Governments hide what they owe and ignore what they own. Current practice misses large swaths of government activity
and encourages illusory fiscal practices,
the International Monetary Fund notes in its latest Fiscal Monitor report, which was released this week.
Author Archives: Greg Raven
Lawmakers should demand reform of government accounting standards (Weinberg)
Lawmakers at every level of government currently have a unique opportunity to end the confusion and distortion surrounding the ways governments calculate their finances and report them on their financial statements, as the Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) considers changes to its reporting recommendations.
More evidence that small government works better (Mitchell)
I explained last year that there is an inverse relationship between government efficiency and the size of government.
And Mark Steyn made the same point, using humor, back in 2012.
Interestingly, we have some unexpected allies.
In a recently released study, two economists for the World Bank decided to investigate the effectiveness of government spending.
‘Costs continue to rise for Missoula’s water utility’ (Rhoades)
The condemnation of Mountain Water Company was a victory not for good government, efficient utilities or the rate-paying public. It was a victory for lawyers, ‘expert’ witnesses, and foreign bankers. Citizens got left holding the bag. Our water is the same and our rates are the same, but now we owe a mountain of debt and have to repay it without the help of what used to be one of our biggest taxpayers. I wonder if the folks in California will make the same mistake.
Apple Valley money saving
I’ve been critical of the Town of Apple Valley’s plan regarding the takeover of the water company, in part because I thought they would never be able to run it as efficiently as Liberty Utilities. Their previously-stated plan to fire the upper management and replace them with more expensive (and less qualified) government employees seemed just part of the insanity.
Continue readingAV Pal and the Mud Run (Lee)
These water well costs for Horsemen’s Center, and the Mud Run that followed, really got me thinking. As Al Rice knows, there is an issue that has stuck in my craw for some time. After hearing complaints from others, I long ago started to look at the non-profit situation in the High Desert. These recent issues above fall right into this category.
Letter: Good news, bad news (Schepis)
The good news is Doug Robertson reduced Apple Valley employee compensation by eliminating high level jobs in the amount of $1,139,151 (annually).
Continue readingTown of Apple Valley accounting update (Lee)
As the red flags keep flying higher on the Town of Apple Valley finances, I thought it was time to put some historical context to how we have arrived where we are today, and feel free to speak up if you spot any errors, omissions, or mischaracterizations.
Letter: I can’t believe this is happening (Schepis)
Have they lost their minds? Let me see if I have this right. According to an earlier Daily Press Article, Angela Valles quotes Apple Valley Town Manager Doug Robertson as saying Apple Valley’s financial reserve in 2012 was $9,200,506 and today it’s $501,000.
Opinion, Fact, Fiction, or Comic Strip? (Lee)
I’m not sure which of the above categories the Daily Press/Apple Valley Review falls into. You all saw the articles by Angela Valles and Mayor Art Bishop’s response to her. One has to wonder what these columns are? If they are merely opinion, then, of course, they do not have to validate what they are saying. That would certainly explain why Mr. Bishop took extreme liberties in his writing.