County government · Sauk County, WI

Sauk County's money: where it comes from and where it goes

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended December 31, 2023), Sauk County took in $109 million and spent $92.8 million.

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

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Where it comes from

County taxes44%State tax money32%Fees for services (parks and recreation, parks, land and natural resources)8.9%Fines and other7.1%Local tax money4.1%Federal tax money3.5%

What stands out

12%

of Sauk County's money comes from sales tax.A typical U.S. county of 50,000 to 250,000 people gets 4.2%.

County taxes44%

Property tax
31%$33.9 million
Sales tax
12%$12.7 million
Other taxes
1.2%$1.3 million
What's in other taxesOccupation and business licenses; other licenses and 2 more
  • Occupation and business licenses$580 thousand
  • Other licenses$433 thousand
  • Real estate and stock transfer taxes$295 thousand
  • Other taxes not classified elsewhere$9 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services8.9%

Fees for services
8.9%$9.7 million
What's in fees for servicesOther service charges; parks and recreation and 3 more
  • Other service charges$9.3 million
  • Parks and recreation$251 thousand
  • Parks, land and natural resources$91 thousand
  • Road charges$6 thousand
  • Garbage collection$4 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money3.5%

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

From the federal government
3.5%$3.9 million

State tax money32%

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

From the state
32%$35.4 million

Local tax money4.1%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From other local governments
4.1%$4.5 million

Fines and other7.1%

Interest, rents and other
6.7%$7.3 million
Fines
0.4%$437 thousand

Where it goes

Health and hospitals34%Police, fire, courts and jails27%Running the government and other costs18%Social services17%Interest on debt2.2%All other spending2.1%

What stands out

34%

of Sauk County's spending goes to health services and hospitals.A typical U.S. county of 50,000 to 250,000 people spends 5.7%.

Spending by category100%

Health and hospitals
34%$32.0 million
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$32.0 million
Police, fire, courts and jails
27%$25.0 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice; prisons and jails and 2 more
  • Police$12.6 million
  • Prisons and jails$8.1 million
  • Courts and legal services$4.3 million
  • Fire protection$1 thousand
Running the government and other costs
18%$16.5 million
What's in running the government and other costsOther and not broken out; government buildings and 2 more
  • Other and not broken out$10.4 million
  • Government buildings$2.8 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$2.3 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$1.1 million
Social services
17%$15.4 million
What's in social servicesWelfare institutions and other public welfare
  • Welfare institutions$8.3 million
  • Other public welfare$7.1 million
Interest on debt
2.2%$2.0 million
Parks, recreation and libraries
1.4%$1.3 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesLibraries and parks and recreation
  • Libraries$1.3 million
  • Parks and recreation$25 thousand
Schools and colleges
0.4%$381 thousand
What's in schools and collegesElementary and secondary schools
  • Elementary and secondary schools$381 thousand
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
0.1%$102 thousand
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesGarbage and solid waste
  • Garbage and solid waste$102 thousand
Roads, transit and parking
<0.1%$78 thousand
What's in roads, transit and parkingAirports and roads and highways
  • Airports$47 thousand
  • Roads and highways$31 thousand
Environment and natural resources
<0.1%$66 thousand
What's in environment and natural resourcesNatural resources, farming and conservation
  • Natural resources, farming and conservation$66 thousand
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

Sauk County. 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 Sauk County 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.