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Johnston 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:

5,641.27

The expenses per resident at the local level is:

5,391.56

The outstanding debt per resident at the local level is:

2,584.25

 
JohnstonNorth CarolinaNational



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

Revenue1,323,7925,641.27100.0021,7982,827.24100.002.001.0064,111,5155,934.66100.000.951.000.481.00

  General revenue1,188,0395,062.7789.7521,4322,779.7798.321.820.9157,832,2325,353.4090.210.950.990.521.09

    Intergovernmental revenue424,0971,807.2732.047,663993.9035.151.820.9122,350,9012,068.9734.860.870.920.481.01
      From Federal government30,405129.572.301,677217.517.690.600.303,949,586365.606.160.350.370.591.25
      From State government393,6921,677.7029.745,986776.3927.462.161.0818,401,3151,703.3728.700.981.040.460.96
      From local government00.000.0000.130.000.000.0000.000.000.000.000.000.00

    General revenue from own sources763,9423,255.5057.7113,7691,785.8663.171.820.9135,481,3313,284.4355.340.991.040.541.14
      Taxes295,9011,260.9722.359,0861,178.4741.681.070.5418,271,4951,691.3528.500.750.780.701.46
        Property212,746906.6116.078,5961,114.9239.430.810.4112,507,0791,157.7519.510.780.820.962.02
        Sales & gross receipts80,302342.206.0700.130.002,638.381,322.285,060,019468.397.890.730.770.000.00
          General sales79,134337.235.9800.130.002,600.011,303.054,485,444415.217.000.810.850.000.00
          Selective sales1,1684.980.0900.130.0038.3819.23574,57553.190.900.090.100.000.00
            Motor fuel sales00.000.0000.130.000.000.0000.000.000.000.000.000.00
            Alcoholic beverage sales9974.250.0800.130.0032.7616.42134,34112.440.210.340.360.000.00
            Tobacco product sales00.000.0000.130.000.000.0000.000.000.000.000.000.00
            Public utilities00.000.0000.130.000.000.0000.000.000.000.000.000.00
            Other selective sales1710.730.0100.130.005.622.82440,23440.750.690.020.020.000.00
        Individual income tax00.000.0000.130.000.000.0000.000.000.000.000.000.00
        Corporate income tax00.000.0000.130.000.000.0000.000.000.000.000.000.00
        Motor vehicle license00.000.0041353.571.890.000.00116,90810.820.180.000.004.9510.39
        Other taxes2,85312.160.22779.990.351.220.61587,48954.380.920.220.240.180.39

      Charges & misc general revenue468,0411,994.5335.364,683607.3921.483.281.6517,209,8361,593.0826.841.251.320.380.80
        Current charges456,9471,947.2634.524,215546.6919.343.561.7914,948,9981,383.7923.321.411.480.400.83
          Education6,04125.740.4628036.321.280.710.36386,96135.820.600.720.761.012.13
            Institution of higher education4,34118.500.3300.130.00142.6371.48257,06723.800.400.780.820.000.00
            School lunch sales (gross)4011.710.03222.850.100.600.3041,7193.860.070.440.470.741.55
          Hospitals358,6831,528.5127.1000.130.0011,784.815,906.1910,037,795929.1815.661.651.730.000.00
          Highways00.000.0000.130.000.000.003,4480.320.010.000.000.000.00
          Air transportation (airports)1,6306.950.12729.340.330.740.37599,21555.470.930.130.130.170.35
          Parking facilities00.000.0000.130.000.000.0053,9024.990.080.000.000.000.00
          Sea and inland port facilities00.000.0000.130.000.000.0000.000.000.000.000.000.00
          Natural resources1,1204.770.0800.130.0036.8018.4420,1821.870.032.552.690.000.00
          Parks and recreation2,96412.630.22121.560.068.124.07251,33923.270.390.540.570.070.14
          Housing and comm development9243.940.0700.130.0030.3615.21110,31710.210.170.390.410.000.00
          Sewerage39,715169.243.00806104.543.701.620.811,899,076175.792.960.961.010.591.25
          Solid waste management11,40248.590.863,039394.1613.940.120.06720,10266.661.120.730.775.9112.41
          Other charges34,468146.882.6060.780.03188.7594.59866,66180.221.351.831.930.010.02

        Miscellaneous general revenue11,09447.280.8446860.702.150.780.392,260,838209.283.530.230.240.290.61
          Interest earnings1,9398.260.1514318.550.660.450.22152,41914.110.240.590.621.312.76
          Special assessments00.000.00455.840.210.000.0017,0081.570.030.000.003.717.78
          Sale of property4692.000.04607.780.280.260.13114,29410.580.180.190.200.741.54
          Other general revenue8,68637.010.6622028.531.011.300.651,977,117183.023.080.200.210.160.33

  Utility revenue114,918489.728.6836647.471.6810.325.174,997,179462.587.791.061.110.100.22
    Water supply70,690301.245.3436647.471.686.353.181,913,317177.112.981.701.790.270.56
    Electric power44,227188.473.3400.130.001,453.11728.262,885,932267.144.500.710.740.000.00
    Gas supply10.000.0000.130.000.030.02154,72414.320.240.000.000.000.00
    Transit00.000.0000.130.000.000.0043,2064.000.070.000.000.000.00

  Liquor store revenue20,83588.791.5700.130.00684.55343.081,282,104118.682.000.750.790.000.00

  Insurance trust revenue00.000.0000.130.000.000.0000.000.000.000.000.000.00
    Unemployment compensation00.000.0000.130.000.000.0000.000.000.000.000.000.00
    Employee retirement00.000.0000.130.000.000.0000.000.000.000.000.000.00
    Workers' compensation00.000.0000.130.000.000.0000.000.000.000.000.000.00
    Other insurance trust revenue00.000.0000.130.000.000.0000.000.000.000.000.000.00

Expenditure1,265,1955,391.56100.0029,6103,840.47100.001.401.0062,722,8515,806.11100.000.931.000.661.00

  Intergovernmental expenditure00.000.0000.130.000.000.0000.000.000.000.000.000.00
  Direct expenditure1,265,1955,391.56100.0029,6103,840.47100.001.401.0062,722,8515,806.11100.000.931.000.661.00
    Current operation1,113,5884,745.5088.0217,6622,290.7959.652.071.4853,847,0114,984.5085.850.951.030.460.69
    Capital outlay119,719510.189.4611,0381,431.6537.280.360.257,267,518672.7411.590.760.822.133.22
      Construction119,719510.189.4611,0381,431.6537.280.360.257,267,518672.7411.590.760.822.133.22
    Assistance and subsidies3,03812.950.2400.130.0099.8271.10144,03613.330.230.971.050.000.00
    Interest on debt28,850122.942.28910118.033.071.040.741,464,286135.552.330.910.980.871.32
    Insurance benefits and repayments00.000.0000.130.000.000.0000.000.000.000.000.000.00
    Exhibit: salaries & wages377,3491,608.0529.837,9031,025.0326.691.571.1211,963,0181,107.3919.071.451.560.931.40

  Direct expenditure by function1,265,1955,391.56100.0029,6103,840.47100.001.401.0062,722,8515,806.11100.000.931.000.661.00
    Direct general expenditure1,154,6314,920.4091.2628,5443,702.2096.401.330.9556,028,7025,186.4589.330.951.020.711.08
      Capital outlay106,247452.778.4010,4581,356.4235.320.330.246,113,334565.909.750.800.862.403.62


Education services:
      Other direct general expenditure1,048,3844,467.6382.8618,0862,345.7861.081.901.3649,915,3684,620.5579.580.971.040.510.77
      Education467,7161,993.1536.9718,3642,381.8462.020.840.6021,177,5191,960.3533.761.021.091.221.84
          Capital outlay24,009102.311.9010,1521,316.7334.290.080.061,950,260180.533.110.570.617.2911.03
        Higher education42,552181.333.3600.130.001,398.08995.872,231,472206.563.560.880.950.000.00
          Capital outlay10,53444.890.8300.130.00346.10246.53330,41130.590.531.471.580.000.00
        Elementary & Secondary education422,1261,798.8733.3618,3642,381.8462.020.760.5418,802,0111,740.4629.981.031.111.372.07
          Capital outlay13,47557.421.0710,1521,316.7334.290.040.031,619,849149.952.580.380.418.7813.28
        Other education3,03812.950.2400.130.0099.8271.10144,03613.330.230.971.050.000.00
      Libraries1,5916.780.13719.210.240.740.52289,82226.830.460.250.270.340.52


Social services and income maintenance:
      Public welfare36,562155.812.8900.130.001,201.27855.681,939,534179.543.090.870.930.000.00
        Other public welfare36,562155.812.8900.130.001,201.27855.681,939,534179.543.090.870.930.000.00
      Hospitals340,7891,452.2526.9481.040.031,399.61996.9610,497,061971.6916.741.491.610.000.00
        Capital outlay6,38427.210.5000.130.00209.75149.41826,52276.511.320.360.380.000.00
      Health36,132153.972.8657975.101.962.051.464,194,344388.266.690.400.430.190.29
      Social insurance administration00.000.0000.130.000.000.0000.000.000.000.000.000.00
      Veterans' services00.000.0000.130.000.000.0000.000.000.000.000.000.00

Transportaion:
      Highways5,36222.850.4260278.082.030.290.21733,88267.931.170.340.361.151.74
        Capital outlay1,7607.500.1400.130.0057.8341.19296,36827.430.470.270.290.000.00
      Air transportation (airports)2,87612.260.2315820.490.530.600.43797,02273.781.270.170.180.280.42
      Parking facilities6692.850.0500.130.0021.9815.6667,3836.240.110.460.490.000.00
      Sea and inland port facilities00.000.0000.130.000.000.0000.000.000.000.000.000.00

Public safety:
      Police protection47,485202.353.751,597207.135.390.980.703,313,854306.765.280.660.710.681.02
      Fire protection10,82046.110.8613116.990.442.711.931,379,966127.742.200.360.390.130.20
      Correction20,90689.091.6572794.292.460.940.67674,67062.451.081.431.541.512.28
        Capital outlay15,32765.321.2100.130.00503.58358.7136,7583.400.0619.2020.670.000.00
      Protective inspection & regulation4,65919.850.3700.130.00153.08109.04144,04313.330.231.491.600.000.00

Environment and housing:
      Natural resources5362.280.0423830.870.800.070.05210,56819.490.340.120.131.582.39
        Capital outlay00.000.008811.410.300.000.0037,4143.460.060.000.003.304.98
      Parks and recreation7,97433.980.6300.130.00261.99186.621,232,047114.051.960.300.320.000.00
        Capital outlay5432.310.0400.130.0017.8412.71343,94431.840.550.070.080.000.00
      Housing and comm development35,775152.452.8300.130.001,175.42837.261,825,874169.022.910.900.970.000.00
      Sewerage50,589215.584.0000.130.001,662.141,183.961,709,529158.252.731.361.470.000.00
        Capital outlay34,681147.792.7400.130.001,139.47811.66806,70374.671.291.982.130.000.00
      Solid waste management15,91967.841.262,827366.679.550.190.13928,85385.981.480.790.854.266.45
        Capital outlay3,15613.450.258911.540.301.170.8369,4136.430.112.092.251.802.72

Governmental administration:
      Financial administration6,72528.660.5345258.631.530.490.35563,15752.130.900.550.591.121.70
      Judicial and legal7063.010.0645759.271.540.050.04172,85616.000.280.190.203.705.60
      General public buildings4,00717.080.3222529.180.760.590.42576,25653.340.920.320.340.550.83
      Other governmental administration5,97325.450.47859111.412.900.230.16794,09373.511.270.350.371.522.29
      Interest on general debt25,407108.272.01910118.033.070.920.651,282,705118.742.050.910.980.991.50

General expenditures, n.e.c.:
      Misc commercial activities00.000.0060.780.020.000.0015,3111.420.020.000.000.550.83
      Other and unallocable25,453108.472.0133343.191.122.511.791,508,353139.622.400.780.840.310.47

Utility expenditures:
    Utility expenditure92,637394.777.321,066138.263.602.862.035,632,063521.358.980.760.820.270.40
        Capital outlay13,47257.411.0658075.231.960.760.541,154,184106.841.840.540.580.701.06
      Water supply50,729216.184.011,066138.263.601.561.112,026,286187.573.231.151.240.741.11
      Electric power41,843178.313.3100.130.001,374.78979.272,541,405235.254.050.760.820.000.00
      Gas supply00.000.0000.130.000.000.00131,06112.130.210.000.000.000.00
      Transit650.280.0100.130.002.141.52933,31186.391.490.000.000.000.00

Liquor store expenditures:
    Liquor store expenditure17,92776.391.4200.130.00589.01419.551,062,08698.311.690.780.840.000.00

Insurance trust expenditures:
    Insurance trust expenditure00.000.0000.130.000.000.0000.000.000.000.000.000.00
      Unemployment compensation00.000.0000.130.000.000.0000.000.000.000.000.000.00
      Employee retirement00.000.0000.130.000.000.0000.000.000.000.000.000.00
      Workers' compensation00.000.0000.130.000.000.0000.000.000.000.000.000.00
      Other insurance trust00.000.0000.130.000.000.0000.000.000.000.000.000.00

Debt outstanding606,4252,584.25100.0027,5063,567.57100.000.721.0031,805,4102,944.15100.000.881.001.211.00

  Short-term debt outstanding00.000.0000.130.000.000.0011,4751.060.040.000.000.000.00
  Long-term debt outstanding606,4252,584.25100.0027,5063,567.57100.000.721.0031,793,9352,943.0999.960.881.001.211.00

Long-term debt issued87,538NANA0NANANANA4,470,821NANANANANANA
Long-term debt retired54,831NANA2,348NANANANA4,012,492NANANANANANA


Sources: STI: PopStats and STI: Colossus