City government · Milwaukee County, WI

West Allis's money: where it comes from and where it goes

In the latest recorded fiscal year (ended December 31, 2023), West Allis took in $137 million and spent $121 million.

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

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Where it comes from

City taxes40%Fees for services (sewer, water)22%State tax money13%Fines and other12%Federal tax money12%County and local tax money1.5%

What stands out

37%

of West Allis' money comes from property tax.A typical U.S. city of 50,000+ people gets 20%.

City taxes40%

Property tax
37%$50.8 million
Other taxes
2.7%$3.7 million
What's in other taxesOther licenses; other selective sales taxes and 2 more
  • Other licenses$2.1 million
  • Other selective sales taxes$745 thousand
  • Occupation and business licenses$689 thousand
  • Other taxes not classified elsewhere$127 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Sales tax
-<0.1%-$1 thousand

Fees for services22%

Fees for services
22%$29.7 million
What's in fees for servicesSewer; water and 7 more
  • Sewer$9.5 million
  • Water$8.3 million
  • Other service charges$4.6 million
  • Road charges$4.0 million
  • Garbage collection$3.1 million
  • Housing$104 thousand
  • Parks and recreation$88 thousand
  • Parks, land and natural resources$67 thousand
  • Parking$10 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money12%

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

From the federal government
12%$16.5 million

State tax money13%

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

From the state
13%$17.4 million

County and local tax money1.5%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From the county and other local governments
1.5%$2.1 million

Fines and other12%

Interest, rents and other
11%$14.8 million
Fines
1.5%$2.0 million

Where it goes

Police, fire, courts and jails39%Water, sewer, trash and utilities22%Roads, transit and parking13%Running the government and other costs13%Housing and community development4.4%All other spending8.8%

What stands out

39%

of West Allis' spending goes to police, fire, courts and jails.A typical U.S. city of 50,000+ people spends 25%.

Spending by category100%

Police, fire, courts and jails
39%$47.0 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice; fire protection and 2 more
  • Police$30.9 million
  • Fire protection$14.0 million
  • Courts and legal services$1.2 million
  • Inspections and regulation$905 thousand
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
22%$26.5 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesGarbage and solid waste; water supply and 1 more
  • Garbage and solid waste$11.7 million
  • Water supply$7.5 million
  • Sewer systems$7.3 million
Roads, transit and parking
13%$16.1 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways and parking
  • Roads and highways$15.7 million
  • Parking$352 thousand
Running the government and other costs
13%$15.7 million
What's in running the government and other costsOther and not broken out; central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology) and 2 more
  • Other and not broken out$9.3 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$2.8 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$2.1 million
  • Government buildings$1.5 million
Housing and community development
4.4%$5.4 million
Health and hospitals
4.3%$5.3 million
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$5.3 million
Parks, recreation and libraries
2.5%$3.0 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesLibraries and parks and recreation
  • Libraries$2.2 million
  • Parks and recreation$827 thousand
Interest on debt
1.7%$2.0 million
Environment and natural resources
0.3%$343 thousand
What's in environment and natural resourcesNatural resources, farming and conservation
  • Natural resources, farming and conservation$343 thousand
Social services
<0.1%$60 thousand
What's in social servicesOther public welfare
  • Other public welfare$60 thousand
Sources and moreWhere these numbers come from and what they cover

City of West Allis. 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 West Allis 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.