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Butler County – Government Finance

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Government finances play a pivotal role in shaping the local economy, influencing economic growth, stability, and the overall well-being of communities. The impact of government finances on the local economy can be analyzed through several key mechanisms, including public spending, taxation, debt management, and fiscal policies. These elements collectively determine the flow of resources, the level of economic activity, and the quality of life for residents.

  1. Public Spending and Investment One of the most direct ways government finances affect the local economy is through public spending. Governments allocate funds to infrastructure projects, education, healthcare, public safety, and social services. These investments create jobs, stimulate demand for goods and services, and enhance the productivity of the local workforce. For instance, building roads, bridges, and public transportation systems not only provides immediate employment opportunities but also improves connectivity, reducing transportation costs for businesses and facilitating trade. Similarly, investments in education and healthcare contribute to a skilled and healthy workforce, which is essential for long-term economic growth.

  2. Taxation Policies Taxation is another critical component of government finances that impacts the local economy. Taxes fund public services and infrastructure, but they also influence the behavior of individuals and businesses. High tax rates can discourage investment and consumption, potentially stifling economic growth. Conversely, low tax rates may attract businesses and stimulate spending but can lead to budget deficits if not managed properly. Progressive taxation, where higher-income individuals pay a larger share, can reduce income inequality and increase disposable income for lower-income households, boosting local demand for goods and services.

  3. Debt Management Government borrowing and debt management also have significant implications for the local economy. When governments borrow to finance deficits or invest in long-term projects, they can stimulate economic activity in the short term. However, excessive debt can lead to higher interest rates, crowding out private investment, and increasing the risk of financial instability. Effective debt management ensures that borrowing is sustainable and that funds are used efficiently to generate economic returns.

  4. Fiscal Policies Fiscal policies, including government spending and taxation, are tools used to manage economic cycles. During economic downturns, expansionary fiscal policies, such as increased spending and tax cuts, can stimulate demand and help the economy recover. Conversely, during periods of high inflation, contractionary fiscal policies, such as reduced spending and higher taxes, can help cool down the economy. The timing and effectiveness of these policies are crucial in stabilizing the local economy and maintaining public confidence.

  5. Social and Economic Equity Government finances also play a role in promoting social and economic equity. Redistributive policies, such as social welfare programs and subsidies, can reduce poverty and inequality, leading to a more inclusive economy. By providing a safety net for vulnerable populations, governments can ensure that all residents have access to basic needs, which in turn supports overall economic stability and growth.

  6. Conclusion In summary, government finances have a profound impact on the local economy through public spending, taxation, debt management, and fiscal policies. Effective management of these financial tools can stimulate economic growth, reduce inequality, and enhance the quality of life for residents. Conversely, poor financial management can lead to economic instability, reduced investment, and social unrest. Therefore, it is essential for governments to adopt prudent fiscal policies and ensure that financial resources are allocated efficiently and equitably to support sustainable economic development.

A key indicator for comparison is how much government collects, spends and and establishes debt for each resident under its perview.

The revenue per resident at the local level is:

6,124.84

The expenses per resident at the local level is:

6,600.7

The outstanding debt per resident at the local level is:

8,993.64

 
ButlerKansasNational



LocalLocalLocalLocalStateState
PerContri-PerContri-PerContri-
LocalPer CentStatePer CentCapitabutionNationalPer CentCapitabutionCapitabution
Description(,000's)Per Capitato Total(,000's)Per Capitato TotalIndexIndex(,000's)Per Capitato TotalIndexIndexIndexIndex

Revenue421,9286,124.84100.0018,279,5636,148.04100.001.001.002,344,548,4806,947.35100.000.881.000.881.00

  General revenue397,0545,763.7694.1016,487,5645,545.3390.201.041.042,168,968,4006,427.0792.510.901.020.860.97

    Intergovernmental revenue188,7512,739.9744.746,665,5512,241.8536.461.221.23808,559,1482,395.9234.491.141.300.941.06
      From Federal government9,535138.412.26644,969216.933.530.640.64146,274,793433.446.240.320.360.500.57
      From State government179,2162,601.5642.486,020,5822,024.9332.941.281.29662,284,3551,962.4828.251.331.501.031.17
      From local government00.000.0000.000.000.000.0000.000.000.000.000.000.00

    General revenue from own sources208,3033,023.7949.379,822,0133,303.4853.730.920.921,360,409,2524,031.1558.020.750.850.820.93
      Taxes136,5411,982.0732.365,993,2782,015.7432.790.980.99894,124,7052,649.4638.140.750.850.760.86
        Property119,7001,737.6028.374,449,6851,496.5824.341.161.17627,434,2421,859.2126.760.931.060.800.91
        Sales & gross receipts11,303164.082.681,410,710474.477.720.350.35165,801,503491.307.070.330.380.971.09
          General sales9,407136.552.231,187,992399.566.500.340.34125,994,306373.355.370.370.411.071.21
          Selective sales1,89627.520.45222,71874.911.220.370.3739,807,197117.961.700.230.260.640.72
            Motor fuel sales00.000.0000.000.000.000.001,892,6875.610.080.000.000.000.00
            Alcoholic beverage sales00.000.0000.000.000.000.00845,0352.500.040.000.000.000.00
            Tobacco product sales00.000.0000.000.000.000.00318,8170.940.010.000.000.000.00
            Public utilities1,47821.460.35177,62259.740.970.360.3615,744,64746.650.670.460.521.281.45
            Other selective sales4186.070.1045,09615.170.250.400.4021,006,01162.240.900.100.110.240.28
        Individual income tax00.000.009920.330.010.000.0044,730,192132.541.910.000.000.000.00
        Corporate income tax00.000.0000.000.000.000.0011,009,92732.620.470.000.000.000.00
        Motor vehicle license3,12845.410.7434,59711.640.193.903.922,263,6136.710.106.777.681.731.96
        Other taxes2,41034.980.5797,29432.720.531.071.0742,885,228127.081.830.280.310.260.29

      Charges & misc general revenue71,7621,041.7217.013,828,7351,287.7320.950.810.81466,284,5471,381.6919.890.750.860.931.05
        Current charges47,208685.2911.192,767,731930.8815.140.740.74365,048,3361,081.7115.570.630.720.860.97
          Education25,409368.856.02327,939110.301.793.343.3619,143,89456.730.826.507.381.942.20
            Institution of higher education21,647314.235.13243,54181.911.333.843.857,681,25722.760.3313.8115.663.604.07
            School lunch sales (gross)6098.840.1413,8484.660.081.901.911,566,4414.640.071.902.161.001.13
          Hospitals00.000.001,121,472377.196.140.000.00124,953,811370.265.330.000.001.021.15
          Highways941.360.0238,20912.850.210.110.1110,287,28930.480.440.040.050.420.48
          Air transportation (airports)73210.630.1748,71416.380.270.650.6522,414,40266.420.960.160.180.250.28
          Parking facilities00.000.004,2041.410.020.000.002,924,3498.670.120.000.000.160.18
          Sea and inland port facilities00.000.0000.000.000.000.004,760,82614.110.200.000.000.000.00
          Natural resources610.890.0110,3673.490.060.250.252,531,1967.500.110.120.130.460.53
          Parks and recreation3154.570.0757,25619.260.310.240.249,708,20828.770.410.160.180.670.76
          Housing and comm development1031.500.0242,13014.170.230.110.117,308,73521.660.310.070.080.650.74
          Sewerage9,462137.352.24565,420190.173.090.720.7368,695,647203.562.930.670.770.931.06
          Solid waste management7,137103.601.69183,67161.771.001.681.6821,694,93864.290.931.611.830.961.09
          Other charges3,89556.540.92368,349123.892.020.460.4670,625,041209.283.010.270.310.590.67

        Miscellaneous general revenue24,554356.435.821,061,004356.855.801.001.00101,236,211299.984.321.191.351.191.34
          Interest earnings5,18775.301.2388,60929.800.482.532.5410,227,01630.300.442.482.820.981.11
          Special assessments5,56680.801.32126,50842.550.691.901.9115,026,42544.530.641.812.060.961.08
          Sale of property330.480.0111,8804.000.060.120.123,784,73711.210.160.040.050.360.40
          Other general revenue13,768199.863.26834,007280.514.560.710.7272,198,033213.943.080.931.061.311.48

  Utility revenue24,874361.085.901,791,999602.719.800.600.60173,592,043514.397.400.700.801.171.32
    Water supply14,358208.433.40782,184263.084.280.790.8080,167,107237.553.420.881.001.111.25
    Electric power10,146147.282.40913,830307.355.000.480.4878,135,733231.533.330.640.721.331.50
    Gas supply3705.370.0993,32031.390.510.170.177,630,12322.610.330.240.271.391.57
    Transit00.000.002,6650.900.010.000.007,659,08022.700.330.000.000.040.04

  Liquor store revenue00.000.0000.000.000.000.001,988,0375.890.080.000.000.000.00

  Insurance trust revenue00.000.0000.000.000.000.00162,8580.480.010.000.000.000.00
    Unemployment compensation00.000.0000.000.000.000.00162,8580.480.010.000.000.000.00
    Employee retirement00.000.0000.000.000.000.0000.000.000.000.000.000.00
    Workers' compensation00.000.0000.000.000.000.0000.000.000.000.000.000.00
    Other insurance trust revenue00.000.0000.000.000.000.0000.000.000.000.000.000.00

Expenditure454,7096,600.70100.0017,808,4505,989.59100.001.101.002,254,418,5176,680.28100.000.991.000.901.00

  Intergovernmental expenditure00.000.0000.000.000.000.0000.000.000.000.000.000.00
  Direct expenditure454,7096,600.70100.0017,808,4505,989.59100.001.101.002,254,418,5176,680.28100.000.991.000.901.00
    Current operation362,1825,257.5579.6515,077,7725,071.1784.671.040.941,887,390,8875,592.7083.720.940.950.911.01
    Capital outlay64,279933.0914.142,168,394729.3112.181.281.16284,581,195843.2712.621.111.120.860.96
      Construction64,279933.0914.142,168,394729.3112.181.281.16284,581,195843.2712.621.111.120.860.96
    Assistance and subsidies7,133103.541.5735,64711.990.208.647.842,376,9447.040.1114.7014.881.701.90
    Interest on debt21,115306.514.64526,637177.132.961.731.5780,069,491237.263.551.291.310.750.83
    Insurance benefits and repayments00.000.0000.000.000.000.0039,9940.120.000.000.000.000.00
    Exhibit: salaries & wages124,5061,807.3727.385,885,0401,979.3433.050.910.83525,546,0041,557.2923.311.161.171.271.42

  Direct expenditure by function454,7096,600.70100.0017,808,4505,989.59100.001.101.002,254,418,5176,680.28100.000.991.000.901.00
    Direct general expenditure430,4956,249.2094.6716,219,7255,455.2591.081.151.042,024,660,7925,999.4689.811.041.050.911.01
      Capital outlay61,600894.2113.552,010,289676.1311.291.321.20233,677,777692.4310.371.291.310.981.09


Education services:
      Other direct general expenditure368,8955,355.0081.1314,209,4364,779.1279.791.121.021,790,983,0155,307.0379.441.011.020.901.00
      Education295,9234,295.7165.088,260,8112,778.3946.391.551.40862,837,2522,556.7538.271.681.701.091.21
          Capital outlay43,608633.039.59989,768332.895.561.901.7389,314,081264.653.962.392.421.261.40
        Higher education75,2351,092.1416.55868,040291.954.873.743.3946,067,730136.512.048.008.102.142.39
          Capital outlay18,793272.814.13100,23833.710.568.097.345,394,84215.990.2417.0717.272.112.35
        Elementary & Secondary education213,5553,100.0346.977,357,1242,474.4541.311.251.14814,392,5782,413.2036.121.281.301.031.14
          Capital outlay24,815360.225.46889,530299.184.991.201.0983,919,239248.673.721.451.471.201.34
        Other education7,133103.541.5735,64711.990.208.647.842,376,9447.040.1114.7014.881.701.90
      Libraries1,87527.220.41139,01846.760.780.580.5313,625,82240.380.600.670.681.161.29


Social services and income maintenance:
      Public welfare2964.300.0740,95913.780.230.310.2867,699,317200.613.000.020.020.070.08
        Other public welfare2964.300.0740,95913.780.230.310.2867,699,317200.613.000.020.020.070.08
      Hospitals00.000.001,217,853409.616.840.000.00141,312,054418.736.270.000.000.981.09
        Capital outlay00.000.0047,50315.980.270.000.006,546,84619.400.290.000.000.820.92
      Health3,82455.510.84344,355115.821.930.480.4377,108,561228.493.420.240.250.510.57
      Social insurance administration00.000.0000.000.000.000.0035,9470.110.000.000.000.000.00
      Veterans' services00.000.0000.000.000.000.0000.000.000.000.000.000.00

Transportaion:
      Highways20,330295.124.47873,091293.654.901.000.9182,616,882244.813.661.211.221.201.34
        Capital outlay8,407122.041.85208,56270.151.171.741.5830,060,50189.081.331.371.390.790.88
      Air transportation (airports)1,48921.610.3365,46522.020.370.980.8928,556,24984.621.270.260.260.260.29
      Parking facilities00.000.005,9932.020.030.000.002,108,1706.250.090.000.000.320.36
      Sea and inland port facilities00.000.0000.000.000.000.004,034,90811.960.180.000.000.000.00

Public safety:
      Police protection12,037174.732.65941,792316.765.290.550.50119,298,947353.515.290.490.500.901.00
      Fire protection5,07573.671.12445,554149.862.500.490.4564,033,823189.742.840.390.390.790.88
      Correction4,84070.261.06219,03273.671.230.950.8732,595,24396.591.450.730.740.760.85
        Capital outlay761.100.0213,3174.480.070.250.22915,2972.710.040.410.411.651.84
      Protective inspection & regulation2954.280.0620,3706.850.110.630.577,062,87020.930.310.200.210.330.37

Environment and housing:
      Natural resources1,04415.160.2350,43616.960.280.890.8113,342,66139.540.590.380.390.430.48
        Capital outlay2093.030.057,4992.520.041.201.094,485,96313.290.200.230.230.190.21
      Parks and recreation4,08559.300.90281,63294.721.580.630.5743,717,263129.541.940.460.460.730.82
        Capital outlay4356.310.1030,03210.100.170.630.5710,096,60129.920.450.210.210.340.38
      Housing and comm development70410.220.15132,05444.410.740.230.2158,336,344172.862.590.060.060.260.29
      Sewerage9,965144.662.19483,029162.462.710.890.8168,504,527202.993.040.710.720.800.89
        Capital outlay1,46821.310.32119,86940.320.670.530.4823,319,98269.101.030.310.310.580.65
      Solid waste management6,34792.141.40184,75962.141.041.481.3528,653,83084.911.271.091.100.730.82
        Capital outlay400.580.0113,8704.660.080.120.111,863,1165.520.080.110.110.840.94

Governmental administration:
      Financial administration2,52936.710.56247,30283.181.390.440.4023,707,42470.251.050.520.531.181.32
      Judicial and legal2,75539.990.61174,68058.750.980.680.6227,887,73782.641.240.480.490.710.79
      General public buildings2,25132.680.50153,05551.480.860.630.5813,643,40540.430.610.810.821.271.42
      Other governmental administration12,000174.202.64459,117154.422.581.131.0237,267,357110.431.651.581.601.401.56
      Interest on general debt17,938260.393.94437,508147.152.461.771.6166,807,524197.962.961.321.330.740.83

General expenditures, n.e.c.:
      Misc commercial activities4556.600.1028,0359.430.160.700.642,707,8798.020.120.820.831.181.31
      Other and unallocable24,438354.755.371,013,825340.985.691.040.94137,158,796406.436.080.870.880.840.94

Utility expenditures:
    Utility expenditure24,214351.505.331,588,725534.348.920.660.60228,078,201675.8410.120.520.530.790.88
        Capital outlay2,67938.890.59158,10553.180.890.730.6650,897,505150.822.260.260.260.350.39
      Water supply14,243206.763.13641,547215.773.600.960.8782,479,587244.403.660.850.860.880.98
      Electric power9,932144.182.18804,191270.484.520.530.4873,696,368218.383.270.660.671.241.38
      Gas supply390.570.01100,74733.880.570.020.027,182,24421.280.320.030.031.591.78
      Transit00.000.0042,24014.210.240.000.0064,720,002191.782.870.000.000.070.08

Liquor store expenditures:
    Liquor store expenditure00.000.0000.000.000.000.001,679,5244.980.070.000.000.000.00

Insurance trust expenditures:
    Insurance trust expenditure00.000.0000.000.000.000.0039,9940.120.000.000.000.000.00
      Unemployment compensation00.000.0000.000.000.000.0039,9940.120.000.000.000.000.00
      Employee retirement00.000.0000.000.000.000.0000.000.000.000.000.000.00
      Workers' compensation00.000.0000.000.000.000.0000.000.000.000.000.000.00
      Other insurance trust00.000.0000.000.000.000.0000.000.000.000.000.000.00

Debt outstanding619,5548,993.64100.0015,473,3165,204.21100.001.731.002,042,775,1706,053.14100.001.491.000.861.00

  Short-term debt outstanding3,89956.600.63451,786151.952.920.370.2228,356,92884.031.390.670.451.812.10
  Long-term debt outstanding615,6558,937.0499.3715,021,5305,052.2597.081.771.022,014,418,2425,969.1198.611.501.010.850.98

Long-term debt issued53,511NANA1,624,007NANANANA264,717,314NANANANANANA
Long-term debt retired43,971NANA1,548,396NANANANA218,916,559NANANANANANA


Sources: STI: PopStats and STI: Colossus