week 8 seminar financial management. objectives describe the purpose for public budgeting the use of...
TRANSCRIPT
Week 8 Seminar
Financial Management
Objectives
• Describe the purpose for public budgeting• the use of the budget as a tool for planning• the difference between operating, capital, or capital
improvement budgets• The use of line item budget and program budgets
and the strengths and weaknesses of each• The difference in user fees and taxes
Budget
• Required by law and used for planning purposes.
• determine how much money will be needed to fund the organization.
• State laws• stretching the rules might be illegal.• Governments credit report is called bond
rating.
Signs Of Poor Management
• Overspending
• Failing to recognize potential shortages during the fiscal year
• Failure to include foreseeable expenses are
The Purpose of a Budget
• Supply information to elected officials to determine what programs and services will be funded
• Supply information to the public, facilitating public participation in the process
• Establish a formal policy for spending public funds
• Assist managers by categorizing and tracking expenditures
Budget Preparation
• Preparing a budget for upcoming year• Detailed financial projections– Called the “recommended budget”
• The recommended budget is submitted to the elected governing body, and it is made public.
• Public hearings• The governing body may modify the recommended
budget– This is the adopted budget for the fiscal year.
Operating Budget
• Funding for the day-to-day operating expenses of running the government
• Salaries and fringe benefits, fuel, expendable supplies and equipment, rent, utilities, and interest payments
• Generally broken down into categories called line items or funds
Capital or Capital Improvement Budget
• Long-range budget plan is used to guide the financing and construction of capital projects.– Includes funding for land acquisition, the development of
parks, and the construction of roads
Budget Tactics• Some budget categories are intentionally
underfunded.– overtime pay
• funding the shortage by transferring funds from nonessential categories
• seasoned managers schedule and procure supplies and equipment in the first half of the fiscal year.
• wish list for use at the end of the year
Budget Calendar
• The federal fiscal year runs from October 1 through September 30.
• Most other levels of government use July 1 through June 30 as their fiscal year.
Budget Formats
• Five most radically different budget types– line-item budget– lump-sum budget– program budget– performance budget– zero-based budget
Cost Recovery & User Fees
• They typically require enabling legislation from the state legislature.
• User fees are not taxes.• User fees are payments for service.• They must be based on some logical system
such as the cost to perform the service.
Adoption
• With business support, the adoption of a fee schedule is almost guaranteed.
• Without business support, but with the acknowledgement that they were given opportunity for input, adoption may occur provided elected officials agree on the need.
• Accusations of secrecy guarantee failure.
Determining the Fee Structure • Cost per hour basis• Based on budget data• average cost per hour or per inspection
criteria• Types Of Fees– Permit Fees– Inspection fees– Plan review fees– Fire protection systems testing and retesting
Summary
• Laws and regulations• purpose of a budget• Government budgets• Operating budget• Capital or capital improvement budget• The establishment of user fee systems• Adoption of a fee schedule