City government · Codington County, SD

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

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended December 31, 2023), Watertown took in $83.6 million and spent $55.3 million.

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

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Where it comes from

Fees for services (electric power, gas)60%City taxes29%State tax money8.7%Federal tax money1.3%Fines and other0.9%

What stands out

27%

of Watertown's money comes from sales tax.Most U.S. cities of 10,000 to 50,000 people get none.

City taxes29%

Sales tax
27%$22.3 million
Property tax
1.6%$1.3 million
Other taxes
0.5%$395 thousand
What's in other taxesOther licenses and other selective sales taxes
  • Other licenses$394 thousand
  • Other selective sales taxes$1 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services60%

Fees for services
60%$50.4 million
What's in fees for servicesElectric power; gas and 8 more
  • Electric power$33.3 million
  • Gas$12.6 million
  • Parking$1.7 million
  • Water$1.1 million
  • Parks and recreation$523 thousand
  • Housing$413 thousand
  • Other service charges$341 thousand
  • Other government-run businesses$175 thousand
  • Garbage collection$146 thousand
  • Sewer$91 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money1.3%

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

From the federal government
1.3%$1.1 million

State tax money8.7%

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

From the state
8.7%$7.3 million

County and local tax money<0.1%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From the county and other local governments
<0.1%$6 thousand

Fines and other0.9%

Interest, rents and other
0.9%$723 thousand
Fines
<0.1%$8 thousand

Where it goes

Water, sewer, trash and utilities65%Running the government and other costs18%Parks, recreation and libraries5.7%Roads, transit and parking5.4%Police, fire, courts and jails3.3%All other spending2.1%

What stands out

65%

of Watertown'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
65%$36.2 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesElectric power; gas supply and 2 more
  • Electric power$26.6 million
  • Gas supply$8.4 million
  • Water supply$935 thousand
  • Garbage and solid waste$158 thousand
Running the government and other costs
18%$10.0 million
What's in running the government and other costsOther and not broken out; finance, tax collection and budgeting and 2 more
  • Other and not broken out$9.0 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$487 thousand
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$342 thousand
  • Other government-run businesses$123 thousand
Parks, recreation and libraries
5.7%$3.2 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesLibraries and parks and recreation
  • Libraries$2.3 million
  • Parks and recreation$890 thousand
Roads, transit and parking
5.4%$3.0 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingParking; airports and 1 more
  • Parking$1.1 million
  • Airports$994 thousand
  • Roads and highways$875 thousand
Police, fire, courts and jails
3.3%$1.8 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice; fire protection and 1 more
  • Police$1.5 million
  • Fire protection$271 thousand
  • Inspections and regulation$88 thousand
Housing and community development
2.0%$1.1 million
Interest on debt
<0.1%$36 thousand
Sent to other local governments
<0.1%$18 thousand
What's in sent to other local governmentsSent to local governments: other and not broken out
  • Sent to local governments: other and not broken out$18 thousand
Health and hospitals
<0.1%$8 thousand
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$8 thousand
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

City of Watertown. 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 City of Watertown 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.