Transcript Slide 1

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Connecticut’s State and Local
Government Crisis:
Fixing Our Future
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Full Accrual=Long-Term Health
Modified Accrual=Short-Term Health
Either of the above are GAAP
Budget Basis can be anything!
“Modified Cash” for the State
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SHORT-TERM
FINANCIAL HEALTH
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Basis of Accounting
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• Government Funds – Modified Accrual
– Measures flow of “current financial resources”
– No long-term assets are added to equity
• Capital Assets are expensed and not depreciated
• Receivables not collected in 60 days are deferred
– No long-term liabilities are subtracted
• New debt is recorded as a revenue
• Payments of principal and interest are expensed
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State of CT–ST Balance Sheet www.CTCPAs.org
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Equity Compared to Others
Source: National Association of State Budget Officers
The Fiscal Survey of the States – Spring 2013
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LONG-TERM
FINANCIAL HEALTH
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State of CT – LT Balance Sheet
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Summarized for discussion purposes from page 29 of 6/30/12 audited statements
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Pension & OPEB Obligations
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• What is this?
– Benefits we owe retired employees
– Benefits that current employees have earned
• OPEB - What is included in the liability?
– Being “amortized” onto the books starting in 08
– On these 6/30/12 statements only 5/30th included
– That means 25/30th are not included yet!
• Most of this debt (83%) is NOT on the books yet!
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Percent of Pension Funded www.CTCPAs.org
Source: The Pew Center on the States – 2012 report
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Connecticut is one of 17 states that has not funded any of its OPEB Obligations
Source: The Pew Center on the States – 2012 report
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OPEB Costs per Year
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Source: The Pew Center on the States
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Source: Truth in Accounting’s “The 2012 Financial State of the States”
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Total Liabilities & Unfunded Obligations Per Taxpayer
$50,000
$46,100
$45,000
$42,700
$39,600
$40,000
$35,000
$30,000
$24,920
$25,000
$20,000
$18,000
$16,400
$15,000
$10,000
$5,000
$Connecticut
New Jersey
Hawaii
Illinois
California
Michigan
Source: Truth in Accounting Institute. State of the States Report.
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State of CT–LT Balance Sheet
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Liabilities are FIVE times the Assets
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BUDGET BASIS
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Spending Cap
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• Basic Rule:
– Budgeted Expenditures Must Equal Est. Revenues
• Expenditure Limitations:
– % increase capped at higher of:
• Annual growth in personal income
• Annual inflation
• Excludes: Debt Service, Certain Grants, Mandates
• Any Surplus must:
– Reduce Debt or Increase the Rainy Day Fund
– Exception by Gov. and 3/5ths Gen’l Assembly
• (This has normally occurred in surplus years)
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Where have all the Surpluses Gone?
Source: Connecticut’s Office of Fiscal Analysis
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Recommendations from the CPAs!
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We
Wanted
Audit
Scope
Limitation
We Got
Basis of Accounting
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Not for Operating
Fund the ARC
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Our Recommendations for the State
• Real “Rainy Day Funds”
– Set a 10% to 15% threshold
– No offsetting negatives!
– Excess committed to pensions/OPEB Obligation
• Strategic Planning including:
– Long-term budgeting (5 to 10 years out)
– Manage the Full Accrual Balance Sheet
• It can no longer be business as usual
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We must FIX
OUR
FUTURE
now!
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www.KeepingAmericaGreat.org
Art Renner, CPA, Executive Director
Connecticut Society of CPAs
[email protected]
Marcia Marien, CPA, Partner
O’Connor Davies, LLP
[email protected]
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