Financial Reporting - Top Picks for 2003
Financial Reporting
Albuquerque, New Mexico Investor Information Comprehensive information about the City’s annual finances, its sources of revenue, investment performance, municipal bonds and tax trends - it’s all here! Albuquerque has a stated commitment to continuous disclosure, and this web site is one way for the City to further that effort.
District of Columbia Office of the Chief Financial Officer One of the most complete financial web sites we’ve seen for a municipality, this site includes not only CAFRs dating back to 1999, but also historical and current local economic indicators, debt management information, and archived press releases, agency testimonies and even media advisories. A searchable database of fiscal impact statements - reports prepared by the CFO’s office that analyze the financial implications of pending legislative issues - is also accessible through this impressive web site.
Orange County California Finance Far beyond your average financial reporting ? this site stands out for both its style and content. The site does a great job of providing thorough information pertaining to the County’s financial condition, including local economic indicators, outstanding debt, budget and comprehensive and popular annual financial reports - all in a sleek, sophisticated format. A budget “primer” explaining the County’s budget process is a nice touch that complements the strategic financial plan, also included on the site.
Pennsylvania Housing Finance Financial Reports Annual and quarterly financial statements, along with bond call reports and other debt-related materials are well laid out for investors and other interested parties. A comparison of Bond Rates is another helpful investment tool.
Scottsdale, Arizona City Finance This site is a great find for those seeking financial information beyond annual financial reports. Particularly notable are the monthly City Economic/Financial Update and trend analyses. We also like the detailed information pertaining to the City’s outstanding bond series, including project updates.
Stanford University Cities and other municipal entities should take note: by example, this university web site can teach all public agencies a thing or two about financial reporting. An unequivocal leader in the effort to bring university investor relations to a higher level, Stanford provides an outstanding Bondholder Information section on its web site that includes annual financial reports and budget plans (back through 1999), along with news releases related to the University’s finances. The site also includes official statements, ratings information and disclosure reports for its outstanding bond issues, along with financial and operating data for its two hospitals.
Making Municipal Finance Understandable
Investing in Bonds A primer for the beginning investor and valuable research tool for the more seasoned ? Combining educational resources with daily pricing information and updates of other market activities, this site serves as both a virtual library and a news service rolled into one.
Auburn, Alabama Finance Department The City’s Popular Annual Financial Report (PAFR) complements its Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR), by summarizing and highlighting performance indicators in a less intimidating format for the “everyday” person. Its popular report is in-depth, yet understandable, and we applaud a city whose population is less than 50,000 for its efforts to bring this information “to the people.”
Cedar Rapids, Iowa Treasurer’s Office “Bonds 101” takes the mystery out of the municipal bond arena by explaining the process of issuing and selling bonds in understandable language. Hats off to the City for educating its citizens, and thereby increasing its accountability.
Copyright © 2003, MuniNet Guide
Murray, UT