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Meagher 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:

5,306.76

The expenses per resident at the local level is:

6,313.04

The outstanding debt per resident at the local level is:

4,625.6

 
MeagherMontanaNational



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

Revenue10,9855,306.76100.005,235,6434,650.85100.001.141.002,344,548,4806,947.35100.000.761.000.671.00

  General revenue10,6015,121.2696.505,039,8294,476.9196.261.141.002,168,968,4006,427.0792.510.801.040.701.04

    Intergovernmental revenue3,9051,886.4735.552,098,8431,864.4140.091.010.89808,559,1482,395.9234.490.791.030.781.16
      From Federal government382184.543.48341,785303.616.530.610.53146,274,793433.446.240.430.560.701.05
      From State government3,5231,701.9332.071,757,0581,560.8033.561.090.96662,284,3551,962.4828.250.871.140.801.19
      From local government00.000.0000.000.000.000.0000.000.000.000.000.000.00

    General revenue from own sources6,6963,234.7860.962,940,9862,612.4956.171.241.091,360,409,2524,031.1558.020.801.050.650.97
      Taxes5,3362,577.7848.581,871,7591,662.6935.751.551.36894,124,7052,649.4638.140.971.270.630.94
        Property5,3072,563.7748.311,798,1511,597.3134.341.611.41627,434,2421,859.2126.761.381.810.861.28
        Sales & gross receipts00.000.0029,23025.970.560.000.00165,801,503491.307.070.000.000.050.08
          General sales00.000.0000.000.000.000.00125,994,306373.355.370.000.000.000.00
          Selective sales00.000.0029,23025.970.560.000.0039,807,197117.961.700.000.000.220.33
            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 utilities00.000.0000.000.000.000.0015,744,64746.650.670.000.000.000.00
            Other selective sales00.000.0029,23025.970.560.000.0021,006,01162.240.900.000.000.420.62
        Individual income tax00.000.0000.000.000.000.0044,730,192132.541.910.000.000.000.00
        Corporate income tax00.000.0000.000.000.000.0011,009,92732.620.470.000.000.000.00
        Motor vehicle license00.000.0011,43310.160.220.000.002,263,6136.710.100.000.001.512.26
        Other taxes2914.010.2632,94529.270.630.480.4242,885,228127.081.830.110.140.230.34

      Charges & misc general revenue1,360657.0012.381,069,227949.8020.420.690.61466,284,5471,381.6919.890.480.620.691.03
        Current charges788380.687.17763,825678.5114.590.560.49365,048,3361,081.7115.570.350.460.630.94
          Education62.900.0563,66356.551.220.050.0419,143,89456.730.820.050.071.001.49
            Institution of higher education00.000.0014,61712.980.280.000.007,681,25722.760.330.000.000.570.85
            School lunch sales (gross)41.930.043,9313.490.080.550.481,566,4414.640.070.420.550.751.12
          Hospitals00.000.0099,06388.001.890.000.00124,953,811370.265.330.000.000.240.36
          Highways10.480.0131,37327.870.600.020.0210,287,28930.480.440.020.020.911.37
          Air transportation (airports)4521.740.4144,58039.600.850.550.4822,414,40266.420.960.330.430.600.89
          Parking facilities00.000.008,9697.970.170.000.002,924,3498.670.120.000.000.921.37
          Sea and inland port facilities00.000.002,0521.820.040.000.004,760,82614.110.200.000.000.130.19
          Natural resources3215.460.2915,74613.990.301.110.972,531,1967.500.112.062.701.862.79
          Parks and recreation00.000.0023,92421.250.460.000.009,708,20828.770.410.000.000.741.10
          Housing and comm development00.000.0012,59611.190.240.000.007,308,73521.660.310.000.000.520.77
          Sewerage18790.341.70157,491139.903.010.650.5768,695,647203.562.930.440.580.691.03
          Solid waste management00.000.0096,19885.451.840.000.0021,694,93864.290.930.000.001.331.99
          Other charges517249.764.71208,170184.923.981.351.1870,625,041209.283.011.191.560.881.32

        Miscellaneous general revenue572276.335.21305,402271.295.831.020.89101,236,211299.984.320.921.210.901.35
          Interest earnings2914.010.2640,79036.230.780.390.3410,227,01630.300.440.460.611.201.79
          Special assessments199.180.17101,77490.411.940.100.0915,026,42544.530.640.210.272.033.03
          Sale of property125.800.1124,73921.980.470.260.233,784,73711.210.160.520.681.962.93
          Other general revenue512247.344.66138,099122.672.642.021.7772,198,033213.943.081.161.510.570.86

  Utility revenue384185.513.50195,814173.943.741.070.93173,592,043514.397.400.360.470.340.51
    Water supply384185.513.50192,606171.093.681.080.9580,167,107237.553.420.781.020.721.08
    Electric power00.000.001,5471.370.030.000.0078,135,733231.533.330.000.000.010.01
    Gas supply00.000.001070.100.000.000.007,630,12322.610.330.000.000.000.01
    Transit00.000.001,5541.380.030.000.007,659,08022.700.330.000.000.060.09

  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

Expenditure13,0686,313.04100.005,030,8134,468.90100.001.411.002,254,418,5176,680.28100.000.951.000.671.00

  Intergovernmental expenditure00.000.0000.000.000.000.0000.000.000.000.000.000.00
  Direct expenditure13,0686,313.04100.005,030,8134,468.90100.001.411.002,254,418,5176,680.28100.000.951.000.671.00
    Current operation8,8194,260.3967.494,177,5123,710.9183.041.150.811,887,390,8875,592.7083.720.760.810.660.99
    Capital outlay3,8711,870.0529.62732,984651.1114.572.872.03284,581,195843.2712.622.222.350.771.15
      Construction3,8711,870.0529.62732,984651.1114.572.872.03284,581,195843.2712.622.222.350.771.15
    Assistance and subsidies00.000.003,3642.990.070.000.002,376,9447.040.110.000.000.420.63
    Interest on debt378182.612.89116,953103.892.321.761.2480,069,491237.263.550.770.810.440.65
    Insurance benefits and repayments00.000.0000.000.000.000.0039,9940.120.000.000.000.000.00
    Exhibit: salaries & wages1,714828.0213.121,617,9741,437.2532.160.580.41525,546,0041,557.2923.310.530.560.921.38

  Direct expenditure by function13,0686,313.04100.005,030,8134,468.90100.001.411.002,254,418,5176,680.28100.000.951.000.671.00
    Direct general expenditure12,6786,124.6497.024,810,5574,273.2495.621.431.012,024,660,7925,999.4689.811.021.080.711.06
      Capital outlay3,8341,852.1729.34678,760602.9513.493.072.17233,677,777692.4310.372.672.830.871.30


Education services:
      Other direct general expenditure8,8444,272.4667.684,131,7973,670.3082.131.160.821,790,983,0155,307.0379.440.810.850.691.03
      Education3,5281,704.3527.002,340,5512,079.1246.520.820.58862,837,2522,556.7538.270.670.710.811.22
          Capital outlay10249.280.78261,286232.105.190.210.1589,314,081264.653.960.190.200.881.31
        Higher education00.000.0053,54047.561.060.000.0046,067,730136.512.040.000.000.350.52
          Capital outlay00.000.0011,68610.380.230.000.005,394,84215.990.240.000.000.650.97
        Elementary & Secondary education3,5281,704.3527.002,283,6472,028.5845.390.840.59814,392,5782,413.2036.120.710.750.841.26
          Capital outlay10249.280.78249,600221.724.960.220.1683,919,239248.673.720.200.210.891.33
        Other education00.000.003,3642.990.070.000.002,376,9447.040.110.000.000.420.63
      Libraries10751.690.8233,15529.450.661.761.2413,625,82240.380.601.281.350.731.09


Social services and income maintenance:
      Public welfare178.210.1355,31049.131.100.170.1267,699,317200.613.000.040.040.240.37
        Other public welfare178.210.1355,31049.131.100.170.1267,699,317200.613.000.040.040.240.37
      Hospitals00.000.00110,64298.282.200.000.00141,312,054418.736.270.000.000.230.35
        Capital outlay00.000.006,6395.900.130.000.006,546,84619.400.290.000.000.300.45
      Health564272.464.32171,597152.433.411.791.2777,108,561228.493.421.191.260.671.00
      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:
      Highways548264.734.19257,053228.345.111.160.8282,616,882244.813.661.081.140.931.39
        Capital outlay00.000.0053,42947.461.060.000.0030,060,50189.081.330.000.000.530.80
      Air transportation (airports)7536.230.57109,92797.652.190.370.2628,556,24984.621.270.430.451.151.73
      Parking facilities00.000.006,9496.170.140.000.002,108,1706.250.090.000.000.991.48
      Sea and inland port facilities00.000.002,6612.360.050.000.004,034,90811.960.180.000.000.200.30

Public safety:
      Police protection678327.545.19339,553301.636.751.090.77119,298,947353.515.290.930.980.851.28
      Fire protection920444.447.04176,409156.713.512.842.0164,033,823189.742.842.342.480.831.23
      Correction376181.642.8854,21248.161.083.772.6732,595,24396.591.451.881.990.500.75
        Capital outlay311150.242.382,5932.300.0565.2346.17915,2972.710.0455.3958.620.851.27
      Protective inspection & regulation00.000.0015,17713.480.300.000.007,062,87020.930.310.000.000.640.96

Environment and housing:
      Natural resources10249.280.7855,03848.891.091.010.7113,342,66139.540.591.251.321.241.85
        Capital outlay00.000.008,9607.960.180.000.004,485,96313.290.200.000.000.600.90
      Parks and recreation94.350.07110,15897.852.190.040.0343,717,263129.541.940.030.040.761.13
        Capital outlay00.000.0029,64426.330.590.000.0010,096,60129.920.450.000.000.881.32
      Housing and comm development209.660.1575,77767.311.510.140.1058,336,344172.862.590.060.060.390.58
      Sewerage3,2541,571.9824.90180,764160.573.599.796.9368,504,527202.993.047.748.190.791.18
        Capital outlay3,1811,536.7124.3492,80382.441.8418.6413.2023,319,98269.101.0322.2423.531.191.78
      Solid waste management73.380.05102,81791.332.040.040.0328,653,83084.911.270.040.041.081.61
        Capital outlay00.000.007,4026.580.150.000.001,863,1165.520.080.000.001.191.78

Governmental administration:
      Financial administration268129.472.0556,79850.451.132.571.8223,707,42470.251.051.841.950.721.07
      Judicial and legal341164.732.6180,50471.511.602.301.6327,887,73782.641.241.992.110.871.29
      General public buildings13163.291.0040,02935.560.801.781.2613,643,40540.430.611.571.660.881.31
      Other governmental administration411198.553.15108,32796.232.152.061.4637,267,357110.431.651.801.900.871.30
      Interest on general debt293141.552.24103,15391.632.051.541.0966,807,524197.962.960.720.760.460.69

General expenditures, n.e.c.:
      Misc commercial activities17584.541.3479,31970.461.581.200.852,707,8798.020.1210.5411.158.7813.13
      Other and unallocable854412.566.54144,677128.522.883.212.27137,158,796406.436.081.021.070.320.47

Utility expenditures:
    Utility expenditure390188.412.98220,256195.654.380.960.68228,078,201675.8410.120.280.290.290.43
        Capital outlay3717.870.2854,22448.171.080.370.2650,897,505150.822.260.120.130.320.48
      Water supply390188.412.98185,850165.093.691.140.8182,479,587244.403.660.770.820.681.01
      Electric power00.000.001,5481.380.030.000.0073,696,368218.383.270.000.000.010.01
      Gas supply00.000.00910.080.000.000.007,182,24421.280.320.000.000.000.01
      Transit00.000.0032,76729.110.650.000.0064,720,002191.782.870.000.000.150.23

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 outstanding9,5754,625.60100.003,160,7962,807.75100.001.651.002,042,775,1706,053.14100.000.761.000.461.00

  Short-term debt outstanding00.000.003,6633.250.120.000.0028,356,92884.031.390.000.000.040.08
  Long-term debt outstanding9,5754,625.60100.003,157,1332,804.5099.881.651.002,014,418,2425,969.1198.610.771.010.471.01

Long-term debt issued0NANA201,574NANANANA264,717,314NANANANANANA
Long-term debt retired724NANA247,067NANANANA218,916,559NANANANANANA


Sources: STI: PopStats and STI: Colossus