federal government
9.0%$2.6 million

State tax money7.1%

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

From the state
7.1%$2.0 million

County and local tax money0.2%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From the county and other local governments
0.2%$56 thousand

Fines and other5.5%

Interest, rents and other
5.4%$1.5 million
Fines
0.2%$47 thousand

Where it goes

Running the government and other costs42%Water, sewer, trash and utilities31%Police, fire, courts and jails14%Roads, transit and parking6.7%Parks, recreation and libraries4.2%All other spending2.7%

What stands out

31%

of Bethlehem Township's spending goes to water, sewer, trash and other utilities.A typical U.S. township or town of 10,000 to 50,000 people spends 4.5%.

Spending by category100%

Running the government and other costs
42%$12.0 million
What's in running the government and other costsCentral staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology); other and not broken out and 2 more
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$4.5 million
  • Other and not broken out$3.2 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$2.4 million
  • Government buildings$1.9 million
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
31%$8.8 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesSewer systems and garbage and solid waste
  • Sewer systems$8.7 million
  • Garbage and solid waste$34 thousand
Police, fire, courts and jails
14%$3.9 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice; fire protection and 2 more
  • Police$3.3 million
  • Fire protection$337 thousand
  • Courts and legal services$195 thousand
  • Inspections and regulation$5 thousand
Roads, transit and parking
6.7%$1.9 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways
  • Roads and highways$1.9 million
Parks, recreation and libraries
4.2%$1.2 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation and libraries
  • Parks and recreation$745 thousand
  • Libraries$448 thousand
Interest on debt
2.5%$709 thousand
Health and hospitals
0.2%$59 thousand
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$59 thousand
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

Bethlehem Township. U.S. Census Bureau, 2022 Census of Governments, Finance, individual unit file, fiscal year ended December 31, 2021. The Census record for this government is from the 2022 survey, the newest on file.

What this covers. The money of Bethlehem Township 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.