City government · Mercer County, WV

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

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended June 30, 2024), Princeton took in $10.2 million and spent $8.9 million.

Latest recorded year: ended June 30, 2024Comes fromGoes to

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Where it comes from

City taxes72%Fees for services (garbage collection, parks and recreation)18%Fines and other6.6%State tax money1.8%Federal tax money1.1%County and local tax money0.2%

What stands out

62%

of Princeton's money comes from taxes other than property, sales and income taxes.A typical U.S. city, town or village of under 10,000 people gets 2.5%.

City taxes72%

Other taxes
62%$6.4 million
What's in other taxesOccupation and business licenses; amusement taxes and 5 more
  • Occupation and business licenses$3.6 million
  • Amusement taxes$2.0 million
  • Public utility taxes$497 thousand
  • Alcoholic beverage taxes$104 thousand
  • Other licenses$69 thousand
  • Other taxes not classified elsewhere$35 thousand
  • Other selective sales taxes$10 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Property tax
9.6%$979 thousand

Fees for services18%

Fees for services
18%$1.9 million
What's in fees for servicesOther service charges; garbage collection and 1 more
  • Other service charges$880 thousand
  • Garbage collection$673 thousand
  • Parks and recreation$312 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money1.1%

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

From the federal government
1.1%$116 thousand

State tax money1.8%

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

From the state
1.8%$187 thousand

County and local tax money0.2%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From the county and other local governments
0.2%$25 thousand

Fines and other6.6%

Interest, rents and other
5.9%$597 thousand
Fines
0.7%$73 thousand

Where it goes

Police, fire, courts and jails50%Running the government and other costs17%Roads, transit and parking14%Parks, recreation and libraries11%Water, sewer, trash and utilities7.0%All other spending0.5%

What stands out

50%

of Princeton's spending goes to police, fire, courts and jails.A typical U.S. city, town or village of under 10,000 people spends 11%.

Spending by category100%

Police, fire, courts and jails
50%$4.5 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice; fire protection and 2 more
  • Police$2.7 million
  • Fire protection$1.3 million
  • Inspections and regulation$359 thousand
  • Courts and legal services$81 thousand
Running the government and other costs
17%$1.5 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)$775 thousand
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$441 thousand
  • Government buildings$161 thousand
  • Other and not broken out$118 thousand
Roads, transit and parking
14%$1.3 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways and public transit
  • Roads and highways$1.2 million
  • Public transit$27 thousand
Parks, recreation and libraries
11%$977 thousand
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation and libraries
  • Parks and recreation$851 thousand
  • Libraries$126 thousand
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
7.0%$620 thousand
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesGarbage and solid waste
  • Garbage and solid waste$620 thousand
Interest on debt
0.4%$34 thousand
Social services
0.2%$14 thousand
What's in social servicesOther public welfare
  • Other public welfare$14 thousand
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

City of Princeton. U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, individual unit file, fiscal year ended June 30, 2024.

What this covers. The money of City of Princeton 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.