What transactions are available in WATCH?
The WATCH accountability portal provides a financial search of Wake County transactions. The County’s accounts are organized into “funds,” separate, individually balanced accounting activities. The County allocates resources and accounts for expenditures based on each fund’s purposes and spending controls.
Funds you will see in WATCH are summarized below with a description of the activities for which they account and the primary source of funding.
Fund Descriptions
Affordable Housing – Provides affordable housing options to low-income, homeless and special needs families and individuals. Primary revenues are federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds and Home Investment Partnership Program (HOME) and a transfer from the Wake County Capital Improvement fund.
Corporate Fleet – Vehicle maintenance and service, fuel and acquisition of new and replacement vehicles. The revenue source is per-vehicle charges to departments.
County Capital Improvement – Acquisition or construction of major capital assets (typically costs exceeding $100,000). Primary funding sources are bonds and transfers from the General Fund. Capital asset categories include Automation, Community Capital, County Building Improvements, Criminal Justice, Economic Development, Open Space, Parks and Recreation, Program-wide Projects, Libraries, Public Safety, and Water and Sewer.
Debt Service – Principal and interest payments for bonds associated with capital projects for the County, Wake County Public Schools and Wake Technical Community College. Primary revenue sources are property and sales tax transfers from the General Fund, interest earnings and state lottery.
Fire CIP – Acquisition or construction of apparatus, equipment and facilities to support the activities of the fire departments within the Fire Tax District. Primary revenue source is a transfer of taxes collected in the Fire Tax District Fund.
Fire Districts – Fire suppression and emergency services provided by the 14 nonprofit corporations and six municipal departments that comprise the County’s central Fire Tax District. This includes most unincorporated areas of the County and the Town of Wendell. The revenue source is a tax of 8 cents on all property within the Fire Tax District.
General Fund – All financial resources not accounted for in another fund. Primary revenue sources are property and sales taxes, fees for services, and state and federal funding. Primary expenditures are education, human services, public safety, environmental services, community services and general governmental services.
Grants and Donations – Proceeds from federal, state and other grants that are non-recurring or extend beyond a single fiscal year. Each grant constitutes a separate cost center.
Major Facilities – Collection and distribution of a one percent Prepared Food and Beverage Tax and six percent Occupancy (Hotel/Motel) Tax for promoting tourism in Wake County. Legislation from 1991 set the criteria for use of these funds.
Major Facilities CIP – Annual distribution to the County of $1 million from the Prepared Food and Occupancy taxes. The County currently uses these funds to repair and maintain Five County Stadium, Marbles Kids’ Museum and IMAX Theater. Also provides funds for the Green Square Project.
Solid Waste Capital – Repair and maintain convenience centers and conduct required monitoring and clean-up of closed landfills and build-out of the South Wake Landfill. Primary revenue sources are transfers from the Solid Waste Operating and South Wake Landfill Partnership funds.
Solid Waste Operating – Landfill management, recycling/waste reduction and convenience center operations. Primary revenue source is a $20 household fee.
South Wake Landfill Partnership – South Wake Landfill and East Wake Transfer Station operations, to provide Wake municipalities the most efficient, effective and sustainable long-term waste disposal services for the next 25 to 30 years.
Workforce Development – U.S. Department of Labor and North Carolina Department of Commerce employment and training grant activities related to the federal Workforce Investment Act of 1998 and other federal and state, employment-related initiatives. Funding source is federal and state grants.
Where does my tax dollar go?
