City government · Cameron County, TX

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

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended September 30, 2023), Harlingen took in $160 million and spent $149 million.

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

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Where it comes from

City taxes40%Fees for services (sewer, water)30%Federal tax money20%Fines and other6.3%State tax money2.1%County and local tax money1.5%

What stands out

20%

of Harlingen's money comes from federal tax money.A typical U.S. city of 50,000+ people gets 3.6%.

City taxes40%

Sales tax
21%$33.2 million
Property tax
15%$24.3 million
Other taxes
3.8%$6.0 million
What's in other taxesPublic utility taxes; other selective sales taxes and 4 more
  • Public utility taxes$3.2 million
  • Other selective sales taxes$1.8 million
  • Occupation and business licenses$894 thousand
  • Other licenses$67 thousand
  • Amusement taxes$42 thousand
  • Alcoholic beverage licenses$23 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services30%

Fees for services
30%$48.0 million
What's in fees for servicesSewer; water and 4 more
  • Sewer$13.2 million
  • Water$11.2 million
  • Garbage collection$10.7 million
  • Airport$9.8 million
  • Other service charges$2.0 million
  • Parks and recreation$1.1 million

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money20%

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

From the federal government
20%$32.4 million

State tax money2.1%

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

From the state
2.1%$3.4 million

County and local tax money1.5%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From the county and other local governments
1.5%$2.4 million

Fines and other6.3%

Interest, rents and other
5.7%$9.1 million
Fines
0.6%$1.0 million

Where it goes

Roads, transit and parking32%Water, sewer, trash and utilities25%Police, fire, courts and jails21%Running the government and other costs13%Parks, recreation and libraries3.3%All other spending4.8%

What stands out

32%

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

Spending by category100%

Roads, transit and parking
32%$47.9 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingAirports and roads and highways
  • Airports$36.4 million
  • Roads and highways$11.5 million
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
25%$37.6 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesWater supply; sewer systems and 1 more
  • Water supply$12.9 million
  • Sewer systems$12.7 million
  • Garbage and solid waste$12.1 million
Police, fire, courts and jails
21%$31.9 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice; fire protection and 2 more
  • Police$17.5 million
  • Fire protection$11.6 million
  • Courts and legal services$1.9 million
  • Inspections and regulation$856 thousand
Running the government and other costs
13%$19.4 million
What's in running the government and other costsOther and not broken out; central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology) and 2 more
  • Other and not broken out$10.5 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$5.5 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$1.7 million
  • Government buildings$1.6 million
Parks, recreation and libraries
3.3%$4.9 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation and libraries
  • Parks and recreation$3.5 million
  • Libraries$1.3 million
Interest on debt
1.6%$2.3 million
What's in interest on debtInterest on general debt and interest on water supply debt
  • Interest on general debt$1.8 million
  • Interest on water supply debt$545 thousand
Housing and community development
1.5%$2.3 million
Health and hospitals
1.0%$1.6 million
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$1.6 million
Sent to other local governments
0.7%$989 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$989 thousand
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

City of Harlingen. 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 Harlingen 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.