Borough government · Montgomery County, PA

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

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended December 31, 2023), Pottstown took in $39.3 million and spent $34.4 million.

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

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Where it comes from

Fees for services (sewer, garbage collection)40%Borough taxes40%State tax money12%Fines and other3.7%Federal tax money2.5%County and local tax money1.0%

What stands out

8%

of Pottstown's money comes from a personal income tax.Most U.S. cities of 10,000 to 50,000 people get none.

Borough taxes40%

Property tax
28%$11.0 million
Individual income tax
8.0%$3.1 million
Other taxes
4.0%$1.6 million
What's in other taxesReal estate and stock transfer taxes; occupation and business licenses and 1 more
  • Real estate and stock transfer taxes$693 thousand
  • Occupation and business licenses$566 thousand
  • Public utility licenses$296 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services40%

Fees for services
40%$15.9 million
What's in fees for servicesSewer; other service charges and 5 more
  • Sewer$9.0 million
  • Other service charges$3.2 million
  • Garbage collection$3.1 million
  • Transit fares$245 thousand
  • Airport$230 thousand
  • Parking$98 thousand
  • Parks and recreation$70 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money2.5%

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

From the federal government
2.5%$999 thousand

State tax money12%

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

From the state
12%$4.9 million

County and local tax money1.0%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From the county and other local governments
1.0%$379 thousand

Fines and other3.7%

Interest, rents and other
3.3%$1.3 million
Fines
0.4%$141 thousand

Where it goes

Police, fire, courts and jails29%Water, sewer, trash and utilities24%Running the government and other costs22%Roads, transit and parking18%Housing and community development4.0%All other spending3.2%

What stands out

4%

of Pottstown's spending goes to housing and community development.Most U.S. cities of 10,000 to 50,000 people spend nothing on this.

Spending by category100%

Police, fire, courts and jails
29%$10.1 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice; courts and legal services and 1 more
  • Police$9.6 million
  • Courts and legal services$356 thousand
  • Fire protection$120 thousand
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
24%$8.1 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesSewer systems and garbage and solid waste
  • Sewer systems$5.5 million
  • Garbage and solid waste$2.6 million
Running the government and other costs
22%$7.6 million
What's in running the government and other costsFinance, tax collection and budgeting; other and not broken out and 2 more
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$3.2 million
  • Other and not broken out$2.4 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$1.8 million
  • Government buildings$184 thousand
Roads, transit and parking
18%$6.1 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingPublic transit; roads and highways and 2 more
  • Public transit$3.1 million
  • Roads and highways$2.6 million
  • Airports$239 thousand
  • Parking$95 thousand
Housing and community development
4.0%$1.4 million
Parks, recreation and libraries
3.1%$1.1 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation and libraries
  • Parks and recreation$897 thousand
  • Libraries$174 thousand
Interest on debt
<0.1%$33 thousand
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

Borough of Pottstown. 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 Pottstown 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.