City government · Jefferson County, WI

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

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended December 31, 2023), Watertown took in $48.0 million and spent $41.0 million.

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

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Where it comes from

Fees for services (sewer, water)36%City taxes35%State tax money14%Fines and other11%Federal tax money2.9%County and local tax money1.3%

What stands out

34%

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

City taxes35%

Property tax
34%$16.2 million
Other taxes
1.4%$652 thousand
What's in other taxesOccupation and business licenses; other licenses and 1 more
  • Occupation and business licenses$271 thousand
  • Other licenses$265 thousand
  • Other selective sales taxes$116 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services36%

Fees for services
36%$17.1 million
What's in fees for servicesSewer; water and 6 more
  • Sewer$5.6 million
  • Water$5.6 million
  • Road charges$2.4 million
  • Garbage collection$1.5 million
  • Other service charges$1.3 million
  • Parks and recreation$414 thousand
  • Transit fares$333 thousand
  • Airport$15 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money2.9%

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

From the federal government
2.9%$1.4 million

State tax money14%

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

From the state
14%$6.8 million

County and local tax money1.3%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From the county and other local governments
1.3%$613 thousand

Fines and other11%

Interest, rents and other
10%$4.9 million
Fines
0.6%$273 thousand

Where it goes

Police, fire, courts and jails26%Water, sewer, trash and utilities25%Roads, transit and parking21%Running the government and other costs11%Parks, recreation and libraries11%All other spending5.0%

What stands out

21%

of Watertown's spending goes to roads, transit and parking.A typical U.S. city of 10,000 to 50,000 people spends 10%.

Spending by category100%

Police, fire, courts and jails
26%$10.8 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice; fire protection and 2 more
  • Police$6.2 million
  • Fire protection$4.0 million
  • Courts and legal services$361 thousand
  • Inspections and regulation$306 thousand
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
25%$10.4 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesSewer systems; water supply and 1 more
  • Sewer systems$4.8 million
  • Water supply$4.1 million
  • Garbage and solid waste$1.5 million
Roads, transit and parking
21%$8.6 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways; public transit and 1 more
  • Roads and highways$7.6 million
  • Public transit$860 thousand
  • Airports$230 thousand
Running the government and other costs
11%$4.6 million
What's in running the government and other costsOther and not broken out; central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology) and 3 more
  • Other and not broken out$3.0 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$1.2 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$250 thousand
  • Government buildings$108 thousand
  • Other government-run businesses$50 thousand
Parks, recreation and libraries
11%$4.5 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation and libraries
  • Parks and recreation$3.1 million
  • Libraries$1.4 million
Interest on debt
2.9%$1.2 million
Health and hospitals
2.0%$834 thousand
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$834 thousand
Housing and community development
<0.1%$7 thousand
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

City of Watertown. 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 Watertown 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.