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Prince George's 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:

5,242.77

The expenses per resident at the local level is:

5,282.44

The outstanding debt per resident at the local level is:

3,331.67

 
Prince George'sMarylandNational



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

Revenue5,074,8825,242.77100.0039,544,2346,331.18100.000.831.002,344,548,4806,947.35100.000.751.000.911.00

  General revenue5,056,3395,223.6199.6338,039,3306,090.2496.190.861.042,168,968,4006,427.0792.510.811.080.951.04

    Intergovernmental revenue2,169,3702,241.1442.7512,123,0421,940.9430.661.151.39808,559,1482,395.9234.490.941.240.810.89
      From Federal government289,023298.585.702,428,946388.886.140.770.93146,274,793433.446.240.690.910.900.98
      From State government1,880,3471,942.5537.059,694,0961,552.0624.511.251.51662,284,3551,962.4828.250.991.310.790.87
      From local government00.000.0000.000.000.000.0000.000.000.000.000.000.00

    General revenue from own sources2,886,9692,982.4856.8925,916,2884,149.2965.540.720.871,360,409,2524,031.1558.020.740.981.031.13
      Taxes2,482,2252,564.3448.9120,425,7623,270.2451.650.780.95894,124,7052,649.4638.140.971.281.231.35
        Property1,403,1941,449.6227.6510,615,0341,699.5126.840.851.03627,434,2421,859.2126.760.781.030.911.00
        Sales & gross receipts118,096122.002.33797,216127.642.020.961.15165,801,503491.307.070.250.330.260.29
          General sales00.000.0000.000.000.000.00125,994,306373.355.370.000.000.000.00
          Selective sales118,096122.002.33797,216127.642.020.961.1539,807,197117.961.701.031.371.081.19
            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 utilities89,02091.961.75267,39342.810.682.152.5915,744,64746.650.671.972.610.921.01
            Other selective sales29,07630.040.57529,82384.831.340.350.4321,006,01162.240.900.480.641.361.50
        Individual income tax814,166841.1016.047,425,4891,188.8518.780.710.8544,730,192132.541.916.358.418.979.84
        Corporate income tax00.000.0000.000.000.000.0011,009,92732.620.470.000.000.000.00
        Motor vehicle license100.010.00450.010.001.431.732,263,6136.710.100.000.000.000.00
        Other taxes146,759151.612.891,587,978254.244.020.600.7242,885,228127.081.831.191.582.002.20

      Charges & misc general revenue404,744418.137.985,490,526879.0513.880.480.57466,284,5471,381.6919.890.300.400.640.70
        Current charges275,338284.455.433,890,780622.939.840.460.55365,048,3361,081.7115.570.260.350.580.63
          Education29,01529.970.57395,58463.331.000.470.5719,143,89456.730.820.530.701.121.23
            Institution of higher education18,31018.920.36299,67947.980.760.390.487,681,25722.760.330.831.102.112.31
            School lunch sales (gross)1,4021.450.039,9121.590.030.911.101,566,4414.640.070.310.410.340.38
          Hospitals00.000.0073,59311.780.190.000.00124,953,811370.265.330.000.000.030.03
          Highways00.000.0015,1422.420.040.000.0010,287,28930.480.440.000.000.080.09
          Air transportation (airports)00.000.0016,0282.570.040.000.0022,414,40266.420.960.000.000.040.04
          Parking facilities7360.760.0199,56115.940.250.050.062,924,3498.670.120.090.121.842.02
          Sea and inland port facilities00.000.0000.000.000.000.004,760,82614.110.200.000.000.000.00
          Natural resources00.000.009,4441.510.020.000.002,531,1967.500.110.000.000.200.22
          Parks and recreation3,2983.410.06127,57720.430.320.170.209,708,20828.770.410.120.160.710.78
          Housing and comm development6480.670.01244,00439.070.620.020.027,308,73521.660.310.030.041.801.98
          Sewerage4,0414.170.081,391,334222.763.520.020.0268,695,647203.562.930.020.031.091.20
          Solid waste management105,365108.852.08554,92688.851.401.231.4821,694,93864.290.931.692.241.381.52
          Other charges132,235136.612.61963,587154.272.440.891.0770,625,041209.283.010.650.870.740.81

        Miscellaneous general revenue129,406133.692.551,599,746256.134.050.520.63101,236,211299.984.320.450.590.850.94
          Interest earnings22,09822.830.4460,7279.720.152.352.8410,227,01630.300.440.751.000.320.35
          Special assessments00.000.00206,19033.010.520.000.0015,026,42544.530.640.000.000.740.81
          Sale of property990.100.0013,0522.090.030.050.063,784,73711.210.160.010.010.190.20
          Other general revenue107,209110.762.111,319,777211.303.340.520.6372,198,033213.943.080.520.690.991.08

  Utility revenue18,54319.160.371,175,210188.162.970.100.12173,592,043514.397.400.040.050.370.40
    Water supply18,53519.150.371,064,840170.482.690.110.1480,167,107237.553.420.080.110.720.79
    Electric power00.000.0093,09714.910.240.000.0078,135,733231.533.330.000.000.060.07
    Gas supply00.000.007,6001.220.020.000.007,630,12322.610.330.000.000.050.06
    Transit80.010.009,6731.550.020.010.017,659,08022.700.330.000.000.070.07

  Liquor store revenue00.000.00329,69452.790.830.000.001,988,0375.890.080.000.008.969.83

  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

Expenditure5,113,2815,282.44100.0038,912,2686,230.00100.000.851.002,254,418,5176,680.28100.000.791.000.931.00

  Intergovernmental expenditure00.000.0000.000.000.000.0000.000.000.000.000.000.00
  Direct expenditure5,113,2815,282.44100.0038,912,2686,230.00100.000.851.002,254,418,5176,680.28100.000.791.000.931.00
    Current operation4,514,3294,663.6788.2933,473,3155,359.2086.020.871.031,887,390,8875,592.7083.720.831.050.961.03
    Capital outlay454,840469.898.904,217,678675.2710.840.700.82284,581,195843.2712.620.560.700.800.86
      Construction454,840469.898.904,217,678675.2710.840.700.82284,581,195843.2712.620.560.700.800.86
    Assistance and subsidies6140.630.0129,1464.670.070.140.162,376,9447.040.110.090.110.660.71
    Interest on debt143,498148.252.811,192,129190.863.060.780.9280,069,491237.263.550.620.790.800.86
    Insurance benefits and repayments00.000.0000.000.000.000.0039,9940.120.000.000.000.000.00
    Exhibit: salaries & wages1,653,7881,708.5032.3411,602,0341,857.5329.820.921.08525,546,0041,557.2923.311.101.391.191.28

  Direct expenditure by function5,113,2815,282.44100.0038,912,2686,230.00100.000.851.002,254,418,5176,680.28100.000.791.000.931.00
    Direct general expenditure5,059,8205,227.2198.9537,016,8315,926.5395.130.881.042,024,660,7925,999.4689.810.871.100.991.06
      Capital outlay414,680428.408.114,037,171646.3710.380.660.78233,677,777692.4310.370.620.780.931.00


Education services:
      Other direct general expenditure4,645,1404,798.8190.8432,979,6605,280.1784.750.911.071,790,983,0155,307.0379.440.901.140.991.07
      Education2,666,9152,755.1452.1618,099,7942,897.8446.510.951.12862,837,2522,556.7538.271.081.361.131.22
          Capital outlay248,346256.564.861,957,393313.395.030.820.9789,314,081264.653.960.971.231.181.27
        Higher education115,311119.132.261,405,125224.973.610.530.6246,067,730136.512.040.871.101.651.77
          Capital outlay12,97813.410.25182,36429.200.470.460.545,394,84215.990.240.841.061.831.96
        Elementary & Secondary education2,550,9902,635.3849.8916,665,5232,668.2142.830.991.16814,392,5782,413.2036.121.091.381.111.19
          Capital outlay235,368243.154.601,775,029284.194.560.861.0183,919,239248.673.720.981.241.141.23
        Other education6140.630.0129,1464.670.070.140.162,376,9447.040.110.090.110.660.71
      Libraries00.000.00170,48527.300.440.000.0013,625,82240.380.600.000.000.680.72


Social services and income maintenance:
      Public welfare21,88422.610.43224,40835.930.580.630.7467,699,317200.613.000.110.140.180.19
        Other public welfare21,88422.610.43224,40835.930.580.630.7467,699,317200.613.000.110.140.180.19
      Hospitals00.000.0062,86810.070.160.000.00141,312,054418.736.270.000.000.020.03
        Capital outlay00.000.007430.120.000.000.006,546,84619.400.290.000.000.010.01
      Health110,220113.872.16872,055139.622.240.820.9677,108,561228.493.420.500.630.610.66
      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:
      Highways118,697122.622.321,003,166160.612.580.760.9082,616,882244.813.660.500.630.660.70
        Capital outlay66,90669.121.31494,04679.101.270.871.0330,060,50189.081.330.780.980.890.95
      Air transportation (airports)00.000.0026,6754.270.070.000.0028,556,24984.621.270.000.000.050.05
      Parking facilities3000.310.0149,7977.970.130.040.052,108,1706.250.090.050.061.281.37
      Sea and inland port facilities00.000.0000.000.000.000.004,034,90811.960.180.000.000.000.00

Public safety:
      Police protection457,004472.128.942,403,358384.796.181.231.45119,298,947353.515.291.341.691.091.17
      Fire protection253,595261.984.961,638,344262.304.211.001.1864,033,823189.742.841.381.751.381.48
      Correction101,273104.621.98506,56581.101.301.291.5232,595,24396.591.451.081.370.840.90
        Capital outlay7,7628.020.1518,6972.990.052.683.16915,2972.710.042.963.741.101.18
      Protective inspection & regulation13,24313.680.26188,80530.230.490.450.537,062,87020.930.310.650.831.441.55

Environment and housing:
      Natural resources2,7002.790.05183,70629.410.470.090.1113,342,66139.540.590.070.090.740.80
        Capital outlay40.000.0050,3728.060.130.000.004,485,96313.290.200.000.000.610.65
      Parks and recreation22,56623.310.441,114,094178.372.860.130.1543,717,263129.541.940.180.231.381.48
        Capital outlay4,4974.650.09244,95739.220.630.120.1410,096,60129.920.450.160.201.311.41
      Housing and comm development188,747194.993.691,521,785243.643.910.800.9458,336,344172.862.591.131.431.411.51
      Sewerage57,74459.651.131,343,036215.033.450.280.3368,504,527202.993.040.290.371.061.14
        Capital outlay00.000.00180,00028.820.460.000.0023,319,98269.101.030.000.000.420.45
      Solid waste management127,038131.242.48762,745122.121.961.071.2728,653,83084.911.271.551.951.441.54
        Capital outlay3730.390.0111,1151.780.030.220.261,863,1165.520.080.070.090.320.35

Governmental administration:
      Financial administration33,27334.370.65404,93564.831.040.530.6323,707,42470.251.050.490.620.920.99
      Judicial and legal97,638100.871.91544,81087.231.401.161.3627,887,73782.641.241.221.541.061.13
      General public buildings31,44932.490.62313,13450.130.800.650.7613,643,40540.430.610.801.021.241.33
      Other governmental administration108,029111.602.11506,12381.031.301.381.6237,267,357110.431.651.011.280.730.79
      Interest on general debt143,498148.252.811,110,908177.862.850.830.9866,807,524197.962.960.750.950.900.96

General expenditures, n.e.c.:
      Misc commercial activities1430.150.0019,6933.150.050.050.062,707,8798.020.120.020.020.390.42
      Other and unallocable503,864520.539.853,945,542631.7010.140.820.97137,158,796406.436.081.281.621.551.67

Utility expenditures:
    Utility expenditure53,46155.231.051,619,943259.364.160.210.25228,078,201675.8410.120.080.100.380.41
        Capital outlay40,16041.490.79180,50728.900.461.441.6950,897,505150.822.260.280.350.190.21
      Water supply12,81813.240.251,214,904194.513.120.070.0882,479,587244.403.660.050.070.800.85
      Electric power2350.240.0080,81012.940.210.020.0273,696,368218.383.270.000.000.060.06
      Gas supply410.040.006,9251.110.020.040.057,182,24421.280.320.000.000.050.06
      Transit40,36741.700.79317,30450.800.820.820.9764,720,002191.782.870.220.270.260.28

Liquor store expenditures:
    Liquor store expenditure00.000.00275,49444.110.710.000.001,679,5244.980.070.000.008.869.50

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 outstanding3,224,9813,331.67100.0035,430,2405,672.51100.000.591.002,042,775,1706,053.14100.000.551.000.941.00

  Short-term debt outstanding2,4652.550.08614,38498.371.730.030.0428,356,92884.031.390.030.061.171.25
  Long-term debt outstanding3,222,5163,329.1299.9234,815,8565,574.1598.270.601.022,014,418,2425,969.1198.610.561.010.931.00

Long-term debt issued306,593NANA5,720,499NANANANA264,717,314NANANANANANA
Long-term debt retired217,455NANA4,032,918NANANANA218,916,559NANANANANANA


Sources: STI: PopStats and STI: Colossus