Fund Descriptions and Structure

The City provides the full range of municipal services pursuant to state statute and City Charter. These services include public safety, water, wastewater, solid waste, parking, public improvements, cultural arts, parks and recreation, and general administrative services. A summary of the City fund structure, attendant revenue sources, and their purposes is provided below.

For the City's Fund Structure Diagram - a graphical representation of the budgetary fund structure - please click here.

General Fund - The primary operating fund of the City of Tampa used to account for all financial resources except grant, capital, debt, enterprise, and special revenue funds. This fund’s major revenues consist of property taxes, sales taxes, occupational licenses taxes, franchise fees, licenses and permits, charges for services, transfers, and other financing sources. These funds are used for services such as public safety, parks and recreation, and general administration of the City.

Utilities Services Tax Fund - A tax levied by the City on communications and taxable sales for utilities. These funds are used for general government operations, the purchase of machinery, capital equipment and vehicles for non-enterprise fund activities, capital improvement projects, related debt service, and other needs as determined.

The City receives funds for projects that are funded in whole or in part by state and/or federal grants.

Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) - A federal entitlement program administered and funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Community Planning and Development Office. Grant amounts are determined by a formula based on the community’s population, population growth lag, the number of persons in poverty, the extent of overcrowded housing, and the amount of housing built prior to 1940. The purpose of CDBG funds is to improve communities by providing decent housing and a suitable living environment, and expanding economic opportunities and capital improvements for persons with low and moderate incomes.

Other U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Grants - These grants include the HOME Investment Partnerships Program, Emergency Solutions Grants Program (ESG), and Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA) grants. These grants provide affordable housing and/or rehabilitation programs to benefit low and moderate-income households including facilities and services for the homeless and specialized housing services for persons with AIDS.

State Housing Initiatives Partnership (SHIP) - This program is authorized by the state legislature under the William E. Sadowski Affordable Housing Bill which allocates funds received from an additional 10 cent documentary stamp tax on real estate transactions and an additional 10 cent contribution from the state general revenue documentary stamp tax. This program is administered by the state and the balance, after the state’s needs are met, is allocated to local governments. Funding for a variety of housing programs is available through this source.

Special Revenue Funds account for the proceeds of specific revenue sources that are legally restricted to expenditures for specific purposes, and do not include trusts for individuals, private organizations, or other governments, or major capital projects.

All For Transportation Surtax Funds - The All For Transportation (AFT) surtax funds is a one cent sales surtax approved by Hillsborough County voters on November 10, 2018 for a period of 30 years. These funds account for the City’s share of the surtax to fund transportation improvement projects throughout the City.

Community Redevelopment Agency Funds - The Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) funds receive revenue from Tax Increment Financing (TIF) contributions to fund redevelopment activities within the respective CRA.

Construction Services Fund - Includes construction permit fees, construction service enhancement fees, and Florida permit surcharge fees to be used for the operations of the permitting system.

Downtown Special Service District Fund - Provides funding through an annual non-ad valorem assessment for programs within the Downtown District.

Law Enforcement Trust Funds - Includes revenues received from the Department of Law Enforcement pursuant to Florida Statute Chapter 932.7055(5)a and may only be used for law enforcement purposes.

Local Option Gas Tax Fund - Accounts for the City’s share of taxes levied on motor fuel and special fuel sold within Hillsborough County. This revenue supports operations and maintenance of the transportation system and transfers to the capital project fund for transportation capital projects.

Other Special Revenue Funds - Includes miscellaneous special revenue funds such as the Qualified Target Industry Tax Fund, Tree Trust funds, Parks Improvement Fund, and Landscape Area Special Revenue funds.

Stormwater Service Assessment Fund - Includes revenue from non-ad valorem stormwater service assessments that support operations and maintenance of the stormwater conveyance system.

Transportation Multi-Modal Fee Revenue Funds - Accounts for transportation multi-modal fees collected for use in specific transportation districts for capacity related project improvements and due to expanded or new construction. Assessments on development support projects to alleviate added demands on the transportation network and fund improvements to bicycle, pedestrian, and automobile capacities as well as other transit modes along a classified road network. Multi-modal fees can only be expended within the transportation impact fee district in which they were collected.

Westshore Special Services District Fund - Provides funding through an annual non-ad valorem assessment for programs within the Westshore District.

Debt service funds are used to repay debt incurred by the City including revenue bonds, bank loans, state revolving loans, and commercial paper.

Community Investment Tax Bonds Fund - Used for the repayment of Sales Tax Revenue Bonds, Series 2010 and 2016 that are payable solely from the Community Investment Tax proceeds.

Utilities Services Tax Bonds Fund - Used for the repayment of Utilities Services Tax Improvement Bonds and Utilities Services Tax Refunding Revenue Bonds, Series 1996, 1997, 2010, and 2012, which are secured by utilities services tax proceeds.

Non-Ad Valorem Bonds Fund - Used for the repayment of Non-Ad Valorem Revenue Bonds, Series 2011, 2015, and 2016, which are secured by a pledge to covenant and to budget and appropriate legally available non-ad valorem revenues.

Occupational License Tax Bonds Fund - Used for the repayment of the 2012 Gulf Breeze Loan and the Occupational License Tax Refunding Revenue Bonds, Series 2017, which are secured by occupational license taxes and a covenant to budget and appropriate non-ad valorem revenues, as additional security.

Stormwater Improvement Assessment Bonds Fund - Used for the repayment of the Special Assessment Revenue Bonds (Central and Lower Basin Stormwater Improvement), Series 2018 that are secured with stormwater improvement special assessment revenue.

Downtown CRA Bank Note Fund - Used for the repayment of the PNC bank note issued to fund capital improvements to the Tampa Convention Center. This bank note is secured by a lien on the tax increment financing revenues generated by the City’s Downtown Community Redevelopment Area.

Non-Ad Valorem Revenue Note Fund - Used for the repayment of the non-revolving line of credit from Wells Fargo National Association.

Taxable Non-Ad Valorem Note Fund - Used for the repayment of the refunded and restructured portion of the Series 1996 Bonds, the Series 2012A Bonds, and the Series 2012B Bonds from Synovus Bank.

Capital projects funds are used to account for the acquisition and construction of major capital facilities other than those financed by proprietary funds.

All For Transportation Capital Projects Funds - Provide sales surtax funding for various citywide transportation projects relating to intersection improvements, road and bridge improvements, traffic congestion mitigation, and bicycle and pedestrian safety improvements.

Bank Note Capital Fund - Provides debt funding for various general government capital improvement projects excluding stormwater projects.

Citywide Capital Project Improvements Fund - Provides funding for various capital improvements whose funding are of a unique or special nature. These projects are funded mainly through revenues transferred from special revenue funds. Special revenue sources typically include donations, grants, or trust and agency funds.

Community Investment Tax (CIT) Capital Projects Fund - In 1996, the half-cent sales tax was adopted for a period of 30 years. This local government infrastructure surtax provides for community investment in authorized capital projects. Proceeds of the CIT are shared by Hillsborough County, its three municipalities, the Tampa Sports Authority, and the Hillsborough County School Board. The CIT fund accounts for the receipt of the community investment tax revenues and capital expenditures used to purchase law enforcement and fire equipment, as well as, improvements to parks and other public facilities.

Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill Fund - Provides funding to offset the cost and damages caused by the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill.

Development for the Arts Projects Fund - Provides funding for public art projects throughout the city in accordance with Tampa’s public art ordinance.

Downtown CRA Bank Note Capital Projects Fund - Provides debt funding for the Tampa Convention Center capital improvement projects.

Housing Grants Capital Project Fund - Used for housing grant transactions such as Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) expenses.

Local Option Gas Tax Capital Projects Fund - Provides funding for various transportation capital improvement projects including resurfacing and street construction such as multi-median sidewalks, bike lanes, medians and traffic signals.

Non-Ad Valorem Bonds Capital Fund – Provides debt funding for various governmental facilities and transportation capital projects.

Parks & Recreation Grants Capital Projects Fund - Used to account for funding of parks and recreation projects that involve grants.

Stormwater Bank Note Fund - Provides debt funding for stormwater related capital projects.

Stormwater Bonds Capital Projects Fund - Provides debt funding for stormwater related capital projects.

Stormwater SWFWMD Grants Capital Projects Fund - Provides funding from Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWFWMD) Grants for the Stormwater related capital projects.

Stormwater Improvement Assessment Capital Fund - Provides funding through an annual non-ad valorem improvement assessment for stormwater related capital improvement projects within the Central and Lower Basin Improvement Area, which include system capacity increases, pond construction, the installation of drainage systems, and pumping station rehabilitation.

Tampa Union Station Capital Projects Fund - Includes revenues earned through the short-term rental of Tampa Union Station for special events and donations for capital improvements to Tampa Union Station.

Transportation Grants Capital Project Fund - Includes transportation-related grant revenues appropriated for transportation improvement projects.

Transportation Multi-Modal Fund - Funds used for the development, rehabilitation and enhancement of transportation assets to existing communities, streetscape, lighting, sidewalk enhancement, pedestrian safety, connectivity of transportation assets and transit-oriented development.

University of Tampa Plant Hall Fund - Includes contributions from the University of Tampa for capital improvements to Plant Hall located at the University of Tampa.

Utilities Services Tax Bonds Projects Fund - Used to account for various capital projects funded by revenue backed debt, specifically bonds secured by utilities services taxes.

Utilities Services Tax Capital Projects Fund - Used to account for utilities services tax revenues appropriated for various capital improvement projects.

Wastewater Bonds Capital Fund - Provides debt funding for wastewater related capital projects.

Water Bonds Capital Fund - Provides debt funding for water related capital projects.

Enterprise funds are used to report the same functions presented as business-type activities in the governmentwide financial statements. The City uses enterprise funds to account for its water utility, wastewater utility, solid waste system, parking facilities, and golf courses.

Golf Course Fund - The City owns and operates three golf courses: Babe Zaharias, Rogers Park, and Rocky Point golf courses. The golf course fund is used to support the operations and capital improvements of city owned golf courses.

Parking Fund - The parking fund is used to support the operations of the parking system, fund capital improvements, and pay debt service.

Solid Waste Fund - The solid waste fund is used to support the operations of the solid waste system, fund capital improvements, and pay debt service.

Wastewater Fund - The wastewater fund is used to support the operations of the wastewater system, fund capital improvements, and pay debt service.

Water Fund - The water fund is used to support the operations of the water system, fund capital improvements, and pay debt service.

Internal Service Funds are used by state and local governments to account for the financing of goods and services provided by one department or agency, to other departments or agencies, and to other governments on a cost-reimbursement basis.

Consumer Services Fund - Includes fees charged for the costs related to utility billings, collections, and customer service for water, wastewater, and solid waste services.

Fleet Maintenance Fund - Includes revenues received from costs of operating a maintenance facility for automotive equipment used by and billed to user City departments.

Self-Insurance Fund - Used for risk management insurance activity including health programs, workers’ compensation, various employee benefits, general liability, property insurance, and safety monitoring.

Fiduciary funds are used to account for the assets held for distribution by the government entity as an agent for another entity for which the government has custodial responsibility and account for the flow of assets.

Streetcar Administration Fund - Provides funding through an annual non-ad valorem assessment, Tax Increment Financing (TIF) contributions, and grants to support the operations of Tampa’s Historic Streetcar system.

Streetlight Special Services Districts Fund - Receives contributions from developers to pay for the costs for streetlights in designated neighborhoods. Contributions are amortized over 20 years and used to offset the costs for streetlights.