Township government · Northampton County, PA

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

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended December 31, 2021), Palmer Township took in $24.9 million and spent $34.4 million.

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

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Where it comes from

Township taxes55%Fees for services (sewer, garbage collection)30%State tax money7.4%Federal tax money4.5%Fines and other3.8%

What stands out

16%

of Palmer 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 taxes55%

Property tax
24%$6.0 million
Individual income tax
16%$3.9 million
Other taxes
15%$3.7 million
What's in other taxesOccupation and business licenses; real estate and stock transfer taxes and 1 more
  • Occupation and business licenses$2.2 million
  • Real estate and stock transfer taxes$1.2 million
  • Public utility licenses$361 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services30%

Fees for services
30%$7.4 million
What's in fees for servicesSewer; garbage collection and 3 more
  • Sewer$4.2 million
  • Garbage collection$2.3 million
  • Other service charges$433 thousand
  • Parks and recreation$428 thousand
  • Road charges$7 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money4.5%

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

From the federal government
4.5%$1.1 million

State tax money7.4%

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

From the state
7.4%$1.8 million

Fines and other3.8%

Interest, rents and other
3.7%$915 thousand
Fines
0.2%$41 thousand

Where it goes

Roads, transit and parking33%Police, fire, courts and jails23%Water, sewer, trash and utilities18%Running the government and other costs13%Parks, recreation and libraries9.3%All other spending3.6%

What stands out

33%

of Palmer Township's spending goes to roads, transit and parking.A typical U.S. township or town of 10,000 to 50,000 people spends 9.2%.

Spending by category100%

Roads, transit and parking
33%$11.2 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways
  • Roads and highways$11.2 million
Police, fire, courts and jails
23%$8.0 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice; fire protection and 2 more
  • Police$6.6 million
  • Fire protection$1.1 million
  • Inspections and regulation$214 thousand
  • Courts and legal services$103 thousand
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
18%$6.3 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesSewer systems and garbage and solid waste
  • Sewer systems$4.1 million
  • Garbage and solid waste$2.2 million
Running the government and other costs
13%$4.4 million
What's in running the government and other costsOther and not broken out; government buildings and 3 more
  • Other and not broken out$1.4 million
  • Government buildings$1.3 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$1.3 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$236 thousand
  • Other government-run businesses$173 thousand
Parks, recreation and libraries
9.3%$3.2 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation and libraries
  • Parks and recreation$3.2 million
  • Libraries$27 thousand
Interest on debt
3.0%$1.0 million
Health and hospitals
0.5%$173 thousand
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$173 thousand
Housing and community development
<0.1%$13 thousand
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

Palmer 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 Palmer 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.