City government · King County, WA

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

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended December 31, 2023), Auburn took in $229 million and spent $189 million.

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

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Where it comes from

Fees for services (sewer, garbage collection)45%City taxes41%Fines and other6.6%State tax money5.8%County and local tax money1.0%Federal tax money0.5%

What stands out

17%

of Auburn's money comes from taxes other than property, sales and income taxes.A typical U.S. city of 50,000+ people gets 7.2%.

City taxes41%

Other taxes
17%$39.8 million
What's in other taxesPublic utility taxes; occupation and business licenses and 4 more
  • Public utility taxes$20.6 million
  • Occupation and business licenses$12.7 million
  • Real estate and stock transfer taxes$2.9 million
  • Other licenses$2.6 million
  • Amusement taxes$775 thousand
  • Other selective sales taxes$249 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Sales tax
13%$29.1 million
Property tax
11%$24.5 million

Fees for services45%

Fees for services
45%$104 million
What's in fees for servicesSewer; garbage collection and 6 more
  • Sewer$42.8 million
  • Garbage collection$27.6 million
  • Water$18.6 million
  • Other service charges$7.2 million
  • Parks and recreation$3.3 million
  • Other government-run businesses$2.0 million
  • Road charges$1.6 million
  • Airport$790 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money0.5%

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

From the federal government
0.5%$1.1 million

State tax money5.8%

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

From the state
5.8%$13.2 million

County and local tax money1.0%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From the county and other local governments
1.0%$2.4 million

Fines and other6.6%

Interest, rents and other
5.4%$12.3 million
Fines
1.2%$2.7 million

Where it goes

Water, sewer, trash and utilities43%Police, fire, courts and jails21%Running the government and other costs14%Parks, recreation and libraries9.0%Roads, transit and parking6.5%All other spending6.9%

What stands out

43%

of Auburn's spending goes to water, sewer, trash and other utilities.A typical U.S. city of 50,000+ people spends 20%.

Spending by category100%

Water, sewer, trash and utilities
43%$81.7 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesSewer systems; garbage and solid waste and 1 more
  • Sewer systems$38.0 million
  • Garbage and solid waste$29.4 million
  • Water supply$14.4 million
Police, fire, courts and jails
21%$38.9 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice; courts and legal services and 2 more
  • Police$33.7 million
  • Courts and legal services$2.6 million
  • Inspections and regulation$2.0 million
  • Fire protection$599 thousand
Running the government and other costs
14%$26.4 million
What's in running the government and other costsCentral staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology); other government-run businesses and 2 more
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$7.4 million
  • Other government-run businesses$6.6 million
  • Other and not broken out$6.3 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$6.1 million
Parks, recreation and libraries
9.0%$16.9 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation
  • Parks and recreation$16.9 million
Roads, transit and parking
6.5%$12.3 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways and airports
  • Roads and highways$9.8 million
  • Airports$2.6 million
Sent to other local governments
2.8%$5.3 million
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$5.3 million
Interest on debt
2.0%$3.8 million
What's in interest on debtInterest on general debt; interest on water supply debt and 1 more
  • Interest on general debt$2.2 million
  • Interest on water supply debt$1.6 million
  • Interest on public transit debt$18 thousand
Social services
1.1%$2.1 million
What's in social servicesOther public welfare
  • Other public welfare$2.1 million
Health and hospitals
0.6%$1.2 million
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$1.2 million
Housing and community development
0.3%$547 thousand
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

City of Auburn. 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 Auburn 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.