City government · Potter County, TX

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

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended September 30, 2023), Amarillo took in $521 million and spent $507 million.

Latest recorded year: ended September 30, 2023Comes fromGoes to

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Where it comes from

City taxes49%Fees for services (water, sewer)30%Fines and other9.7%Federal tax money5.5%State tax money4.4%County and local tax money0.8%

What stands out

19%

of Amarillo's money comes from sales tax.A typical U.S. city of 50,000+ people gets 7.8%.

City taxes49%

Sales tax
19%$101 million
Other taxes
17%$88.0 million
What's in other taxesOther selective sales taxes; public utility taxes and 3 more
  • Other selective sales taxes$56.3 million
  • Public utility taxes$26.7 million
  • Other licenses$3.7 million
  • Occupation and business licenses$1.2 million
  • Alcoholic beverage licenses$92 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Property tax
13%$68.6 million

Fees for services30%

Fees for services
30%$158 million
What's in fees for servicesWater; sewer and 6 more
  • Water$65.1 million
  • Sewer$30.6 million
  • Garbage collection$27.1 million
  • Airport$14.5 million
  • Other service charges$11.8 million
  • Parks and recreation$8.0 million
  • Transit fares$403 thousand
  • Housing$184 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money5.5%

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

From the federal government
5.5%$28.5 million

State tax money4.4%

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

From the state
4.4%$22.9 million

County and local tax money0.8%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From the county and other local governments
0.8%$3.9 million

Fines and other9.7%

Interest, rents and other
9.0%$47.0 million
Fines
0.7%$3.5 million

Where it goes

Water, sewer, trash and utilities27%Police, fire, courts and jails21%Running the government and other costs11%Roads, transit and parking11%Social services10%All other spending20%

What stands out

10%

of Amarillo's spending goes to social services.Most U.S. cities of 50,000+ people spend nothing on this.

Spending by category100%

Water, sewer, trash and utilities
27%$135 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesWater supply; sewer systems and 1 more
  • Water supply$65.2 million
  • Sewer systems$45.6 million
  • Garbage and solid waste$24.0 million
Police, fire, courts and jails
21%$106 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice; fire protection and 2 more
  • Police$56.8 million
  • Fire protection$40.8 million
  • Courts and legal services$4.3 million
  • Inspections and regulation$4.0 million
Running the government and other costs
11%$58.0 million
What's in running the government and other costsOther and not broken out; central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology) and 3 more
  • Other and not broken out$41.8 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$6.2 million
  • Government buildings$5.6 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$4.3 million
  • Other government-run businesses$58 thousand
Roads, transit and parking
11%$56.9 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways; airports and 1 more
  • Roads and highways$31.9 million
  • Airports$19.6 million
  • Public transit$5.4 million
Social services
10%$50.5 million
What's in social servicesOther public welfare
  • Other public welfare$50.5 million
Parks, recreation and libraries
7.8%$39.3 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation and libraries
  • Parks and recreation$35.1 million
  • Libraries$4.2 million
Health and hospitals
5.6%$28.3 million
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$28.3 million
Interest on debt
3.3%$17.0 million
What's in interest on debtInterest on general debt and interest on water supply debt
  • Interest on general debt$10.2 million
  • Interest on water supply debt$6.8 million
Housing and community development
3.2%$16.2 million
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

City of Amarillo. U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, individual unit file, fiscal year ended September 30, 2023.

What this covers. The money of City of Amarillo 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.