Government Finance Review articles from June 2008

Government Finance Review archives from June 2008

Managing growth and economic development.(Editorial)
June 1, 2008... Local governments pursue economic development to improve the quality of life in their communities, to assure economic sustainability, and to strengthen the tax base. Achieving these goals means establishing strategies that promote growth in an...

Local governments face budgetary dilemmas, paper warns.(News & Numbers)(Report)
June 1, 2008... Looming budgetary pressures mean a "pessimistic" outlook for local governments, according to a recent working paper written by economics professor Richard F. Dye for the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston's New England Public Policy Center. Dye...

Chicago-area finance chiefs work together on common issues.(News & Numbers)
June 1, 2008... The CFO Roundtable, a group of finance executives from city, county, and state agencies based in Chicago, meets once a month to discuss matters of mutual concern. Many of the group's efforts have focused on the potential for saving money...

District of Columbia launches bike-sharing program.(News & Numbers)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... The Washington, D.C. District Department of Transportation plans to introduce a bike-sharing program in late spring. SmartBike DC--the first self-service public bicycle rental program in the United States--will allow subscribers to rent...

Michigan GFOA uses interactive polling.(News & Numbers)(Michigan Government Finance Officers Association)(Survey)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... At its March 28 Spring Seminar, the Michigan Government Finance Officers Association (MGFOA) conducted a poll using an interactive audience response system. The approximately 200 attendees used wireless handheld units to answer questions such...

Green strategies.(News & Numbers)(Report)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... Climate Protection Strategies and Best Practices Guide, a report by the U.S. Conference of Mayors for its Mayors Climate Protection Center, describes successful approaches taken by 52 cities to conserve energy and other natural resources,...

Amazon sues New York over new tax collection law.(News & Numbers)
June 1, 2008... New York state's recently adopted budget for fiscal year 2009 calls on remote sales retailers to collect sales and use taxes on all goods shipped to New York residents, and remit the sales tax to the state. Specifically, the law states that any...

Home foreclosures could decrease municipal tax base by $356 billion.(News & Numbers)(Report)
June 1, 2008... One in 33 homeowners is projected to be in foreclosure in the next few years because of subprime loans made in 2005 and 2006, according to a report released in mid-April by The Pew Charitable Trusts. Municipalities could see a collective...

The finance officer's role in capital projects.(Cover story)
June 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Finance officers' responsibilities for capital projects in most mid-size jurisdictions have traditionally focused on their base of strength: budgeting, fiscal management, debt management, and accounting. These skills...

A financial analyst's toolkit: analyzing the fiscal impacts of economic development projects.(Report)
June 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] While no one would deny that the delivery of core services is the most important function of local governments, many would also admit to the politically seductive nature of economic development. The appeal of adding...

Creating an economic development policy.
June 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] One of the most important tasks for the finance officer in economic development is to help create economic development policies. Much like the other types of financial policies a finance officer helps craft, economic...

Negotiating and bargaining in economic development.(Report)
June 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] "Economic development projects are negotiations between companies or organizations looking for the best place to set up shop and the communities in which they are looking. As with any business negotiation, certain...

Smart growth and economic vitality.(economic development with environmental sustainability)
June 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] New urbanism, smart growth, or sustainable economic development--whatever they're calling it, local governments across the country are starting to consider the environmental impact of growth and development, and...

Beyond silos: cross-boundary Internet service portals.
June 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The Internet has the potential to transform municipal services and dramatically improve customer service--particularly if government agencies and departments are willing to look beyond traditional, "silo"-based...

TEAMS delivers a fiscally sound asset management foundation.(Best Practices)
June 1, 2008... Every transportation agency must accurately forecast and prioritize capital expenditures and manage assets effectively to properly maintain and improve its infrastructure. Private industry has been implementing asset management programs for...

Columbus*Stat: identifying opportunities for improvement.([PM.sup.2] Connections: PERFORMANCE MEASUREMENT & MANAGEMENT)
June 1, 2008... The City of Columbus, Ohio, created its Office of Performance Management to give city leaders access to information that would enable them to track performance, document successes, and identify opportunities for improving city services. The...

What do you hear when you listen? Principles and tips for developing critical listening skills: honing your listening skills can help you hear the meaning behind the messages, leading to personal and professional success.(Management & Careers)
June 1, 2008... There is a critical difference between hearing and listening, although we often exchange one for the other. To listen is to hear with thoughtful intention. When we listen, we pay attention to the speaker's verbal and nonverbal messages. We...

ERP implementation: tips for managing risks.(Solutions)(enterprise resource planning)
June 1, 2008... Installing an enterprise resource planning (ERP) software application is a difficult project. While ERP can create tremendous efficiencies, it is not something officials can typically publicize as an accomplishment, as they might do with a new...

Congressional and regulatory activities in the pension and benefits arena.(Federal Focus)
June 1, 2008... Since the enactment of the Pension Protection Act of 2006 (PPA, PL. 109-280), the tide of federal legislation affecting pension and benefits in the public sector has slowed considerably To be sure, Congress continues to work on related issues,...

Final GASB standard on intangibles.(The Accounting Angle)(Governmental Accounting Standards Board)
June 1, 2008... Last June, the Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) issued GASB Statement No. 51, Accounting and Financial Reporting for Intangible Assets. That guidance must be implemented no later than the fiscal year ending June 30, 2010. ...

Lessons for tough economic times.(The Wealth of Cities: Revitalizing the Centers of American Life)(Book review)
June 1, 2008... The Wealth of Cities: Revitalizing the Centers of American Life By John O. Norquist Perseus Books 1998; 237 pages; $18.95 [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The Wealth of Cities is one of the classics, and a book that finance...

Calendar.(Calendar)
June 1, 2008... [state association events] June Alberta Canada GFOA June 3-6 Canmore, Alberta www.gfoa.ab.ca Maryland GFOA June 5-6 Ocean City, MD www.mdgfoa.org Association of Idaho Cities June 25-27 ...

A roadmap to measuring performance.(Commentary)(Performance data)
June 1, 2008... There can be little dispute these days among state and local government officials about the importance of communicating accurate, fair, and comparable data about the quality and efficiency of service delivery to citizens. Performance data...