City government · Howard County, TX

Big Spring's money: where it comes from and where it goes

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended September 30, 2021), Big Spring took in $39.8 million and spent $41.9 million.

Latest recorded year: ended September 30, 2021Comes fromGoes to

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Where it comes from

Fees for services (water, garbage collection)50%City taxes41%Fines and other5.8%County and local tax money1.1%Federal tax money1.0%State tax money0.8%

What stands out

20%

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

City taxes41%

Sales tax
20%$7.9 million
Property tax
17%$6.6 million
Other taxes
4.3%$1.7 million
What's in other taxesPublic utility taxes; occupation and business licenses and 3 more
  • Public utility taxes$1.4 million
  • Occupation and business licenses$231 thousand
  • Amusement licenses$81 thousand
  • Alcoholic beverage licenses$57 thousand
  • Other licenses$11 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services50%

Fees for services
50%$20.1 million
What's in fees for servicesWater; garbage collection and 3 more
  • Water$13.4 million
  • Garbage collection$3.6 million
  • Airport$1.5 million
  • Parks and recreation$1.0 million
  • Sewer$555 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money1.0%

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

From the federal government
1.0%$406 thousand

State tax money0.8%

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

From the state
0.8%$325 thousand

County and local tax money1.1%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From the county and other local governments
1.1%$450 thousand

Fines and other5.8%

Interest, rents and other
5.3%$2.1 million
Fines
0.5%$207 thousand

Where it goes

Police, fire, courts and jails37%Roads, transit and parking25%Water, sewer, trash and utilities24%Running the government and other costs7.5%Parks, recreation and libraries4.7%All other spending2.1%

What stands out

25%

of Big Spring's spending goes to roads, transit and parking.A typical U.S. city of 10,000 to 50,000 people spends 10%.

Spending by category100%

Police, fire, courts and jails
37%$15.6 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsFire protection; police and 2 more
  • Fire protection$9.3 million
  • Police$5.5 million
  • Inspections and regulation$495 thousand
  • Courts and legal services$336 thousand
Roads, transit and parking
25%$10.4 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingAirports and roads and highways
  • Airports$8.5 million
  • Roads and highways$1.9 million
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
24%$9.9 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesGarbage and solid waste; sewer systems and 1 more
  • Garbage and solid waste$5.2 million
  • Sewer systems$2.6 million
  • Water supply$2.0 million
Running the government and other costs
7.5%$3.1 million
What's in running the government and other costsCentral staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology); finance, tax collection and budgeting and 2 more
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$1.9 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$662 thousand
  • Other and not broken out$362 thousand
  • Other government-run businesses$158 thousand
Parks, recreation and libraries
4.7%$2.0 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation
  • Parks and recreation$2.0 million
Interest on debt
1.4%$582 thousand
What's in interest on debtInterest on water supply debt and interest on general debt
  • Interest on water supply debt$512 thousand
  • Interest on general debt$70 thousand
Health and hospitals
0.7%$278 thousand
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$278 thousand
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

City of Big Spring. U.S. Census Bureau, 2022 Census of Governments, Finance, individual unit file, fiscal year ended September 30, 2021. The Census record for this government is from the 2022 survey, the newest on file.

What this covers. The money of City of Big Spring 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.