City government · Snohomish County, WA

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

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended December 31, 2023), Arlington took in $44.9 million and spent $42.0 million.

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

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Where it comes from

City taxes46%Fees for services (sewer, water)42%Fines and other6.1%State tax money5.8%County and local tax money0.2%

What stands out

24%

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

City taxes46%

Sales tax
24%$10.7 million
Other taxes
16%$7.1 million
What's in other taxesPublic utility taxes; real estate and stock transfer taxes and 4 more
  • Public utility taxes$3.9 million
  • Real estate and stock transfer taxes$1.5 million
  • Other licenses$1.1 million
  • Other selective sales taxes$298 thousand
  • Amusement taxes$204 thousand
  • Occupation and business licenses$128 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Property tax
6.7%$3.0 million

Fees for services42%

Fees for services
42%$18.7 million
What's in fees for servicesSewer; water and 6 more
  • Sewer$8.3 million
  • Water$5.2 million
  • Airport$3.2 million
  • Other service charges$1.5 million
  • Other government-run businesses$342 thousand
  • Road charges$69 thousand
  • Parks and recreation$44 thousand
  • Parks, land and natural resources$1 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money<0.1%

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

From the federal government
<0.1%$19 thousand

State tax money5.8%

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

From the state
5.8%$2.6 million

County and local tax money0.2%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From the county and other local governments
0.2%$105 thousand

Fines and other6.1%

Interest, rents and other
5.6%$2.5 million
Fines
0.5%$206 thousand

Where it goes

Water, sewer, trash and utilities32%Police, fire, courts and jails25%Roads, transit and parking17%Running the government and other costs16%Housing and community development4.6%All other spending6.1%

What stands out

4.6%

of Arlington's spending goes to housing and community development.Most U.S. cities of 10,000 to 50,000 people spend nothing on this.

Spending by category100%

Water, sewer, trash and utilities
32%$13.3 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesWater supply; sewer systems and 1 more
  • Water supply$7.8 million
  • Sewer systems$5.5 million
  • Garbage and solid waste$20 thousand
Police, fire, courts and jails
25%$10.6 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice; fire protection and 1 more
  • Police$10.4 million
  • Fire protection$159 thousand
  • Courts and legal services$60 thousand
Roads, transit and parking
17%$7.0 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways and airports
  • Roads and highways$3.5 million
  • Airports$3.4 million
Running the government and other costs
16%$6.7 million
What's in running the government and other costsFinance, tax collection and budgeting; central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology) and 3 more
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$2.2 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$2.1 million
  • Government buildings$1.7 million
  • Other government-run businesses$395 thousand
  • Other and not broken out$272 thousand
Housing and community development
4.6%$1.9 million
Parks, recreation and libraries
2.7%$1.1 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation
  • Parks and recreation$1.1 million
Interest on debt
1.8%$736 thousand
Health and hospitals
1.0%$407 thousand
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$407 thousand
Environment and natural resources
0.6%$257 thousand
What's in environment and natural resourcesNatural resources, farming and conservation
  • Natural resources, farming and conservation$257 thousand
Social services
<0.1%$8 thousand
What's in social servicesOther public welfare
  • Other public welfare$8 thousand
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

City of Arlington. 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 Arlington 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.