C.A.F.R., FY 2006-07 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Overview of the Financial Statements This discussion and analysis are intended to serve as an introduction to the City of Paris' basic financial statements. The City of Paris' basic financial statements comprise three components: 1) government-wide fmancial statements, 2) fund financial statements, and 3) notes to the financial statements. This report also contains other supplementary information in addition to the basic financial statements themselves. Government-wide Financial Statements The government-wide financial statements are designed to provide readers with a broad overview of the City of Paris' finances, in a manner similar to aprivate-sector business. The statement of net assets presents information on all of the City of Paris' assets and liabilities, with the difference between the two reported as net assets. Over time, increases or decreases in net assets may serve as a useful indicator of whether the financial position of the City of Paris is improving or deteriorating. The statement of activities presents information showing how the government's net assets changed during the most recent fiscal year. All changes in net assets are reported as soon as the underlying event giving rise to the change occurs, regardless of the timing of related cash flows. Thus, revenues and expenses are reported in this statement for some items that will only result in cash flows in future fiscal periods (e.g., uncollected taxes and earned but unused vacation leave). Both of the government-wide financial statements distinguish functions of the City of Paris that are principally supported by taxes and intergovernmental revenues (government activities) from other functions that are intended to recover all or a significant portion of their costs through user fees and charges (business-type activities). The governmental activities of the City of Paris include general government, public safety, public works, library, and airport. The business-type activities of the City of Paris include water production and distribution as well as wastewater collection and treatment. The government- wide financial statements include not only the City of Paris itself (known as the primary government), but also a legally separate economic development corporation (known as the component unit) over which the City of Paris is able to exercise significant control. Financial information for this component unit is reported separately from the fmancial information presented for the primary government itself. Fund Financial Statements A fund is a grouping of related accounts that is used to maintain control over resources that have been segregated for specific activities or objectives. The City of Paris, like other state and local governments, uses fund accounting to ensure and demonstrate compliance with finance-related legal requirements. All of the funds of the City of Paris can be divided into two categories: governmental funds and proprietary funds. Governmental Funds Governmental funds are used to account for essentially the same functions reported as governmental activities in the government-wide fmancial statements. However, unlike the government-wide financial statements, governmental fund financial statements focus on near-term inflows and outflows of spendable resources, as well as on balances of spendable resources available at the end of the fiscal year. Such information may be useful in evaluating a government's near-term financing requirements. Because the focus of governmental funds is narrower than that of the government-wide financial statements, it is useful to compare the information presented for governmental funds with similar information presented for government activities in the government-wide financial statements. By doing so, readers may better understand the long-term impact of the government's near-term financing decisions. Both the governmental fund balance sheet and the governmental fund statement of revenues, expenditures, and changes in fund balances provide a reconciliation to facilitate this comparison between governmental funds and governmental activities. The City of Paris maintains 10 individual governmental funds. Information is presented separately in the governmental fund balance sheet and in the governmental fund statement of revenues, expenditures, and changes in fund balances for the general fund, capital projects fund, and the debt service fund, all of which are considered to be major funds. Data from the other 7 governmental funds are combined into a single, aggregated presentation. Individual fund data for each of these nonmajor governmental funds is provided in the form of combining statements elsewhere in this report. The City of Paris adopts an annual appropriated budget for its general fund. A budgetary comparison statement has been provided for the general fund to demonstrate compliance with this budget.