Town Hall · Ruston

Ruston, WA town hall & government

Ruston spent $4.8 million in the year to December 31, 2022, about $5,603 per resident.

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

Town budget

Where Ruston's money goes

Spent
$4.8 million
fiscal year to December 31, 2022
Per resident
$5,603
typical Washington cities: $1,978
Long-term debt
$4.2 million
$4,987 per resident
Water & other utilities
$964,00020%
Roads & transportation
$808,00017%
Police
$779,00016%
Administration & buildings
$640,00013%
Sewer & trash
$640,00013%
Courts, inspections & corrections
$379,0008%
Fire
$172,0004%
Interest on debt
$116,0002%
Parks & libraries
$7,000<1%
Other
$246,0005%

Where the money comes from

  • Utility sales 22%
  • From the state 19%
  • Fees & charges 16%
  • Property taxes 15%
  • Sales taxes 14%
  • Interest, fines & other 7%
  • Other taxes & licenses 6%
  • From other local governments <1%
Town workforce

Who works for Ruston

Full-time staff
8
28 part-time too
Average full-time pay
$92,000
a year, before benefits
Sworn police officers
5
full-time, with power of arrest
Fire
0 full-time16 part
Police
5 full-time3 part
Administration & buildings
2 full-time7 part
Sewer & trash
1 full-time
Water & other utilities
0 full-time2 part

Staff on the town's payroll in March 2022. Pay is March payroll times twelve, so it's approximate.

Schools · school year 2023–24

Tacoma Public Schools

Ruston's K–12 school district, shared with Tacoma and Fircrest. It is its own government, with a budget separate from the town's.

Spending per pupil
$19,619
Washington: $18,444
Students
28,272
in the whole district
Long-term debt
$885.3 million
at year end

Where the district's money comes from Washington districts overall: 27% local, 66% state, 8% federal

  • Local 32%
  • State 58%
  • Federal 10%

Of the $19,619 per pupil, $10,822 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.

Property tax

What homeowners in Ruston pay

Typical tax bill
$7,926
a year · Washington typical $4,556
Effective rate
0.87%
of home value · Washington 0.81%
Typical home value
$912,700
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 Ruston's government

🏛️ Official websiterustonwa.org ↗
Town hall phone(253) 759-3544

Town hall & decisions in Ruston →

Beyond town hall

Who represents Ruston

Ruston is represented in Congress by Senators Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell and Representative Emily Randall. Bob Ferguson is governor.

All of Ruston'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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