Town Hall · Blue Lake

Blue Lake, CA town hall & government

Blue Lake spent $2.6 million in the year to June 30, 2022, about $2,129 per resident.

Where the money goes, where it comes from, property taxes, and how to reach Blue Lake's government.

Town budget

Where Blue Lake's money goes

Spent
$2.6 million
fiscal year to June 30, 2022
Per resident
$2,129
typical California cities: $1,906
Long-term debt
$255,000
$205 per resident
Water & other utilities
$703,00027%
Sewer & trash
$556,00021%
Parks & libraries
$378,00014%
Administration & buildings
$372,00014%
Police
$197,0007%
Roads & transportation
$169,0006%
Housing & development
$100,0004%
Courts, inspections & corrections
$26,0001%
Health & welfare
$19,0001%
Other
$128,0005%

Where the money comes from

  • From the state 22%
  • Utility sales 20%
  • Fees & charges 19%
  • Interest, fines & other 12%
  • Property taxes 11%
  • From the federal government 9%
  • Sales taxes 5%
  • Other taxes & licenses 2%
  • From other local governments <1%
Town workforce · Census estimate

Who works for Blue Lake

Full-time staff
8
8 part-time too
Average full-time pay
$65,500
a year, before benefits
Parks & libraries
1 full-time7 part
Sewer & trash
4 full-time
Administration & buildings
3 full-time1 part

Staff on the town's payroll in March 2022. Pay is March payroll times twelve, so it's approximate. Blue Lake didn't report its staffing to the Census Bureau, so these are the Bureau's estimates.

Schools · school year 2023–24

Northern Humboldt Union High School District

Blue Lake's high school district, shared with Arcata, Eureka and Trinidad. It is its own government, with a budget separate from the town's.

Spending per pupil
$19,735
California: $21,206
Students
1,756
in the whole district
Long-term debt
$35.7 million
at year end

Where the district's money comes from California districts overall: 36% local, 52% state, 11% federal

  • Local 39%
  • State 45%
  • Federal 16%

Of the $19,735 per pupil, $11,109 goes to classroom instruction (teachers, aides, supplies); the rest to support services such as buses, buildings, counselors and administration. Building projects and debt payments aren't in the per-pupil figure.

Also serving Blue Lake: Blue Lake Union Elementary School District ($21,500 per pupil) · Arcata Elementary School District ($19,262 per pupil).

Property tax

What homeowners in Blue Lake pay

Typical tax bill
$1,899
a year · California typical $5,124
Effective rate
0.43%
of home value · California 0.70%
Typical home value
$445,200
owner-occupied

The median yearly bill homeowners report, covering every local property tax on the home (town, schools, county). The effective rate is that bill divided by the median home value, so it's a rough guide, not the official tax rate. In a town this small the survey estimate has a wide margin.

Local

Contact Blue Lake's government

🏛️ Official websitebluelake.ca.gov ↗

Town hall & decisions in Blue Lake →

Beyond town hall

Who represents Blue Lake

Blue Lake is represented in Congress by Senators Alex Padilla and Adam B. Schiff and Representative Jared Huffman. Gavin Newsom is governor.

All of Blue Lake's representatives, with contacts →

Budget: U.S. Census Bureau, 2022 Census of Governments: Finance (every city and town government's revenue, spending and debt, grouped into plain categories). Property tax: Census American Community Survey, 5-year estimates.

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Blue Lake

California · CA
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