Town government · Newport County, RI

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

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended June 30, 2024), Portsmouth took in $86.6 million and spent $91.4 million.

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

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Where it comes from

Town taxes72%State tax money15%Fees for services (garbage collection, school lunches)6.7%Fines and other3.4%County and local tax money2.3%Federal tax money0.6%

What stands out

71%

of Portsmouth's money comes from property tax.A typical U.S. township or town of 10,000 to 50,000 people gets 53%.

Town taxes72%

Property tax
71%$61.8 million
Other taxes
0.9%$760 thousand
What's in other taxesOther licenses
  • Other licenses$760 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services6.7%

Fees for services
6.7%$5.8 million
What's in fees for servicesOther school charges; other service charges and 4 more
  • Other school charges$2.1 million
  • Other service charges$1.9 million
  • Garbage collection$1.1 million
  • School lunches$560 thousand
  • Parks and recreation$185 thousand
  • School tuition and transportation$63 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money0.6%

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

From the federal government
0.6%$550 thousand

State tax money15%

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

From the state
15%$12.7 million

County and local tax money2.3%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From the county and other local governments
2.3%$2.0 million

Fines and other3.4%

Interest, rents and other
3.4%$2.9 million

Where it goes

Schools and colleges63%Police, fire, courts and jails17%Running the government and other costs11%Roads, transit and parking4.5%Social services1.3%All other spending3.3%

What stands out

63%

of Portsmouth's spending goes to schools and colleges.Most U.S. townships and towns of 10,000 to 50,000 people spend nothing on this.

Spending by category100%

Schools and colleges
63%$57.9 million
What's in schools and collegesElementary and secondary schools
  • Elementary and secondary schools$57.9 million
Police, fire, courts and jails
17%$15.6 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice; fire protection and 2 more
  • Police$7.5 million
  • Fire protection$7.4 million
  • Inspections and regulation$389 thousand
  • Courts and legal services$328 thousand
Running the government and other costs
11%$9.6 million
What's in running the government and other costsCentral staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology); other and not broken out and 1 more
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$4.5 million
  • Other and not broken out$3.7 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$1.4 million
Roads, transit and parking
4.5%$4.1 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways and ports and harbors
  • Roads and highways$4.0 million
  • Ports and harbors$67 thousand
Social services
1.3%$1.2 million
What's in social servicesOther public welfare
  • Other public welfare$1.2 million
Parks, recreation and libraries
1.2%$1.1 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation
  • Parks and recreation$1.1 million
Sent to other local governments
0.8%$743 thousand
What's in sent to other local governmentsSent to local governments: other and not broken out and sent to the state government
  • Sent to local governments: other and not broken out$715 thousand
  • Sent to the state government$28 thousand
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
0.8%$735 thousand
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesGarbage and solid waste
  • Garbage and solid waste$735 thousand
Interest on debt
0.5%$470 thousand
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

Town of Portsmouth. 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 Town of Portsmouth 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.