IN YOUR CORNER

 

The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants instituted a new

accounting regulation called GASB34, which will require governmental

agencies to account for fixed assets in a similar manner to that of

general businesses.  Fixed capital assets are relatively permanent

assets acquired for the use of the governmental agency and not intended

for disposal in the normal course of running the agency.

 

The Martin County Taxpayer's Association had one of its board members

assigned to the County's task force, which included accounting people

from the various departments.

 

In the past, no governmental agency was required to capitalize assets,

which were fixed in nature; therefore, those assets were expensed as

purchased each year.  In order to comply with this monumental task, all

assets such as roads, sidewalks, buildings, furniture and office

equipment, trucks, cars, etc., had to be inventoried in their proper

classifications with dates the assets were acquired.  Since fixed assets

will be shown as "permanent assets" of the County, corresponding

accumilated depreciation will need to be shown in order to compute  the

current value of the asset.  Therefore, depreciation schedules will need

to be established to reflect the current year's charge for the use of

the asset.

 

This has been a monumental task for the various departments and the

personnel have responded with tremendous enthusiasm.  A great deal needs

to be done and the MCTA are seeking volunteers to assist in inputting

the information into the computer databases that are being acquired for

this task.  If you have some computer experience and can assist the

County in this task, please call the Taxpayers' Association at

288-0474.  The dollars we save in helping the County will assist us in

keeping our tax increases to a minimum.

 

**

 

Occasionally our association's attempts to protect the interests of

Martin County's taxpayers are misconstrued or distorted by others.  Such

was the case as a result of our editorial regarding the Community Coach,

in which we criticized both the under-utilization of assets (1.2 riders

per bus on average, as stated in a recent survey) and the management

bureaucracy in place to manage 18 busses.

 

Our editorial drew a barrage of correspondence from vision-impaired and

others with disabilities which precluded their ability to drive or

otherwise use conventional means of transportation.

 

We totally support the utilization of taxpayer dollars to help provide

for the transportation needs of these people.  On the other hand, we do

not support the creation of government services where the need does not

exist much less the building of top-heavy staffs to manage these

services.

 

Thus, when an "urgent call to action" email message was received by our

organization and others to marshal political support for interim funding

by the county to cover a $500 million funding shortfall from the Federal

Transit Authority, we have been silent.

 

While we don't want to see the baby (transportation for the

disadvantaged) thrown out with the bathwater (providing unneeded

service), we would somehow like to see a resultant leaner and efficient

transportation system.

 

**

 

All Martin County citizens will have a first-hand opportunity to see our

government in action during the week of July 29th.  Starting Monday at

10:00 AM, the various departments will present their preliminary

("tentative") budgets to the Board of County Commissioners and the

public.  This presentation is scheduled to extend from 10:00 AM to 5:00

PM daily, Monday through Thursday.  Taxpayer Watchdogs will be present

and we heartily encourage the attendance of any others who have an

interest in how their tax dollars are being spent.  Meetings will be

held in the Commission Meeting Room on the ground floor of the County

Administration Building on Monterey Road, Stuart.