Government Finance Review articles from February 1996

Government Finance Review archives from February 1996

The coming of the devolution revolution.
February 1, 1996... A quiet revolution is underway that will radically transform our intergovernmental system of government. Devolution - the return of power and responsibility to state and local governments by the federal government - will bring new challenges as...

Technology acquisition and implementation: learning the hard way.
February 1, 1996... Viewing technology as an enabler rather than letting it define the work process was the key to success for the Los Angeles County Employees Retirement Association. In an era of diminishing fiscal resources, the concepts of doing more and doing...

A 50-year plan for metropolitan Portland.
February 1, 1996... The regional approach to guiding urban development that Portland, Oregon, has adopted is widely viewed as sensible, sensitive, balanced, competitive, and exemplary. Portland is a metropolitan area that works, a model for other urban regions...

Statement of cash flows: the direct vs. indirect method debate continues.
February 1, 1996... A survey of finance officers reveals their preferences concerning the method to be used in preparing the statement of cash flows and the reasons why. The Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) recently issued its preliminary views (PV)...

Improving the purchasing function.
February 1, 1996... Careful attention to bid specifications, sound processes, and new technologies can bring greater efficiency to purchasing in small or large governments. Throughout the country, governmental entities have been rightsizing all levels of their...

The Uniform Unclaimed Property Act (1995).
February 1, 1996... Proposed revisions to abandoned property laws are expected to result in increasing the $2 billion in property now remitted annually to the states. The Uniform Unclaimed Property Act, a model law that embodies the rules and procedures requiring...

Making payments in cyberspace.
February 1, 1996... Cyberspace is loosely defined as the collection of computer communication networks that has evolved since the early 1970s. Although it is most often associated with the Internet, a myriad of bulletin board providers and commercial services also...

Privatizing wastewater treatment in Franklin, Ohio.(Spotlight Small Governments)
February 1, 1996... The City of Franklin, Ohio, is a city of approximately 12,000 people located mid-way between Dayton and Cincinnati in southwestern Ohio along the Great Miami River. It has a total budget of $17 million, including the $4.1 million general fund. In...

Canadian winners of the GFOA Budget Presentation Award. (Government Finance Officers Association)(Canadian News)
February 1, 1996... The GFOA's Distinguished Budget Presentation Awards Program is dedicated to improving governmental budgeting by evaluating operating budgets against a list of mandatory and general criteria. Budgets, submitted by finance directors, are reviewed...

GFOA's 1995 legislative saga. (General Finance Officers Association)
February 1, 1996... The first session of the 104th Congress, beginning in January 1995, started out on a very positive and busy note for the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) and other state and local government public interest groups. The fourth piece...

Sample agreements help protect funds.(Money Management Matters)
February 1, 1996... The need for information and guidance on safeguarding public funds has been and will continue to be the focus of GFOA's Committee on Cash Management. Over the years, the committee has developed numerous sample agreements and publications...

Forward bond purchase rights for advance refundings.(Innovation in Debt Finance)
February 1, 1996... Governmental issuers are continually looking for ways to hold down the costs associated with their bond programs. The Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority (TBTA) in New York City is no exception. With interest rates at comparatively low levels,...

There's no place like homepage.(Electronic Communication and Networks)
February 1, 1996... More and more cities, counties, and states are providing government information and services on-line via "homepages" on the World Wide Web (the Web). A homepage usually serves as an introduction to the jurisdiction or agency, presenting an...

Big Bets Gone Bad: Derivatives and Bankruptcy in Orange County.
February 1, 1996... Reviewed by Kathryn L. Hewitt, cash and investment manager for Prince George's County, Maryland, and member of GFOA's Committee on Cash Management. Every local government official involved in the financial management of his or her jurisdiction...

The Sports Stadium as a Municipal Investment.
February 1, 1996... Reviewed by John Wenderski, chief financial officer, City of Atlanta, Georgia. Since professional sports took hold in America, the idea of the "home team" has been a strong one. Professional sports have been part of the American fabric for...