Where does municipal finance data come from?

Municipal finance data comes from the Georgia Department of Community Affairs (DCA) Report of Local Government Finance (RLGF), filed annually by every Georgia city and county under O.C.G.A. § 36-81-8.1. Audits are also filed with the GA DOAA (Department of Audits and Accounts).

What are the main revenue sources for a municipality?

Most Georgia cities rely on property taxes (ad valorem), local option sales tax (LOST, 1%), special purpose local option sales tax (SPLOST, 1%), franchise fees on utilities, insurance premium taxes, occupation tax (business license), hotel/motel taxes, charges for services, and state-shared revenues. Georgia has no state-level revenue sharing to municipalities beyond specific grants.

What is a General Fund and why does it matter?

The General Fund is the municipality's primary operating fund. It covers core services like police, fire, public works, and administration. A healthy General Fund balance (typically 25-50% of annual expenditures) indicates the town can handle unexpected expenses without raising taxes or cutting services.

How current is this financial data?

GA DCA RLGF data typically lags 12-18 months behind the current fiscal year (which ends December 31 or June 30 depending on the city). The most recent year with complete data is usually one to two fiscal years prior.

MyTownView

Griffin, GA

Griffin, GA Municipal Budget — Revenue & Spending Breakdown

Griffin Municipal Budget

IL Comptroller

Showing latest fiscal year with year-over-year changes. Full budget history available with a paid plan. See products & pricing →

Finances — FY 2025

IL Comptroller

Total Revenuei

$320.6M

-1.3%YoY

Total Expenditurei

$465.9M

+4.7%YoY

Property Tax Revenuei

$56K

0%of revenue

Revenue vs Expenditurei

$320.6M

$465.9M

Revenue

Expenditure

$145.3M deficit

Revenue Sources — vs prior yeari

Total Enterprise Revenue

+0.6%32.7%$104.8M

Enterprise - Transit

+1%18.3%$58.7M

Total Other Sources

+1.8%6.6%$21.3M

Enterprise - Electric

-3.1%5.7%$18.2M

Total Part I - Tax Revenues

+4.1%5.1%$16.5M

Enterprise - Gas

+0.1%3.5%$11.2M

Enterprise - Water Sales

+8.1%2.5%$8.0M

Total Section 1A - General Property Taxes

+7.6%1.8%$5.9M

Local Option Sales Tax (LOST)

+1.2%1.8%$5.7M

Total Section 1B - General Sales and Use Taxes

+1.2%1.8%$5.7M

Total Intergov from Local

-15%1.6%$5.2M

Total Part III

-5.3%1.5%$4.8M

Real Property Taxes - Current Year

+8.2%1.5%$4.8M

SPLOST Distributions from Local

+3.6%1.5%$4.8M

Total Service Charges - Section B

-5.8%1.4%$4.6M

Total Intergov from State

+99.4%1.3%$4.2M

Total Section 1C - Selective Sales Taxes

+2%1.3%$4.1M

Other Intergov from Federal

-57.3%1.1%$3.4M

Total Intergov from Federal

-57.3%1.1%$3.4M

Enterprise - Telecom

-1%0.9%$2.9M

Enterprise - Sanitation

-2.3%0.8%$2.6M

Insurance Premiums Tax

+7.6%0.7%$2.2M

Other Intergov from State

+425.1%0.6%$2.1M

Investment Income

+0%0.6%$1.8M

Enterprise - Stadium

+6.9%0.4%$1.2M

Enterprise - Public Market

+0.4%0.3%$1.1M

CDBG from State

+9.7%0.3%$1.1M

Other Investment Income

+15.4%0.3%$965K

Enterprise - Golf Course

+4.7%0.3%$883K

Court Fines

-8.1%0.3%$804K

Total Section 1D - Licenses and Permits

+11.3%0.2%$789K

Personal Property Tax - TAVT Local Share

+1.6%0.2%$737K

LMIG Grants from State

+1.2%0.2%$714K

Alcoholic Beverage Excise - Beer & Wine

-13%0.2%$527K

Regulatory Building Permits / Inspections

+17.1%0.2%$512K

Business and Occupation Taxes

+1.1%0.1%$466K

Sale of General Fixed Assets

-5.9%0.1%$444K

Other Intergov from Local

-70.9%0.1%$443K

Other General Fund Svc Charges

+9.6%0.1%$368K

Solid Waste Grants from State

0.1%$329K

Alcoholic Beverage License Fees

+2.3%0.1%$219K

Total Service Charges - Section A

+7.6%0.1%$216K

Franchise Taxes - Natural Gas

+7.5%0.1%$207K

Real Property Taxes - Prior Year

+27.5%0.1%$167K

Hotel/Motel Excise Tax

+15.3%0%$152K

Franchise Taxes - Cable Television

-15.5%0%$145K

Recording Fees

+19.1%0%$139K

Financial Institutions Taxes

+2.4%0%$132K

Bond Forfeitures

+2326.6%0%$110K

Proceeds from Bonds

-83.3%0%$93K

Penalties & Interest on Delinquent Taxes

+46.5%0%$85K

Alcoholic Beverage Excise - Distilled Spirits

-4.8%0%$76K

Fire Protection Fees

-10.3%0%$64K

Personal Property Tax - Boats/Aircraft

-17.2%0%$56K

Franchise Taxes - Electric

-15.7%0%$55K

Contributions from Private Sources

+32.1%0%$45K

Enterprise - Stormwater

-40%0%$44K

General Business Licenses

-9%0%$31K

Intangible - Real Estate Transfer Tax

-9.3%0%$25K

Non-Business Licenses and Permits

+24.7%0%$25K

Real Property Taxes - Current Year (Public Utilities)

-33.8%0%$25K

Personal Property Tax - Title Ad Valorem (TAVT)

-11.2%0%$21K

Franchise Taxes - Telephone

+13.6%0%$20K

Insurance Recovery

+1.5%0%$17K

Franchise Taxes - Other

-19.7%0%$12K

Corrections Fees

+6%0%$9K

Personal Property Tax - Railroad Equipment

+15.4%0%$9K

Registration Fees

+0%0%$4K

Non-Business Licenses - Other

-45%0%$2K

Penalties and Interest on Delinquent Licenses

+15.4%0%$1K

Expenditure Categories — vs prior yeari

Total Departmental Aggregated - Current Ops

+3.1%59.4%$276.9M

Debt Service - 10yr GO Principal

-1.7%10.9%$50.9M

Total Non-Departmental - Current Ops

+10.8%9%$41.8M

Total Part V - Current Operations

+9.3%6.3%$29.3M

Debt Service - 5yr General Obligation Principal

+11.5%3.2%$14.8M

Police Protection

+10.6%2.5%$11.5M

Debt Service - 40yr GO Principal

+13.6%2.1%$9.8M

Fire Protection

+29.9%1.5%$7.0M

Debt Service - Other Principal

+15%1.4%$6.4M

Roads, Streets, and Bridges

-2.8%0.8%$3.9M

Administration - Data Processing/MIS

+17.2%0.6%$3.0M

Total Part V - Machinery Capital

+51.8%0.4%$1.7M

Debt Service - 5yr General Obligation Interest

-0.1%0.2%$1.1M

Administration - Financial

+12.6%0.2%$1.0M

Housing & Development - Current Ops

-9.9%0.2%$985K

Planning and Zoning

-19.1%0.2%$725K

Administration - Gen. Govmt Buildings & Plant

+1.1%0.1%$617K

Administration - Human Resources

+9.2%0.1%$511K

Culture & Recreation - Current Ops

-4.1%0.1%$415K

Admin Support - Executive

+7.3%0.1%$402K

Cemetery

+5.5%0.1%$369K

Recorder's Court

-0.3%0.1%$348K

Public Works Administration

+8.8%0.1%$309K

Administration - Law

+1.4%0.1%$289K

Admin Support - Legislative

-3.5%0.1%$264K

Parks

-16.8%0.1%$250K

Total Part V - Property Capital

+27.4%0.1%$239K

Economic Development and Resources

+13.9%0%$224K

Administration - Risk Management

+9.9%0%$143K

Animal Control

-20.7%0%$125K

Administration - Public Information

+2.9%0%$124K

Debt Service - 40yr GO Interest

+54.4%0%$93K

Libraries

+4.6%0%$92K

Urban Redevelopment and Housing

+14920.2%0%$75K

Recreation

+12.3%0%$73K

Debt Service - Other Interest

-7.4%0%$40K

Admin Support - Elections

+0%0%$320