Government Finance Review articles from October 1997

Government Finance Review archives from October 1997

A new standard of excellence in budgeting. (National Advisory Council on State and Local Budgeting new budget practices)
October 1, 1997... Of all of the functional areas of finance, the one most in need of guidance is government budgeting. The GFOA, long a leader in promoting sound budget practices, was instrumental in establishing the National Advisory Council on State and Local...

Elements of a comprehensive local government debt policy.
October 1, 1997... An analysis of 97 debt policies from a large sample of cities identifies 36 factors commonly considered and their frequency of use. A formal debt policy is essential to effective financial management. In 1995, the Government Finance Officers...

Connecticut's policy for responsible software management and control.
October 1, 1997... Software pirating among government personnel creates an internal control problem and a public policy dilemma. Since the introduction of the personal computer in the early 1980s, software has proliferated as a business tool, and software piracy...

Kentucky retirement systems quick access insurance rider program.
October 1, 1997... Using a computer program that reduces voluminous data to simple and relevant information, retirement system counselors are able to quote accurate total premiums and compare costs of coverage options for retirees in a few minutes. The Kentucky...

An interactive voice response system expands municipal services in Yellowknife, Northwest territories.
October 1, 1997... Using easy-to-adapt technology, the city provides citizens with round-the-clock information access and tax and fee payment options without adding staff. In the City of Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, as in many other municipal...

Strategic management of desktop computer equipment in Saint Paul, Minnesota.
October 1, 1997... A team approach and thorough implementation plan for the citywide replacement of desktop computers paid off in immediate dollar savings, more efficient staffing patterns, and computers configured toward the future. In 1995, trying to utilize...

Team-based budgeting: a case study of Fauquier County, Virginia.
October 1, 1997... The budget results achieved through interdisciplinary teamwork in Fauquier County are grounded in objective and defensible evaluation criteria. To many people who have the responsibility of developing a budget for their organization, the...

Deferred compensation and other issues.
October 1, 1997... Recently, the Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) has proposed guidance on Internal Revenue Code (IRC) Section 457 deferred compensation plans, property tax revenue recognition criteria, and custodial credit risk classifications...

A model for communicating the budget process.
October 1, 1997... Editor's note: This article presents a commentary on the book Memos to the Governor: An Introduction to State Budgeting by Dall W. Forsythe (see accompanying sidebar). The book is available for $9.95, plus $3.50 shipping and handling, from...

A leap forward for state and local government budgeting.
October 1, 1997... Budgeting is one of the most important activities undertaken by state and local governments. Practitioners and observers alike have recognized the potential of the budget process to raise the quality of government decision making and to enhance...

The great American job machine: "Secrets and Lies." (America's economic aspects)
October 1, 1997... The following excerpts are from Straight Talk[R] - From the Desk of the Chief Economist, Gail Fosler, June 1997, published by The Conference Board, reprinted with permission. During the past year, the U.S. unemployment rate dropped to 4.8...

Complying with secondary market disclosure rules: an update. (Securities and Exchange Commission disclosure rates)
October 1, 1997... It has been two years since the Securities and Exchange Commission's (SEC) continuing disclosure rules have been in effect. The rules, which generally affect bonds issued on or after July 3, 1995, prohibit broker-dealers from underwriting bonds...

First candidates for GFOA certification. (Government Finance Officer Assn)
October 1, 1997... In the spring of 1997, the Government Finance Officers Association launched its Certified Public Finance Officer (CPFO) program by offering the first examination in the program's five-examination cycle. A total of 223 candidates pursuing...

The GFOA annual conference from a Swedish perspective. (Government Finance Officers Assn)
October 1, 1997... GFOA members attending the 1997 annual conference in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, welcomed a delegation of public finance officials from Sweden. There have been groups from Sweden attending every year since 1992. The 25 delegates were...

Congress enhances public pension portability with new service credit rules.
October 1, 1997... Federal tax law provisions affect many aspects of state and local government retirement system administration. Recently, organizations representing public pension systems began to focus on the need to modify Internal Revenue Code Section 415 to...

University-local government collaboration to study fiscal health. (Swift County, Minnesota)
October 1, 1997... Swift County, Minnesota, (population approximately 11,000) is a county in transition. Historically an agriculturally dependent county, it had been losing population and jobs steadily until 1995, when the trend began reversing. Recently, it has...

Hamilton's Blessing: The Extraordinary Life and Times of Our National Debt.
October 1, 1997... Reviewed by GFOA member Cornelius E. Tierney, CPA, retired national director of Ernst & Young's public sector practice, currently professor of accountancy at The George Washington University, Washington, D.C. I am partial to small books:...

Ethical Dilemmas in Public Administration.
October 1, 1997... Reviewed by Carol W. Lewis, professor at the University of Connecticut and formerly consultant to the GFOA on the development of its Code of Ethics. Here is a book that delivers what it promises. This collection of case studies - written by...

The Balanced Scoreboard.
October 1, 1997... Reviewed by Vincent J. Byrne, former director of the finance and management division of Fairfax County Water Authority in Virginia. The Balanced Scorecard describes a methodology to improve the way senior executives measure the performance of...