Highlights
AGA Offering Conference on Federal Performance Issues
AGA has added a new conference to its national education program this year in response to the Obama administration's unprecedented emphasis on transparency and accountability in federal government operations.
AGA's first Federal Performance Conference is designed to answer calls for help on this important issue. It is scheduled for April 27–28 at the Renaissance Hotel in Washington, D.C. The conference starts at 1 p.m. Tuesday and runs all day Wednesday. Cost is $395 for AGA members and $495 for nonmembers.
AGA has lined up leaders in federal financial management and performance to describe their challenges in producing performance reports and how they are overcoming them. Learn firsthand from the federal agencies that are successfully using performance measures to manage the delivery of services; agency staff who are creating dashboards and portals to communicate useful information; and public officials who will share their approach to producing quality performance data. Also learn the latest news on changing regulations.
Sessions include:
Getting the Most Out of Your Financial Statements, Budgets and Performance Information
Communicating Performance Information Through Social Media
Learning from State and Local Governments—Using Data to Manage
Strategic Planning—Why is it Necessary and How Can the Process Foster Successful Results?
Working Toward the Same Goal—Forming Partnerships to Create Change
Performance Evaluations—Analyzing the Results for Better Program Management
Speakers will represent the Performance Improvement Council, Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and numerous federal agencies. Shelley Metzenbaum, Ph.D., OMB's Associate Director for Performance and Personnel Management, is one of the speakers at the conference, which offers 10 CPE hours in addition to networking events. Exchange ideas with the best in the business, make new contacts and perhaps even find a solution to a vexing problem.
Select exhibitors will demonstrate the latest technologies to help your agency plan and prepare for the federal reporting requirements for 2011.
The Renaissance has agreed to offer rooms to conference attendees at the government rate of $226 for April 27 and April 28 only. Call the hotel at 800.228.9290 (mention AGA FPC) or make your reservations online.
A limited number of sponsorships are available, and some space is available for exhibitors. For more information contact Evie Barry or Ada Phillips.
Register today.
Reserve a hotel room.
March 31 Deadline for National Academic Scholarships
Are you or a family member pursuing undergraduate or graduate studies in disciplines such as accounting, auditing, budgeting, economics, finance, information technology, public administration, etc.? If so, consider applying for an AGA National Academic Scholarship today. The deadline for receipt of applications is Wednesday, March 31, 2010. Download a copy of the application or contact Louise Kapelewski.
AGA Advertising Opportunities!
Advertise in AGA's electronic newsletters—TOPICS and AGA Today! Get maximum exposure and build your brand. Find out what's available in an upcoming issue. Click here for all the information you need to run your ad. Or, you can contact April Pardoe.
|
March 22, 2010 • News from the Profession
AGA Today is Brought to You by AGA Corporate Partner Clifton Gunderson
 Clifton Gunderson's offices in Washington, D.C., Baltimore, MD, and Arlington, VA, are seeking experienced professionals to join our public sector practice. Ideal candidates will have 3 yrs of Public Accounting or equivalent audit experience along with a BA/BS in Accounting/IT/IS, CPA, CGFM, CISA and/or CISSP. Duties will include audits of Federal entities, State & Local audits (GASB), A-133 audits, and compliance auditing. To apply please e-mail Michael.Armstrong@cliftoncpa.com
Federal News
Lawmakers, Employee Groups Clash Over Tax Bill
Government employee and management groups say legislation that would ban tax delinquents from federal employment could punish federal workers more severely than civilians, and that provisions already exist to punish those civil servants who flout tax laws. "It is our belief that federal employees should be held to the same standards as the rest of the American population, receiving no special treatment while also avoiding the bull's-eye that so often falls on their backs," said Richard Oppedisano, national secretary for the Federal Managers Association. Rep. Jason Chaffetz, R-Utah, ranking member of the House Oversight and Government Reform federal workforce subcommittee, sponsored the bill. Oppedisano argued the extent to which federal employees were delinquent in paying their taxes had been overstated. While in 2008, federal employees, retirees, and active-duty and retired members of the armed services owed $3 billion in back taxes, former members of the military owed the largest portion of that amount at $1.3 billion. \Alyssa Rosenberg, Government Executive. Read more.
Report Identifies Data Gaps in Federal Transparency Website
The federal website created by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to improve government spending transparency has insufficient or inconsistent information from agencies\partly because the OMB didn't provide enough guidance on how to submit data properly, according to a new report by the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO). Authorized under the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006 (FFATA), the site, www.USAspending.gov, tracks more than $1 trillion in contracts, loans and grants that federal agencies award each year. While the GAO report points out that the OMB is meeting six out of nine FFATA requirements, recurring data holes between the Web site and the agencies raised some red flags. "There was either information left out or the information provided didn't match agency records," said David A. Powner, director of IT management issues for the GAO. "It didn't appear that it was intentional. But agencies and entities shouldn't get sloppy in their reporting." \Russell Nichols, Government Technology. Read more.
State and Local News
States May Hold Onto Tax Refunds for Months
Residents eager to get their state tax refunds may have a long wait this year: The recession has tied up cash and caused officials in half a dozen states to consider freezing refunds, in one case for as long as five months. States from New York to Hawaii that have been hard-hit by the economic downturn say they have either delayed refunds or are considering doing so because of budget shortfalls. "It's an indicator of how bad it is," says Scott Pattison, executive director of the National Association of State Budget Officers. "You know things are bad when you have to do that." \William M. Welch, USA Today. Read more.
What Medicaid Cuts Look Like
The recession is forcing more Americans to turn to Medicaid, the vast state-federal health insurance program for the poor. But as states struggle to meet the rising demand, doctors and other health care providers are being paid less and patientsf choices are being restricted\if they are covered at all anymore. Arizona is finalizing a budget deal that would eliminate Medicaid coverage for more than 310,000 adults, a dramatic step by any measure, and one most states see as a last resort. The move is part of a budget deal that seeks to eliminate a $2.6 billion state budget gap, and it would reverse a 2000 decision by voters to expand Medicaid coverage. But even in states where the Medicaid rolls aren't being trimmed yet, the imbalance between residents' demand and states' ability to meet that demand is resulting in noticeable changes. \Stateline.org. Read more.
Federal Accounting Corner
What Should be in the Standard General Ledger Account Code?
Now that the Common Governmentwide Accounting Classification (CGAC) system is coming online, I look at one of the ongoing debates within the federal accounting community: Just what should the Standard General Ledger (SGL) account include?
Structure
In the private sector, companies get to determine their own general ledger structure and nomenclature. GAAP requires certain kinds of accounts, but does not dictate how detailed the chart should be or how to number them. For example, a company can use one general ledger account for all of their time-deposit accounts, or could assign each one a separate general ledger account. The federal government's SGL structure not only meets GAAP requirements, but also a number of reporting requirements unique to the federal government. However, it does not meet all of them. \Simcha Kuritzky, CGFM, CPA. Read the entire column.
Private Sector News
Cities, States Tell Banks They'll Go Elsewhere
Fed up with the tight supply of credit, state and local governments across the U.S. are starting to punish big banks. State lawmakers in Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota and New Mexico have introduced legislation that would funnel more money into small financial institutions, which generally have avoided the brunt of criticism over the industry's reluctance to lend. New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg wants to deposit as much as $25 million in city tax proceeds in credit unions. And Lake Oswego, Ore., a suburb of Portland with about 36,000 residents, is moving $1.2 million from a state investment pool into six community-based banks that support local businesses, community organizations and civic groups. \Ruth Simon, The Wall Street Journal. Read more.
Accounting Standards News
 GASB Accepting Research Proposals
The Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) has issued a request for research for its 2010 Gil Crain Memorial Research Grant program. The deadline for applying is May 28, 2010.
AGA's FMSB Seeks Help on Reviewing FASB Pronouncements
GASB on Jan. 29 issued an exposure draft of a proposed Codification of Pre-Nov. 30, 1989 FASB Pronouncements. The objective of the project is to specifically identify provisions in FASB Statements and Interpretations, Accounting Principles Board Opinions, Accounting Research Bulletins of the AICPA Committee on Accounting Procedure, and AICPA Accounting Interpretations, issued on or before Nov. 30, 1989 (collectively termed the FASB Pronouncements) that do not conflict with or contradict GASB pronouncements and to incorporate those provisions into the GASBfs literature. These were referenced in paragraph 17 of GASB Statement No, 34, Basic Financial Statements\and Managementfs Discussion and Analysis\for State and Local Governments. The comment period is six months, but it is still going to be a monumental task to review the entire exposure draft. AGA's Financial Management Standards Board (FMSB) reviews and comments on all GASB proposed statements of standards, but may need additional volunteer help with this project. If you work in state and local government, have an interest in accounting standards and have some experience in responding to GASB on its proposed standards or to other accounting standard setters, please contact Anna Miller, FMSB staff liaison. You could learn how the FMSB works and help make a difference!
Federal CPO to Speak at AGA Breakfast
Federal Chief Performance Officer Jeffrey D. Zients will speak at AGA’s Meet the Financial Management Policy-Makers breakfast, set for 7:30 – 9:30 a.m. March 30 at the Willard Hotel in Washington, D.C.
Have your morning coffee and eggs on us. Network with your peers at AGA’s leadership breakfast, which bring private sector and government executives together to exchange information, solve issues and build partnership and trust. AGA Executive Director Relmond Van Daniker, DBA, CPA, will moderate a discussion with Jeffrey Zients, Deputy Director for Management, Office of Management and Budget, on the state of management in the federal government and the Obama administration’s agenda for promoting transparency and accountability. Zients will take questions from the audience.
About 125 participants are expected. Federal, state and local leaders will participate along with AGA Corporate Partners. Registration, including a delicious breakfast is FREE for government executives, but space is limited, so register today!
For more information, please contact Susan Fritzlen.
Upcoming Audio Conferences
March 24: Suggested Guidelines for Voluntary Reporting—SEA Performance Information
April 21: The Latest Tools and Techniques for Auditors
May 19: Those Faint Signals: Learning to Catch Ethical Slippage Before It's Too Late
Entire 2010 Audio Conference Schedule
AGA-Sponsored Training on Expense Recovery Auditing
Is your state or local government agency facing the prospect of making painful budget cutbacks and/or program reductions? Have you considered looking for ways to reduce budget outlays without reducing funding for programs?
AGA is offering a training course that examines the process of planning, performing and contracting for cost recovery reviews. Participants explore how to identify high payoff areas such as utility expenses, fuel taxes, construction recoveries and duplicate and improper payments. The course can be either a one- or two-day program and is taught by trained professionals with a proven track record in reducing expenses.
For more information about this course or any of the other 40 training courses currently offered by AGA, please contact Joe Jozefczyk, AGAfs Director of Education, at 800.AGA.7211, ext. 307, or Lynn Hoffman, Programs Coordinator, at ext. 342.
National Award Nominations Due April 16
AGAfs National Awards Committee is now accepting nominations for National Awards that recognize the leaders advancing our profession and setting the standards of excellence. These awards will be presented during AGA's 59th Annual Professional Development Conference and Exposition in Orlando, July 11|14, 2010. In many cases, individuals do not have to be members of AGA to be eligible. All nominations are due by Friday, April 16, 2010. Nomination forms are available online. For more information, contact Louise Kapelewski.
|
