City government · Sauk County, WI

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

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended December 31, 2023), Baraboo took in $23.5 million and spent $28.3 million.

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

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Where it comes from

City taxes44%Fees for services (water, sewer)21%State tax money18%Fines and other11%County and local tax money3.5%Federal tax money2.3%

What stands out

42%

of Baraboo's money comes from property tax.A typical U.S. city of 10,000 to 50,000 people gets 19%.

City taxes44%

Property tax
42%$9.9 million
Other taxes
1.8%$420 thousand
What's in other taxesOther licenses; occupation and business licenses and 1 more
  • Other licenses$230 thousand
  • Occupation and business licenses$158 thousand
  • Other selective sales taxes$32 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services21%

Fees for services
21%$5.0 million
What's in fees for servicesWater; sewer and 6 more
  • Water$1.7 million
  • Sewer$1.5 million
  • Road charges$1.0 million
  • Other service charges$262 thousand
  • Parks and recreation$235 thousand
  • Transit fares$150 thousand
  • Parks, land and natural resources$18 thousand
  • Garbage collection$13 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money2.3%

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

From the federal government
2.3%$546 thousand

State tax money18%

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

From the state
18%$4.1 million

County and local tax money3.5%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From the county and other local governments
3.5%$832 thousand

Fines and other11%

Interest, rents and other
11%$2.5 million
Fines
0.5%$110 thousand

Where it goes

Police, fire, courts and jails25%Roads, transit and parking21%Parks, recreation and libraries16%Water, sewer, trash and utilities16%Housing and community development12%All other spending9.9%

What stands out

12%

of Baraboo's spending goes to housing and community development.Most U.S. cities of 10,000 to 50,000 people spend nothing on this.

Spending by category100%

Police, fire, courts and jails
25%$7.0 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice; fire protection and 2 more
  • Police$3.9 million
  • Fire protection$2.9 million
  • Courts and legal services$103 thousand
  • Inspections and regulation$84 thousand
Roads, transit and parking
21%$6.0 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways; public transit and 1 more
  • Roads and highways$5.1 million
  • Public transit$857 thousand
  • Parking$4 thousand
Parks, recreation and libraries
16%$4.5 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation and libraries
  • Parks and recreation$2.3 million
  • Libraries$2.3 million
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
16%$4.5 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesSewer systems; water supply and 1 more
  • Sewer systems$2.1 million
  • Water supply$1.8 million
  • Garbage and solid waste$601 thousand
Housing and community development
12%$3.5 million
Running the government and other costs
5.0%$1.4 million
What's in running the government and other costsFinance, tax collection and budgeting; central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology) and 3 more
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$564 thousand
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$557 thousand
  • Other and not broken out$196 thousand
  • Government buildings$69 thousand
  • Other government-run businesses$29 thousand
Interest on debt
3.2%$904 thousand
Health and hospitals
1.7%$491 thousand
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$491 thousand
Environment and natural resources
<0.1%$8 thousand
What's in environment and natural resourcesNatural resources, farming and conservation
  • Natural resources, farming and conservation$8 thousand
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

City of Baraboo. 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 Baraboo 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.