City government · Harris County, TX

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

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended September 30, 2023), Baytown took in $67.2 million and spent $156 million.

Latest recorded year: ended September 30, 2023Comes from Goes to

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Where it comes from

City taxes84%Fees for services (sewer, water)7.8%Fines and other4.7%County and local tax money1.7%State tax money1.6%

What stands out

32%

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

City taxes84%

Property tax

38%$25.5 million

Sales tax

32%$21.6 million

Other taxes

14%$9.5 million

What's in other taxesPublic utility taxes; amusement taxes and 3 more

Public utility taxes$9.0 million
Amusement taxes$369 thousand
Motor vehicle licenses$51 thousand
Alcoholic beverage licenses$44 thousand
Amusement licenses$13 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services7.8%

Fees for services

7.8%$5.2 million

What's in fees for servicesSewer; water and 2 more

Sewer$3.2 million
Water$1.6 million
Parks and recreation$369 thousand
Housing$89 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

State tax money1.6%

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

From the state

1.6%$1.1 million

County and local tax money1.7%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From the county and other local governments

1.7%$1.1 million

Fines and other4.7%

Interest, rents and other

2.6%$1.8 million

Fines

2.1%$1.4 million

Where it goes

Police, fire, courts and jails45%Water, sewer, trash and utilities32%Parks, recreation and libraries10%Running the government and other costs8.2%Health and hospitals3.7%Interest on debt1.2%

What stands out

45%

of Baytown's spending goes to police, fire, courts and jails.A typical U.S. city of 50,000+ people spends 25%.

Spending by category100%

Police, fire, courts and jails

45%$70.0 million

What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice; fire protection and 1 more

Police$37.1 million
Fire protection$31.5 million
Courts and legal services$1.4 million

Water, sewer, trash and utilities

32%$49.5 million

What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesWater supply; sewer systems and 1 more

Water supply$27.1 million
Sewer systems$21.8 million
Garbage and solid waste$621 thousand

Parks, recreation and libraries

10%$16.3 million

What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation and libraries

Parks and recreation$13.4 million
Libraries$2.9 million

Running the government and other costs

8.2%$12.7 million

What's in running the government and other costsFinance, tax collection and budgeting; government buildings and 1 more

Finance, tax collection and budgeting$6.2 million
Government buildings$4.8 million
Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$1.8 million

Health and hospitals

3.7%$5.8 million

What's in health and hospitalsHospitals

Hospitals$5.8 million

Interest on debt

1.2%$1.8 million

Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

City of Baytown. 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 Baytown 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.