Conceptualizing Financial Condition In Local Government

Abstract

While the passage of Statement No. 34 by the Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB, 1999) created a more robust financial reporting model, local officials continue to struggle with defining financial condition, interpreting it from annual financial statements, and communicating it in a systematic way. This review presents a framework for analyzing, interpreting, and communicating financial condition within the fund and government-wide reporting structure. It specifically responds to the void in the public administration literature for a manageable, yet comprehensive, approach to financial condition analysis. The goal is to help local officials conceptualize financial condition from the interpretation of resource flow and stock as presented in annual financial statements.