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Matrix of Local Finance Tools

Property Tax Financing
what it is	tax on real property
who pays	commercial and residential property owners
how funds are being used	park, open space, and recreation:maintenance, operations,and capital improvements
why it's being used	increased usership and demand; growth management; water quality improvements; public safety issues
areas it's being applied	urban, suburban, and rural areas
how long it lasts	tax ongoing or increased for a defined time period

Special Assessment District
what it is	separate units of government that manage specific resources within defined boundaries
who pays	residents of the district through property taxes, user fees, or bonds
how funds are being used	park, open space, and recreation:maintenance, operations,and capital improvements
why it's being used	increased usership and demand; growth management; water quality improvements; public safety issues
areas it's being applied	typically urban, suburban areas
how long it lasts	tax ongoing or increased for a defined time period

Sales & Use Tax
what it is	tax on sales of goods or services
who pays	purchaser of goods or services
how funds are being used	park, open space, and recreation:maintenance, operations,and capital improvements
why it's being used	increased usership and demand; growth management; water quality improvements; public safety issues
areas it's being applied	urban, suburban, and rural areas
how long it lasts	tax ongoing or increased for a defined time period

Real Estate Transfer Tax
what it is	tax on the sale of property
who pays	sometimes the seller, sometimes the buyer
how funds are being used	park and open space acquisition (proceeds often deposited into land banks)
why it's being used	increased usership and demand; growth management
areas it's being applied	typically fast-growing rural and suburban areas.
how long it lasts	one-time cost to home seller or buyer

Impact Fee
what it is	one-time fee to offset costs of infrastructure caused by new development
who pays	developer of project
how funds are being used	park, open space, and recreation:acquisition and development
why it's being used	growth management
areas it's being applied	typically fast-growing rural and suburban areas
how long it lasts	one-time cost to developer

General Obligation Bonds
what it is	loan taken out by a city or county against the value of taxable property
who pays	city or county though taxes paid by property owners
how funds are being used	park, open space, and recreation:acquisition and capital improvements
why it's being used	increased usership and demand; growth management; water quality improvements; public safety issues
areas it's being applied	urban, suburban, and rural areas
how long it lasts	bonds are typically issued for 15, 20 or 30 years

Revenue Bonds
what it is	loan paid from the proceeds of a tax levied for the use of a specific public project, or with the proceeds of fees charged to those who use the facility that the bonds finance.
who pays	city or county through tax revenues paid by general population or user of a service
how funds are being used	park, open space, and recreation:acquisition and capital improvements
why it's being used	increased usership and demand; growth management; water quality improvements; public safety issues
areas it's being applied	urban, suburban, and rural areas
how long it lasts	bonds are typically issued for 15, 20 or 30 years

Income Tax Financing
what it is	tax on individual income
who pays	individual taxpayers
how funds are being used	park:acquisition, maintenance and capital improvements
why it's being used	increased park usership; growth management
areas it's being applied	limited use to date: suburban community
how long it lasts	ongoing

Mitigation Financing
what it is	developer set-aside of land
who pays	developers of a project
how funds are being used	wetlands and natural areas: acquisition and protection
why it's being used	natural resource protection
areas it's being applied	suburban, and rural areas
how long it lasts	one-time cost to developer

User Fee Financing
what it is	fee that covers the cost of a service
who pays	anyone who chooses to take advantage of a service
how funds are being used	park, open space, and recreation:maintenance and operations
why it's being used	increased park usership
areas it's being applied	urban, suburban, and rural areas
how long it lasts	one-time cost to user

Tax Increment Financing
what it is	financing mechanism used to stimulate economic development in a blighted area
who pays	property owners when redevelopment results in increased property values
how funds are being used	park: acquisition and capital improvements
why it's being used	economic development
areas it's being applied	urban areas
how long it lasts	ongoing

Matrix of Local Finance Tools

Property Tax Financing
what it is	tax on real property
who pays	commercial and residential property owners
how funds are being used	park, open space, and recreation:maintenance, operations,and capital improvements
why it's being used	increased usership and demand; growth management; water quality improvements; public safety issues
areas it's being applied	urban, suburban, and rural areas
how long it lasts	tax ongoing or increased for a defined time period

Special Assessment District
what it is	separate units of government that manage specific resources within defined boundaries
who pays	residents of the district through property taxes, user fees, or bonds
how funds are being used	park, open space, and recreation:maintenance, operations,and capital improvements
why it's being used	increased usership and demand; growth management; water quality improvements; public safety issues
areas it's being applied	typically urban, suburban areas
how long it lasts	tax ongoing or increased for a defined time period

Sales & Use Tax
what it is	tax on sales of goods or services
who pays	purchaser of goods or services
how funds are being used	park, open space, and recreation:maintenance, operations,and capital improvements
why it's being used	increased usership and demand; growth management; water quality improvements; public safety issues
areas it's being applied	urban, suburban, and rural areas
how long it lasts	tax ongoing or increased for a defined time period

Real Estate Transfer Tax
what it is	tax on the sale of property
who pays	sometimes the seller, sometimes the buyer
how funds are being used	park and open space acquisition (proceeds often deposited into land banks)
why it's being used	increased usership and demand; growth management
areas it's being applied	typically fast-growing rural and suburban areas.
how long it lasts	one-time cost to home seller or buyer

Impact Fee
what it is	one-time fee to offset costs of infrastructure caused by new development
who pays	developer of project
how funds are being used	park, open space, and recreation:acquisition and development
why it's being used	growth management
areas it's being applied	typically fast-growing rural and suburban areas
how long it lasts	one-time cost to developer

General Obligation Bonds
what it is	loan taken out by a city or county against the value of taxable property
who pays	city or county though taxes paid by property owners
how funds are being used	park, open space, and recreation:acquisition and capital improvements
why it's being used	increased usership and demand; growth management; water quality improvements; public safety issues
areas it's being applied	urban, suburban, and rural areas
how long it lasts	bonds are typically issued for 15, 20 or 30 years

Revenue Bonds
what it is	loan paid from the proceeds of a tax levied for the use of a specific public project, or with the proceeds of fees charged to those who use the facility that the bonds finance.
who pays	city or county through tax revenues paid by general population or user of a service
how funds are being used	park, open space, and recreation:acquisition and capital improvements
why it's being used	increased usership and demand; growth management; water quality improvements; public safety issues
areas it's being applied	urban, suburban, and rural areas
how long it lasts	bonds are typically issued for 15, 20 or 30 years

Income Tax Financing
what it is	tax on individual income
who pays	individual taxpayers
how funds are being used	park:acquisition, maintenance and capital improvements
why it's being used	increased park usership; growth management
areas it's being applied	limited use to date: suburban community
how long it lasts	ongoing

Mitigation Financing
what it is	developer set-aside of land
who pays	developers of a project
how funds are being used	wetlands and natural areas: acquisition and protection
why it's being used	natural resource protection
areas it's being applied	suburban, and rural areas
how long it lasts	one-time cost to developer

User Fee Financing
what it is	fee that covers the cost of a service
who pays	anyone who chooses to take advantage of a service
how funds are being used	park, open space, and recreation:maintenance and operations
why it's being used	increased park usership
areas it's being applied	urban, suburban, and rural areas
how long it lasts	one-time cost to user

Tax Increment Financing
what it is	financing mechanism used to stimulate economic development in a blighted area
who pays	property owners when redevelopment results in increased property values
how funds are being used	park: acquisition and capital improvements
why it's being used	economic development
areas it's being applied	urban areas
how long it lasts	ongoing