Beck, David

Bush, Jonathan

Hall, Cory

Nura, Jamila

Oden, Tiffany

Steinman, Cindy

English

Georgia Southern University: Digital Commons@Georgia Southern

City of BarnesvileBENCHMARK STUDY: GENERAL FUND AND ENTERPRISE TRANSFERSBY: JONATHAN BUSH, TIFFANY ODEN, CINDYSTEINMAN, CORYHALL, JAMILA NURA, AND DAVIDBECKPurpose and Comparison CitiesBenchmark Barnesvile General Fund operations with similarly-sized Georgia citiesWe selected 41 cities with populations between 4,004 and 9,807 (Barnesvile population 6,512)We computed 3-year averages for each data element from the 2013-2015 audited financial statements for analysis purposesPurpose and Comparison CitiesEnterprise Activities Barnesvile   Comparison CitiesWater/Sewer Utility Yes 36Electric Utility Yes 11Gas Utility No 17Other Enterprise Yes 28Barnesvile and Comparison LocationsHuntsvile1tur 0ijningham 'Qi:,0U Taladega NationalForestIII\B�MAAubuma ColumbusMontgomery ij; oFortWahoni BeachD  0De-stin0rIerpris,eo Doth an,'Panama0 \JNantahala NationalForestAlbany0Tallahassee0Valdosta0wGreenvil@ oSpartanburg0Brunswick01Jacksom(lle 0Charlot0General Fund Analysis -RevenuesCategory BarnesvileComparison Cities (Avg)   DiferenceTaxes 2,014,428   3,021,511   -1,007,083User Charges 479,849   532,738   -52,889IGR and Contributions 0   210,739   -210,739Other Non-Tax Revenue 448,883   404,590   -44,293Overal Revenue 2,898,867   4,214,159   -1,315,292General Fund Analysis -ExpendituresCategory BarnesvileComparison Cities (Avg)   DiferenceGeneral Administration 1,168,455   1,059,415   109,040Public Safety 1,716,626   2,056,665   -340,039Public Works 741,320   1,367,547   -626,226Community & Economic Development 0   144,515   -144,515Other 282,034   140,754   141,280Total Expenditures 3,908,435   4,768,896   -860,461General Fund Analysis -TransfersCategory BarnesvileComparison Cities (Avg)   DiferenceExcess of Revenues over Expenditures -1,009,568   -554,736   -454,831Transfers to General Fund, net 896,990   690,237   206,753Unassigned General Fund Balance - 2015 440,921   2,377,661  -1,936,740Unassigned General Fund Balance – 2014 1,071,554   2,138,286  -1,066,732Unassigned General Fund Balance - 2013 1,213,675   1,936,377   -722,702Revenue Component Analysis (Accrual Basis)Category BarnesvileComparison Cities (Avg)   DiferenceProperty Taxes 554,457   1,119,529   -565,072Sales Taxes 621,284   948,947   -327,663Other Taxes 849,898   1,117,958   -268,060Non-Tax Revenues 781,748   1,121,248   -339,499Total Own-Source Governmental Revenue 2,807,387   4,307,682   -1,500,295Hirschman-HerfindahlIndex of Concentration –Revenue Diversification Score .9864   .9978Operating Grants Received 64,776   190,395   -125,619General Reasons for TransfersFranchise fees (example: 5% of gross revenue)To reimburse expensesAlocation of indirect costs from governmental to enterpriseTransfers for the equivalent of franchise fees and property taxes as if the utility were privately owned23 diferent reasons noted in the CAFRs for Georgia municipalities of al sizesConclusionsBarnesvile has significantly lower revenues than its peersBarnesvile receives significantly less in operating grants than its peersBarnesvile relies on enterprise transfers more so than its peersBarnesvile’s enterprise operations are very profitableRecommendations:◦Formalize a transfer policy ◦Consider alocating indirect expenses rather than recording as transfers◦Consider policy justification based on franchise fee and property tax waivers

City Of Barnesville Benchmark Study: General Fund and Enterprise Transfers

https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1031&amp;context=gma_practicum

City Of Barnesville Benchmark Study: General Fund and Enterprise Transfers

Abstract

Similar works

Full text

Available Versions

Georgia Southern University: Digital Commons@Georgia Southern