Borough government · Lancaster County, PA

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

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended December 31, 2023), Ephrata took in $38.6 million and spent $40.8 million.

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

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Where it comes from

Fees for services (electric power, water)76%Borough taxes13%Fines and other5.5%State tax money4.2%County and local tax money1.4%

What stands out

76%

of Ephrata'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%.

Borough taxes13%

Individual income tax
5.3%$2.0 million
Property tax
4.9%$1.9 million
Other taxes
2.4%$935 thousand
What's in other taxesOccupation and business licenses; real estate and stock transfer taxes and 1 more
  • Occupation and business licenses$454 thousand
  • Real estate and stock transfer taxes$316 thousand
  • Public utility licenses$165 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services76%

Fees for services
76%$29.5 million
What's in fees for servicesElectric power; other service charges and 5 more
  • Electric power$20.0 million
  • Other service charges$6.0 million
  • Water$1.7 million
  • Garbage collection$1.4 million
  • Parks and recreation$280 thousand
  • Parking$30 thousand
  • Road charges$20 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%$2 thousand

State tax money4.2%

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

From the state
4.2%$1.6 million

County and local tax money1.4%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From the county and other local governments
1.4%$554 thousand

Fines and other5.5%

Interest, rents and other
5.3%$2.0 million
Fines
0.2%$90 thousand

Where it goes

Water, sewer, trash and utilities45%Police, fire, courts and jails20%Running the government and other costs19%Roads, transit and parking8.4%Parks, recreation and libraries6.0%All other spending0.6%

What stands out

45%

of Ephrata'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
45%$18.5 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesElectric power; garbage and solid waste and 1 more
  • Electric power$16.1 million
  • Garbage and solid waste$1.9 million
  • Water supply$582 thousand
Police, fire, courts and jails
20%$8.3 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice; inspections and regulation and 1 more
  • Police$7.7 million
  • Inspections and regulation$320 thousand
  • Fire protection$241 thousand
Running the government and other costs
19%$7.9 million
What's in running the government and other costsOther and not broken out; government buildings and 3 more
  • Other and not broken out$4.3 million
  • Government buildings$1.4 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$1.2 million
  • Other government-run businesses$619 thousand
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$358 thousand
Roads, transit and parking
8.4%$3.4 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways
  • Roads and highways$3.4 million
Parks, recreation and libraries
6.0%$2.5 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation and libraries
  • Parks and recreation$2.5 million
  • Libraries$7 thousand
Housing and community development
0.5%$194 thousand
Interest on debt
0.1%$52 thousand
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

Borough of Ephrata. 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 Borough of Ephrata 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.