City government · Whatcom County, WA

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

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended December 31, 2021), Blaine took in $27.0 million and spent $20.3 million.

Latest recorded year: ended December 31, 2021Comes fromGoes to

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Where it comes from

Fees for services (electric power, sewer)56%City taxes26%Fines and other12%State tax money4.3%County and local tax money1.6%Federal tax money0.1%

What stands out

8.2%

of Blaine's money comes from sales tax.Most U.S. cities, towns and villages of under 10,000 people get none.

City taxes26%

Other taxes
12%$3.3 million
What's in other taxesPublic utility taxes; real estate and stock transfer taxes and 3 more
  • Public utility taxes$1.4 million
  • Real estate and stock transfer taxes$951 thousand
  • Occupation and business licenses$382 thousand
  • Other selective sales taxes$342 thousand
  • Other licenses$296 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Sales tax
8.2%$2.2 million
Property tax
5.3%$1.4 million

Fees for services56%

Fees for services
56%$15.1 million
What's in fees for servicesElectric power; sewer and 3 more
  • Electric power$6.7 million
  • Sewer$5.1 million
  • Water$1.7 million
  • Other service charges$1.5 million
  • Other government-run businesses$1 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money0.1%

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

From the federal government
0.1%$34 thousand

State tax money4.3%

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

From the state
4.3%$1.2 million

County and local tax money1.6%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From the county and other local governments
1.6%$428 thousand

Fines and other12%

Interest, rents and other
12%$3.2 million
Fines
0.2%$66 thousand

Where it goes

Water, sewer, trash and utilities58%Police, fire, courts and jails16%Running the government and other costs14%Interest on debt4.5%Roads, transit and parking3.6%All other spending3.9%

What stands out

58%

of Blaine's spending goes to water, sewer, trash and other utilities.A typical U.S. city, town or village of under 10,000 people spends 32%.

Spending by category100%

Water, sewer, trash and utilities
58%$11.7 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesElectric power; sewer systems and 1 more
  • Electric power$6.2 million
  • Sewer systems$3.8 million
  • Water supply$1.8 million
Police, fire, courts and jails
16%$3.3 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice; courts and legal services and 2 more
  • Police$2.5 million
  • Courts and legal services$658 thousand
  • Prisons and jails$124 thousand
  • Probation, parole and other corrections$39 thousand
Running the government and other costs
14%$2.8 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$1.4 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$726 thousand
  • Other and not broken out$358 thousand
  • Government buildings$278 thousand
  • Other government-run businesses$45 thousand
Interest on debt
4.5%$908 thousand
Roads, transit and parking
3.6%$739 thousand
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways
  • Roads and highways$739 thousand
Parks, recreation and libraries
1.8%$366 thousand
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation and libraries
  • Parks and recreation$362 thousand
  • Libraries$4 thousand
Housing and community development
1.6%$316 thousand
Environment and natural resources
0.5%$93 thousand
What's in environment and natural resourcesNatural resources, farming and conservation
  • Natural resources, farming and conservation$93 thousand
Health and hospitals
<0.1%$12 thousand
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$12 thousand
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

City of Blaine. U.S. Census Bureau, 2022 Census of Governments, Finance, individual unit file, fiscal year ended December 31, 2021. The Census record for this government is from the 2022 survey, the newest on file.

What this covers. The money of City of Blaine 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.