City government · Whatcom County, WA

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

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended December 31, 2023), Lynden took in $37.0 million and spent $37.8 million.

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

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Where it comes from

City taxes39%Fees for services (sewer, water)35%State tax money11%Fines and other7.5%County and local tax money6.9%

What stands out

15%

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

City taxes39%

Sales tax
15%$5.5 million
Other taxes
13%$4.6 million
What's in other taxesPublic utility taxes; real estate and stock transfer taxes and 3 more
  • Public utility taxes$2.6 million
  • Real estate and stock transfer taxes$950 thousand
  • Other licenses$936 thousand
  • Other selective sales taxes$134 thousand
  • Occupation and business licenses$33 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Property tax
12%$4.4 million

Fees for services35%

Fees for services
35%$12.9 million
What's in fees for servicesSewer; water and 4 more
  • Sewer$6.1 million
  • Water$5.5 million
  • Other service charges$1.1 million
  • Road charges$139 thousand
  • Airport$10 thousand
  • Parks and recreation$1 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

State tax money11%

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

From the state
11%$4.2 million

County and local tax money6.9%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From the county and other local governments
6.9%$2.6 million

Fines and other7.5%

Interest, rents and other
7.1%$2.6 million
Fines
0.4%$154 thousand

Where it goes

Water, sewer, trash and utilities33%Police, fire, courts and jails22%Roads, transit and parking19%Running the government and other costs9.9%Parks, recreation and libraries5.2%All other spending9.9%

What stands out

4.5%

of Lynden's spending goes to the environment and natural resources.Most U.S. cities of 10,000 to 50,000 people spend nothing on this.

Spending by category100%

Water, sewer, trash and utilities
33%$12.5 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesSewer systems and water supply
  • Sewer systems$8.1 million
  • Water supply$4.4 million
Police, fire, courts and jails
22%$8.5 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice; fire protection and 2 more
  • Police$4.4 million
  • Fire protection$3.3 million
  • Courts and legal services$500 thousand
  • Prisons and jails$253 thousand
Roads, transit and parking
19%$7.4 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways; airports and 1 more
  • Roads and highways$7.2 million
  • Airports$159 thousand
  • Parking$1 thousand
Running the government and other costs
9.9%$3.7 million
What's in running the government and other costsCentral staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology); finance, tax collection and budgeting and 2 more
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$1.4 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$1.4 million
  • Other and not broken out$690 thousand
  • Government buildings$262 thousand
Parks, recreation and libraries
5.2%$2.0 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation and libraries
  • Parks and recreation$1.9 million
  • Libraries$121 thousand
Environment and natural resources
4.5%$1.7 million
What's in environment and natural resourcesNatural resources, farming and conservation
  • Natural resources, farming and conservation$1.7 million
Interest on debt
4.3%$1.6 million
What's in interest on debtInterest on water supply debt and interest on general debt
  • Interest on water supply debt$1.0 million
  • Interest on general debt$572 thousand
Housing and community development
0.8%$289 thousand
Health and hospitals
0.2%$88 thousand
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$88 thousand
Social services
0.1%$50 thousand
What's in social servicesOther public welfare
  • Other public welfare$50 thousand
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

City of Lynden. 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 Lynden 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.