Nonprofits facing parking tax

https://www.politico.com/story/2018/12/16/congress-tax-reform-irs-churches-parking-1027598 Article discusses the challenges the NFP faces to even determine the amount of the tax

California proposal for texting tax has been pulled

https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2018/12/16/california-commission-pulls-controversial-texting-tax-proposal/2333203002/

GASB Implementation Guidance

https://www.journalofaccountancy.com/news/2018/nov/gasb-implementation-guidance-201820195.html

Illinois jobs are coming from where?

https://www.ilnews.org/news/economy/one-quarter-of-new-jobs-in-illinois-were-in-the/article_314340c2-ec3e-11e8-b477-5f300e90424a.html

Budgeting for results

https://www.journalofaccountancy.com/issues/2018/nov/not-for-profit-budgeting-for-results.html

Nonprofit mergers

https://www.journalofaccountancy.com/issues/2018/nov/not-for-profit-mergers-collaboration.html

That much for a coffee cup?

https://www.businessinsider.com/us-air-force-spent-1280-on-coffee-cup-2018-10

States and Taxes

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/map-least-tax-friendly-states-144250362.html

FASAB seeking materiality guidance

https://www.journalofaccountancy.com/news/2018/oct/fasab-materiality-guidance-201819923.html Exposure draft is available at this links. Comments are due in January 2019

How is your state

https://reason.com/archives/2018/10/11/think-your-state-is-fiscally-sound-think https://www.mercatus.org/bridge/commentary/10-years-after-recession-new-study-fiscal-condition-states 2018 rankings https://www.mercatus.org/statefiscalrankings (br) 2017 paper https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3191522

Tax Exempt and Government Entities - IRS

https://www.irs.gov/government-entities/tax-exempt-government-entities-division-at-a-glance

GASB proposals

https://www.journalofaccountancy.com/news/2018/sep/gasb-targeted-improvements-new-concepts-201819829.html Comments are due on Feb 15, 2019 for both proposals.

Municipal fraud lessons

https://www.journalofaccountancy.com/newsletters/2018/oct/lessons-learned-municipal-fraud-cases.html

Federal Government shutdown avoided

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2018/09/13/government-shutdown-lawmakers-reach-deal-keep-agencies-funded/1295855002/

Public Pension underfunding

http://sfmagazine.com/post-entry/september-2018-public-pension-underfunding/

Majority equity interest rules clarified

https://www.journalofaccountancy.com/news/2018/sep/gasb-reporting-rules-majority-equity-interest-201819637.html GASB Statement 90 has been issued

Seattle street cars

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2018/07/25/seattles-52m-streetcar-fiasco-latest-setback-for-citys-anti-trump-mayor.html

Conduit debt proposal seeking comments

https://www.journalofaccountancy.com/news/2018/aug/gasb-rules-reporting-conduit-debt-obligations-201819462.html

Newspaper closings impact borrowing costs

https://www.brookings.edu/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Murphy-et-al..pdf

Philadelphia

https://finance.townhall.com/columnists/politicalcalculations/2018/07/27/city-of-philly-lost-track-of-33-million-taxpayer-dollars-n2504418?utm_source=thdaily&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=nl https://www.phillymag.com/news/2018/06/14/rhynhart-controller-audit-report/
https://politicalcalculations.blogspot.com/2018/07/pa-supreme-court-rules-philly-soda-tax.html#.W1v-UdVKjDc

Government accounting

https://www.city-journal.org/html/zeroing-government-fraud-14955.html The Government Accounting Standards Board supposedly is supposed to promulgate accounting local and state government accounting standards in the interests and risk bearing of investors (think muni bonds) and taxpayers, but GASB has faced criticism over the years for aligning too closely with the interests of local governments. rather than investors and taxpayers* --- Winter 2017 article in City Journal

Revised yellow book standards

https://www.journalofaccountancy.com/news/2018/jul/gao-revised-yellow-book-standards-government-auditors-201819338.html

https://www.aicpa.org/interestareas/governmentalauditquality/newsandpublications/gaqcalert/2018gaqcarchivedalerts/gaqcalertno364.html

Excessive cost example

http://www.investmentwatchblog.com/air-force-admits-to-spending-10000-a-piece-on-toilet-seat-covers-for-a-cargo-plane/

Governmental accounting quiz

https://www.journalofaccountancy.com/news/2018/jun/government-accounting-and-auditing-quiz.html

NFP common errors in financial reporting

https://www.journalofaccountancy.com/news/2018/jul/avoid-not-for-profit-financial-statement-mistakes-201819294.html

Infrastructure funding in Illinois

http://nprillinois.org/post/illinois-roads-needs-are-growing-funding-isnt#stream/0

The Effectiveness of Setting Governmental Accounting Standards: The Case of Michigan Governments in Fiscal Distress

https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3191445
* Abstract* The purpose of setting accounting standards is to improve the quality of the financial statements on which users base their decisions. The financial reporting model set up by the Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) is comprehensive and complex, as are the governments on which these statements report. We provide a framework for evaluating whether financial statements are used and understood by decision makers and explain the components of the GASB Statement No. 34 financial reporting model introduced in 1999. We present financial indicators from the Comprehensive Annual Financial Reports for 12 Michigan governments over three points in a 10-year period, along with an indication of whether trends are favorable or unfavorable. We suggest that governing bodies assess to what extent their members use financial statements in making decisions. If officials are trained to monitor financial performance on a regular basis, then decision-making may improve and fiscal crises may be averted.

GASB abatements help journalists shed light

https://www.cjr.org/watchdog/corporate-tax-breaks.php This article from Columbia Journalism Review discusses how GASB Statement 77 helps provide more disclosures and availability of information about tax incentives.

Check out your city's health

https://www.cityhealthdashboard.com/?cm_ven=ExactTarget&cm_cat=SSU-05232018&cm_pla=All+Subscribers&cm_ite=http%3a%2f%2fwww.cityhealthdashboard.com

FASAB proposal for accounting standards for government land

https://www.journalofaccountancy.com/news/2018/may/accounting-and-reporting-of-government-land-201818962.html One recommendation: reporting land using three predominant use categories: conservation and preservation land, operational land, and commercial use land. Comments are due by July 30.

Customer experience in government

https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/public-sector/our-insights/solving-the-customer-experience-puzzle-a-guidebook-for-government-leaders

Putting pensions on the books

https://www.statedatalab.org/news/detail/not-so-great-gasb-accounting-rule-pushes-hospitals-near-default

NFP grant guidance

https://www.bkd.com/articles/2018/fasb-wraps-up-nfp-grant-guidance-and-extends-effective-date.htm

Internal control deficiencies

https://www.cpajournal.com/2018/05/03/icymi-internal-control-deficiencies-in-local-government/#

Nonprofit accounting topics

https://www.journalofaccountancy.com/news/2018/apr/not-for-profit-accounting-quiz.html

http://blog.aicpa.org/2018/03/4-steps-to-improve-nonprofit-functional-expense-reporting.html#sthash.Nb1Vu4au.Pl533aUQ.dpbs

Oregon Pension system

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/14/business/pension-finance-oregon.html

Cybersecurity

https://www.bkd.com/articles/2018/protecting-state-and-local-governments-from-cybersecurity-attacks.htm

Pension reform in guise of a wastewater bill

Kentucky actions - waiting for governor's signature. http://www.wkyt.com/content/news/House-committee-approves-new-surprise-pension-reform-plan-originally-filed-as-a-wastewater-bill-478321143.html?cgdvh

Holding City of Atlanta ransom!

https://futurism.com/atlanta-hacking-ransomware-cybersecurity/

Governmental auditing quiz

https://www.journalofaccountancy.com/news/2018/mar/governmental-auditing-single-audits-201818428.html

Functional expense reporting

http://blog.aicpa.org/2018/03/4-steps-to-improve-nonprofit-functional-expense-reporting.html#sthash.pMgJqeQn.dpbs

Deficits

http://www.rollcall.com/news/politics/budget-watchdog-sees-2-trillion-deficits-within-10-years

Federal deficit

http://www.rollcall.com/news/politics/budget-watchdog-sees-2-trillion-deficits-within-10-years

GASB standard implementations

https://www.journalofaccountancy.com/news/2018/jan/gasb-implementation-challenges-201817913.html

Form 1023 - applying for tax exempt status

https://www.journalofaccountancy.com/news/2018/jan/irs-form-1023-ez-asks-mission-and-activities-201818130.html