Government Finance Review

The member assessment program of the Group Health Insurance Program in Wisconsin was given an Award for Excellence by the Government Finance Officers Assn in 1997. The state's Dept of Employee Trust Fund emphasized health insurance quality in the assessment cards given to survey participants. To ensure the evaluation process' comprehensive scope, various health insurance criteria and questions were covered. This resulted to a more effective system of gathering data on consumers' expectations ...

Avoiding securities law liability in conduit bond offerings.

Issuers of government securities should prevent legal liabilities by becoming familiar with the provisions with federal securities laws. These provisions stipulate the absence of exemptions for issuers who misrepresented facts about the securities and the amount of fines according to the nature of the offense. Strategies suggested to avoid liability include seeking the assistance of legal experts, verifying the facts about the offered securities and establishing agreements to liberate issuers...

Capital programming for results: A framework for federal government agencies.

The federal government created the programming process to manage the capital assets of government agencies. The strategy's guidelines were derived from the combined provisions of three legislative acts. This resulted to a four-stage process where planning becomes the main feature because it evaluates the viability of existing capital assets. Budgeting follows to determine if these assets deserve the amount of funds they require which leads to the procurement phase, aimed at minimizing risks. ...

GFOA joins effort to improve bondholder communications.

Government Finance Officers Association The Government Finance Officers Assn has initiated campaigns to address the glitches in the information services provided for municipal bondholders. Study findings indicate that these problems originated in 1982 when government regulations were implemented to ensure the municipal bond market's exemption from taxes. Solutions proposed by the GFOA includes giving communication control to issuers, allowing the retransmission of municipal bond information ...

Mexico: the economic emergence of the United States' neighbor to the south.

Mexico's economy is affected by development activities among its federal districts and its trade relation with the US. The country's economic affairs are managed by its three-level federal structure that distributes revenues, approves capital project grants and provides manpower training for local and state governments. Furthermore, economic development projects and interstate meetings along the US-Mexico border region show the increasing diplomatic relations between the two countries.

Post-Suburbia: Government and Politics in the Edge Cities.

Recent GASB pronouncements.

Governmental Accounting Standards Board The Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) has announced new regulations on financial issues affecting bank holding companies. Amendments to Internal Revenue Code requirements for deferred compensation plan assets will take effect on Dec 31, 1998. GASB will also impose its Number 5 interpretation of property tax revenue recognition starting Jun 15, 2000. Finally, the requirements to classify custodial credit risks have been implemented on Dec 1...

Reinventing the government in Guanajuato, Mexico: An interview with Governor Vicente Fox Quesada.

Interview Strategies for implementing information technology (IT) in the government of the state of Guanajuato, Mexico are discussed by Governor Vicente Fox Quesada. The project is driven by goals to encourage opportunities to change the state's system of governance. The state also plans to further the lines of communication with its citizens through its Web site. Furthermore, Quesada believes that IT has the capacity to push local initiatives to establish and facilitate international relati...

Simple process, fast service for rapid retirement.

The features of Illinois' Teachers Retirement System (TRS) Rapid Retirement Program won the Government Finance Officers Assn's Award for Excellence in the pensions and benefits category. Changes in the retirement application system were preceded by a feasibility study, information system staffing, trial run of the system and staff training. Before the program was launched, staffers ensured that TRS members are aware of its features. Members of the TRS reported increased efficiency in the resp...

State and local government cyber-budgeting.

The World Wide Web has features to allow the efficient management of state and local governments budgets. Government Web sites are flexible enough to convey information related to budgeting public finances. Furthermore, functions such as text formats, site links, file downloads, electronic mail and chat rooms provide governments with high technology solutions to manage and process budget-related data. The applicability of the medium is exemplified by the governments of Anchorage, Alaska, Alex...

State and local government retirement systems in strong financial condition.

Results from the '1997 Survey of State and Local Government Employee Retirement Systems' indicate the financial stability of retirement programs for government employees. Defined benefit plans dominate the type of retirement benefits given to public employees. Furthermore, the reserve funding strategy is also used to finance retirement packages. There is also a proportional increase in the value of retirement assets and liabilities since 1994.

Taking charge of technology.

The Government Financial Officers Assn (GFOA) has established the Technology Task Force to facilitate the implementation of technology for managing public finances. The unit examined various technological applications suitable for financial management. The task force also enumerated and identified possible constraints in using technological solutions. The task force's initiative shows the dedication of the GFOA in providing its members with the latest technological tools needed for their prof...

The Power of IT: Maximizing Your Technology Investment.

Transforming the Bottom Line: Managing Performance with the Real Numbers.

What users think of the new reporting model for governments: The results of the GASB's focus group sessions.

Governmental Accounting Standards Board Participants at the Governmental Accounting Standards Board's (GASB) meetings submitted their reaction to new governmental financial reporting standards. Practitioners from the credit market criticized the delayed availability of these audited financial reports while non-credit market users emphasize the importance of budget-related data. The structure of these reporting standards gained positive remarks from meeting participants. These findings provid...