City government · Skagit County, WA

Mount Vernon's money: where it comes from and where it goes

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended December 31, 2023), Mount Vernon took in $74.6 million and spent $96.5 million.

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

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Where it comes from

City taxes45%Fees for services (sewer, garbage collection)31%State tax money15%Fines and other5.4%County and local tax money2.5%Federal tax money0.2%

What stands out

23%

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

City taxes45%

Sales tax
23%$17.3 million
Property tax
11%$8.5 million
Other taxes
11%$8.1 million
What's in other taxesPublic utility taxes; real estate and stock transfer taxes and 4 more
  • Public utility taxes$5.3 million
  • Real estate and stock transfer taxes$1.3 million
  • Other licenses$936 thousand
  • Other selective sales taxes$348 thousand
  • Occupation and business licenses$226 thousand
  • Amusement taxes$74 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services31%

Fees for services
31%$23.3 million
What's in fees for servicesSewer; garbage collection and 4 more
  • Sewer$13.1 million
  • Garbage collection$6.5 million
  • Other service charges$3.1 million
  • Parks, land and natural resources$461 thousand
  • Parks and recreation$158 thousand
  • Road charges$1 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money0.2%

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

From the federal government
0.2%$157 thousand

State tax money15%

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

From the state
15%$11.4 million

County and local tax money2.5%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From the county and other local governments
2.5%$1.8 million

Fines and other5.4%

Interest, rents and other
5.2%$3.9 million
Fines
0.2%$158 thousand

Where it goes

Parks, recreation and libraries31%Police, fire, courts and jails22%Water, sewer, trash and utilities21%Running the government and other costs8.1%Health and hospitals8.1%All other spending10%

What stands out

31%

of Mount Vernon's spending goes to parks, recreation and libraries.A typical U.S. city of 10,000 to 50,000 people spends 5.6%.

Spending by category100%

Parks, recreation and libraries
31%$29.6 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation and libraries
  • Parks and recreation$28.1 million
  • Libraries$1.4 million
Police, fire, courts and jails
22%$21.2 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice; fire protection and 4 more
  • Police$9.3 million
  • Fire protection$7.9 million
  • Prisons and jails$2.1 million
  • Courts and legal services$1.2 million
  • Inspections and regulation$500 thousand
  • Probation, parole and other corrections$147 thousand
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
21%$20.5 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesSewer systems and garbage and solid waste
  • Sewer systems$14.1 million
  • Garbage and solid waste$6.5 million
Running the government and other costs
8.1%$7.8 million
What's in running the government and other costsOther and not broken out; finance, tax collection and budgeting and 2 more
  • Other and not broken out$3.1 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$2.4 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$1.9 million
  • Government buildings$447 thousand
Health and hospitals
8.1%$7.8 million
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$7.8 million
Roads, transit and parking
6.5%$6.2 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways
  • Roads and highways$6.2 million
Interest on debt
1.2%$1.2 million
Social services
1.1%$1.1 million
What's in social servicesOther public welfare
  • Other public welfare$1.1 million
Environment and natural resources
0.6%$616 thousand
What's in environment and natural resourcesNatural resources, farming and conservation
  • Natural resources, farming and conservation$616 thousand
Housing and community development
0.5%$476 thousand
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

City of Mount Vernon. 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 Mount Vernon 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.