...CAFR Budget Analysis CAFR Budget Analysis At a government’s year-end, a Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR) must be completed. A CAFR consists of three parts: introduction, financial, and statistical sections and is a very detailed report of the government’s financial condition and reports on the states’ activities and funds for the past year. The state of California completed and published its CAFR for year-ending June 30, 2013 in April 2014. From this CAFR, we were able to glean a significant amount of information in regards to the state’s population, governmental structure, size of the state’s budget, how the budget interrelates to the CAFR, major industries, and other pertinent demographic information. Population In order to interpret a government’s CAFR, the reader must have knowledge about the jurisdiction the issuing government serves. Part of understanding the jurisdiction is to have knowledge about the jurisdiction’s population. For this reason, a CAFR must present basic information about population. With more than 37 million residents, the state of California is the most populous state in the United States (US) (as of Census 2010). California’s population has grown steadily at a rate of just under 1% per year since 2005. This trend is similar to that of the US overall, albeit a bit slower (Chiang, n.d.). Residents of California consistently have higher per capita income as compared to the US overall with $46,477 yearly income for...
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...The County of San Diego CAFR Analysis Introduction The first recorded history of San Diego started when San Diego Bay was first discovered by the Europeans in the present state of California. Native Americans tribe which is named “Kumeyaay” had been living in San Diego area for as long as 12,000 years before the Portuguese explorers discovered this area in 1542. After about 200 years, Father Junipero Serra established the first permanent European settlements in California, so that San Diego is also considered the “birthplace” of California. In 1848, San Diego became a part of the U.S. and was named San Diego County on February 18, 1850. San Diego remained a small town for decades, due to the development and establishment of Military bases, it expanded quickly after 1880. During and after World War II, the economy of San Diego grew rapidly based on the military, defense industries, tourism, international trade, and manufacturing. San Diego County is the most southwestern county in the United State, which located in the southwestern corner of the States of California. Its county seat and largest city is San Diego and it is now the 8th largest city in the United States. According to the estimation by U.S. Census Bureau, San Diego County's estimated population for January 1, 2014 was 3,194,362 people and household population is 1,076,483 (State & County Quick Facts, 2014). An increase of approximately 1.4 % comparing with the estimated 3,150,178 people in January...
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...the county or municipality. The financial statements of the government you selected should have at least three (3) funds. Refer to the continuing problem homework for Weeks 1 through 3 for this assignment. Write a three to five (3-5) page paper in which you: 1.Compare and contrast the comprehensive annual financial report (CAFR) of the selected local government entity with the city of Austin report from Week 1 homework. In your comparison, include: a.Publication method of the CAFR b.Audit and budget information in the CAFR c.The type of audit report issued d.Existence or non-existence of an internal audit function within the government entity 2.Prepare the analysis for the selected local government entity, including information on the introduction, financial section, and statistical section prepared in the city of Austin’s CAFR from chapter 2. 3.Analyze the methods used by the selected local government entity in comparing the budget-to-actual reports. Your analysis should include an evaluation of the basis of accounting used for the budget and financial statements. 4.Analyze the sources of revenue on the selected local government. Your analysis should include information on both governmental and business-type activities of the government. In your report, be sure to examine a.Property taxes and how they are...
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...City Of San Jose CaFr & Budget Analysis Teja Gadde City of San Jose- Introduction: The city of San Jose, CA, is the self proclaimed capital of the Silicon Valley. Initially, it was the first civilian settlement in California in 1777 and was also the 1st state capital of California. Today, San Jose is the third largest city in California, following only Los Angeles and San Diego. It has an estimated population of over 950,000 people. San Jose has a very diverse population; 33.2% Hispanic, 28.7% White and 31.7% Asian. It is the home to the largest concentration of technology firms worldwide- over 6,500 technology companies are located in San Jose and surrounding areas. San Jose has large private employers such as Cisco Systems, Xilinx, IBM and EBay. San Jose is known to be the hub for technological innovation. However, San Jose was not immune to the effects of recession. The slight increases in San Jose's primary revenues was not enough to cover its expenditures, even though expenditures decreased from the previous year. San Jose provides many governmental activities services such as public transportation, libraries, parks, recreation and neighborhood services. San Jose also provides business-type activities such as the airport, wastewater treatment system, water system and parking management operation. At Fiscal year Ending June 30, 2011, San Jose had Total Net Assets of $5.648 billion, which is a decrease of $382 million from the previous period. This paper will...
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...enjoy a lower-than-average unemployment rate of 9.1% (compared to the 2011 Fresno County average of 16% and businesses within the city are poised to take advantage of the area’s highest per-capita taxable spending. Clovis is a full-service city and has been operating with a budget surplus for greater than ten fiscal years. Through a combination of appropriate spending controls, fee and tax level adjustments, and reserves for future emergencies, the city ended 2011 with total assets of $900M (up 2% over the prior year) and total liabilities of $253M (down 3% over the prior year). The accounting department within the City of Clovis has received annual recognition via a Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting for the preceding twenty three years. Additionally, for the July 1, 2011 budget document, the city received the Government Finance Officers Association Distinguished Budget Presentation award for proficiency in: Policy Document Inclusion, Financial Plan competence, City Operations guides, Governmental Communications. Part 1: CAFR Analysis As is the case with all full-service cities, the City of Clovis prepares an annual Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR). The CAFR is divided into major sections, as follows: * Introductory Section * Financial Section * Statistical Section * Single Audit Section The Introductory Section contains information such as the Letter of Transmittal, city Organization Chart, and the listing of...
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...4 Part 1- Budget Analysis…………..………………………………………….....5 Budget Analysis-General Fund...………………………………………….……8 Budget Analysis- Community Services Department……..………….………...10 Part 2- CAFR Analysis……………………………………………………........13 CAFR & Budget Comparison………………………………………………….16 Conclusion……………………………………………………………………..20 References……………………………………………………………………..21 Introduction In a season of major economic crisis, the municipal sector is facing financial pressures similar to that of large corporations. Many cash-strapped cities have fallen victim to the raging economic downturn. As a result, an instinctive recourse has become one of survival. As budgetary spending is put to the knife, the priority becomes: safeguard cash, cut spending, and minimize costs as much as possible. The municipal sector will collectively face a $56 billion to $83 billion budget gap through 2012, due to declining tax revenues, cuts in state services, and increased service demands, according to the National League of Cities [this is a great intro, putting the city in context; would be good to have a citation here and include the source in the references]. State and local governments face serious trouble because of the recession. A renewed focus will need to be placed towards value optimization even in the face of budgetary restrictions. The city should ask,” How best can we deliver value to our communities now that our budget has been cut.” ...
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...Accounting Case Study Week Two Questions (40 points) Please provide a page reference to the CAFR (not the pdf) for each response if applicable. 1. Who prepared the CAFR? The Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County’s Department of Finance prepared the CAFR. 2. What is the length of the CAFR? The Length of the CAFR is 307 pages. 3. Describe briefly the form of government for The Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County. According to page viii, On April 1, 1963 the governments of the City of Nashville and Davidson County were consolidated into a single "Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County", under which the boundaries of the City of Nashville and Davidson County are coextensive. The executive and administrative powers are vested in the Mayor, who is elected at large for a four-year term. The Mayor is authorized to administer, supervise and control all departments and to appoint all members of boards and commissions. They also have a Vice-Mayor, who is elected at large for a four year term and is the presiding officer of the Council. The Council is composed of 40 members who are elected for four-year terms. 4. What two service district governments are included within the CAFR? General Services District and Urban Services District are included in the CAFR. 5. What are the three basic sections of the CAFR? Introductory section, Financial section, and Statistical section. 6. Certificate of Achievement...
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...the county or municipality. The financial statements of the government you selected should have at least three (3) funds. Refer to the continuing problem homework for Weeks 1 through 3 for this assignment. Write a three to five (3-5) page paper in which you: 1.Compare and contrast the comprehensive annual financial report (CAFR) of the selected local government entity with the city of Austin report from Week 1 homework. In your comparison, include: a.Publication method of the CAFR b.Audit and budget information in the CAFR c.The type of audit report issued d.Existence or non-existence of an internal audit function within the government entity 2.Prepare the analysis for the selected local government entity, including information on the introduction, financial section, and statistical section prepared in the city of Austin’s CAFR from chapter 2. 3.Analyze the methods used by the selected local government entity in comparing the budget-to-actual reports. Your analysis should include an evaluation of the basis of accounting used for the budget and financial statements. 4.Analyze the sources of revenue on the selected local government. Your analysis should include information on both governmental and business-type activities of the government. In your report, be sure to examine a.Property taxes and how they are...
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...(FASB) Analysis Paper Prepare a 350- to 700-word paper comparing and contrasting GASB and FASB accounting. Explain the objectives of the two standards boards and how they are similar and different. Describe how the modified accrual basis of accounting differs from full accrual accounting. Format your paper consistent with APA guidelines. Discussion Questions DQ 1 Log into http://www.charitynavigator.org/. Choose a good charity and a bad charity and explain why you feel they should labeled good or bad. DQ 2 What is fund accounting? How does it compare to proprietary accounting? Why is fund accounting necessary? What are the major fund types? DQ 3 What are some examples of government and not-for-profit organizations? How do businesses measure success? How do government organizations measure success? DQ 4 What is the purpose of CAFR? What are the components of CAFR? Why is the Federal Government not subject to GASB 34? How do government-wide financial statements add information not available in fund financial statements? Week 2 Individual Ch. 1, 2, & 3 Textbook Exercises Resources: Ch. 1, 2, & 3 of Government and Not-for-Profit Accounting Prepare written answers to the following assignments from Government and Not-for-Profit Accounting: Ch. 1: Exercise 1-1, Questions 1, 3, 4, 5, 7, & 8 Ch. 2: Question for Review and Discussion 12. In addition to answering question 12, provide a response in 150-350 words differentiating between a budget and a...
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...Chapter 01 Introduction to Accounting and Financial Reporting for Governmental and Not-for-Profit Entities True / False Questions 1. Special purpose governments generally provide a wider range of services to their residents than do general purpose governments. True False 2. Examples of general purpose governments include cities, towns, and public schools that receive tax revenue to finance the services they provide. True False 3. The Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) is the body authorized to establish accounting principles for all state and local governments, both general purpose and special purpose. True False 4. The Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) is the body authorized to establish accounting principles for all government entities. True False 5. The Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) is the body authorized to establish accounting principles for all colleges and universities and health care entities. True False 6. Neither governmental nor not-for-profit entities have residual equity that can be distributed to owners. True False 7. A characteristic common to governmental and not-for-profit organizations is that they do not exist to provide goods or services at a profit or profit equivalent. True False 8. The needs of users of government financial reports are the same as those of users of business entity financial reports. True False 9. The Federal...
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...Report (CAFR). The most recent report as the 2012 that was created by Alexander Cherniss, Ed.D., Chief Business Officer, fiscal year ending June 30, 2012. Presently no boundary changes during the fiscal year. The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of government accounting and reporting. Governmental Accounting and Reporting Budgeting and accounting are predominantly vital for a government body. Any person with the competence to make decisions relating to the prevailing body should possess the essential understanding of budgeting and accounting. “The Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) sets the accounting and financial reporting standards for state and local governments, whereas the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) sets these standards in for-profit business” (Granof &Wardlow, 2011). Governmental purpose and missions differ from those of a for-profit business. For-profit business is vastly measured by increasing profits and shareholder worth. Economic metrics are based exclusively on revenue and net income margins, where there may not be as measurable for governmental financial reporting. Government financial report cannot be always measured in monetary trends but more on a service oriented and focus cannot always be measured in dollars and cents and tends to be based more so on service efforts and activities. Additionally, “the actual budget holds more significance in government than in regular business. The budget is technically...
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...COUNTY OF VENTURA CAFR ANALYSIS PA615 – Public Financial Management Instructor, All Holliman California State University, San Bernardino Carrie Harmon, Scott Perkins, Dana Cano, Veronica Pinkett-Veal, Lydia Khalil, Holly Benton June 10, 2010 Contents Executive Summary 2 Cover, Table of Contents and Formatting 3 Introduction 3 Independent Auditor’s Report 5 Management’s Discussion and Analysis 6 Basic Financial Statements 6 Government-wide Financial Statements 7 Fund Financial Statements 8 Government, Proprietary, and Fiduciary Funds – Financial Statements 10 Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (SSAP) 14 Note Disclosure (other than SSAP and pension-related disclores) 19 Required Supplementary Information (RSI) 19 Combining and Individual Fund Information and Other Supplementary Information 21 Statistical Section 22 Other Considerations 23 Executive Summary The purpose of this report is to conduct a comprehensive analysis of the County of Ventura’s Comprehensive Annual Financial Report otherwise known as the CAFR. This analysis afforded the group members an opportunity to apply concepts and theories acquired through a graduate level governmental accounting course and provided the group members with a more intimate view of local government finances. The County of Ventura was selected for three primary reasons: 1) the county is located in Southern California and can easily be compared to the County of Riverside; 2) Ventura County...
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...True/False Questions 1. A Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR) would include an introductory section, management's discussion and analysis, basic financial statements, required supplementary information other than MD&A, combining and individual fund statements, narrative explanations, and statistical section. Answer: True 2. The three major sections of a CAFR are the Introductory, Financial, and Statistical sections. Answer: True 3. The introductory and statistical sections of a CAFR are required to be audited. Answer: False 4. State and local governments are not required to prepare a CAFR. Answer: True 5. Combining statements are required whenever a non-major column is used in one of the fund financial statements. Answer: True 6. A complete CAFR includes combining financial statements to reflect major funds. Answer: True 7. In addition to the government-wide statements, governments are required to prepare fund financial statements for governmental, proprietary and fiduciary funds. Answer: True 8. In addition to the government-wide statements, governments are required to prepare fund financial statements for governmental funds only. Answer: False 9. The General Fund is not always considered to be a major fund when preparing fund basis financial statements. Answer: False 10. With respect to fund basis financial statements, governmental funds are considered to be...
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...Accountability in Reporting Memo Over the years, there has been an increase in demand for accountability and scrutiny by the public when it comes to governmental accounting, being local, state or federal government. The not-for-profit entities are also under close scrutiny and observation and the general public wants to know how a not-for-profit organization manages its resources, mainly because the public needs to know if a donation to such an entity would be used to accomplish the written goals and missions of such entities or organizations. When it comes to governmental organizations, the tax payers need to know what is being done with the money that they are paying in taxes, and if the governments are using the resources wisely. Media is also putting a lot of pressure on governments and not-for-profit entities, demanding transparency and accountability for the resources used. The principle of accountability requires that the local, state and federal governments report and answer to the citizens, and by doing this the governments need to justify the raising of public resources and the purposes for which the resources raised are used. There are three different governing boards that establish accounting principles, standards and rules on how to recognize and report accounting related transactions. There is the FASAB, which stands for Federal Accounting Standards Advisory Board. This is the board that establishes accounting principles and standards for reporting for the...
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...CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION TO ACCOUNTING AND FINANCIAL REPORTING FOR GOVERNMENTAL AND NOT-FOR-PROFIT ENTITIES OUTLINE |Number |Topic |Type/Task |Status | | | | |(re: 15/e) | |Questions: | | | | |1-1 |Unique characteristics of governments and NFPs that create demand for |Identify/Explain |New | | |accountability | | | |1-2 |Distinguishing between general purpose and special purpose governments|Identify |New | |1-3 |Standards-setting bodies |Contrast |Same | |1-4 |Determining which standard-setting body sets standards for a |Identify/Explain |New | | |nongovernmental NFP | | ...
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