City government · Pierce County, WA

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

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended December 31, 2023), Lakewood took in $80.3 million and spent $82.7 million.

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

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Where it comes from

City taxes56%State tax money17%Fees for services (sewer, parks and recreation)14%Fines and other6.7%Federal tax money5.9%County and local tax money1.0%

What stands out

25%

of Lakewood'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 taxes56%

Other taxes
25%$20.3 million
What's in other taxesPublic utility taxes; amusement taxes and 6 more
  • Public utility taxes$8.1 million
  • Amusement taxes$3.5 million
  • Other selective sales taxes$2.3 million
  • Real estate and stock transfer taxes$2.3 million
  • Other licenses$1.3 million
  • Public utility licenses$1.2 million
  • Motor vehicle licenses$816 thousand
  • Occupation and business licenses$601 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Sales tax
21%$16.7 million
Property tax
9.7%$7.8 million

Fees for services14%

Fees for services
14%$11.0 million
What's in fees for servicesSewer; other service charges and 1 more
  • Sewer$6.6 million
  • Other service charges$4.2 million
  • Parks and recreation$217 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money5.9%

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

From the federal government
5.9%$4.8 million

State tax money17%

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

From the state
17%$13.7 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%$826 thousand

Fines and other6.7%

Interest, rents and other
5.3%$4.2 million
Fines
1.4%$1.1 million

Where it goes

Police, fire, courts and jails42%Roads, transit and parking20%Parks, recreation and libraries12%Running the government and other costs11%Water, sewer, trash and utilities4.9%All other spending10%

What stands out

42%

of Lakewood's spending goes to police, fire, courts and jails.A typical U.S. city of 50,000+ people spends 25%.

Spending by category100%

Police, fire, courts and jails
42%$34.3 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice; courts and legal services and 1 more
  • Police$32.0 million
  • Courts and legal services$2.1 million
  • Probation, parole and other corrections$230 thousand
Roads, transit and parking
20%$16.6 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways
  • Roads and highways$16.6 million
Parks, recreation and libraries
12%$10.2 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation
  • Parks and recreation$10.2 million
Running the government and other costs
11%$9.0 million
What's in running the government and other costsCentral staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology); finance, tax collection and budgeting and 1 more
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$4.1 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$2.5 million
  • Other and not broken out$2.4 million
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
4.9%$4.0 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesSewer systems and water supply
  • Sewer systems$2.8 million
  • Water supply$1.2 million
Housing and community development
3.6%$3.0 million
Sent to other local governments
3.4%$2.8 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$2.8 million
Environment and natural resources
1.3%$1.1 million
What's in environment and natural resourcesNatural resources, farming and conservation
  • Natural resources, farming and conservation$1.1 million
Social services
0.8%$654 thousand
What's in social servicesOther public welfare
  • Other public welfare$654 thousand
Interest on debt
0.7%$555 thousand
Health and hospitals
0.5%$415 thousand
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$415 thousand
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

City of Lakewood. 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 Lakewood 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.