City government · Ohio County, WV

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

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended June 30, 2024), Wheeling took in $117 million and spent $126 million.

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

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Where it comes from

Fees for services (parks and recreation, water)61%City taxes26%Federal tax money8.5%Fines and other3.0%State tax money1.6%

What stands out

61%

of Wheeling's money comes from fees for services such as water, sewer and parking.A typical U.S. city of 10,000 to 50,000 people gets 30%.

City taxes26%

Other taxes
15%$18.1 million
What's in other taxesOccupation and business licenses; other licenses and 4 more
  • Occupation and business licenses$13.2 million
  • Other licenses$1.5 million
  • Other selective sales taxes$1.4 million
  • Public utility taxes$1.3 million
  • Alcoholic beverage taxes$427 thousand
  • Other taxes not classified elsewhere$320 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Property tax
5.3%$6.2 million
Sales tax
5.1%$5.9 million

Fees for services61%

Fees for services
61%$71.8 million
What's in fees for servicesParks and recreation; water and 3 more
  • Parks and recreation$43.3 million
  • Water$9.9 million
  • Sewer$9.2 million
  • Other service charges$9.1 million
  • Parking$308 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money8.5%

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

From the federal government
8.5%$10.0 million

State tax money1.6%

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

From the state
1.6%$1.9 million

Fines and other3.0%

Interest, rents and other
2.4%$2.9 million
Fines
0.6%$687 thousand

Where it goes

Parks, recreation and libraries46%Water, sewer, trash and utilities21%Police, fire, courts and jails17%Roads, transit and parking7.0%Interest on debt5.2%All other spending4.0%

What stands out

46%

of Wheeling'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
46%$57.6 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation
  • Parks and recreation$57.6 million
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
21%$27.1 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesSewer systems; water supply and 1 more
  • Sewer systems$15.7 million
  • Water supply$8.7 million
  • Garbage and solid waste$2.7 million
Police, fire, courts and jails
17%$21.2 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsFire protection; police and 2 more
  • Fire protection$12.0 million
  • Police$8.8 million
  • Courts and legal services$233 thousand
  • Prisons and jails$127 thousand
Roads, transit and parking
7.0%$8.8 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways and parking
  • Roads and highways$8.5 million
  • Parking$331 thousand
Interest on debt
5.2%$6.6 million
What's in interest on debtInterest on general debt and interest on water supply debt
  • Interest on general debt$5.4 million
  • Interest on water supply debt$1.2 million
Running the government and other costs
3.7%$4.7 million
What's in running the government and other costsFinance, tax collection and budgeting; central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology) and 1 more
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$1.8 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$1.5 million
  • Other and not broken out$1.4 million
Housing and community development
0.2%$201 thousand
Social services
0.1%$171 thousand
What's in social servicesOther public welfare
  • Other public welfare$171 thousand
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

City of Wheeling. 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 Wheeling 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.