HomeMy WebLinkAboutReso 2013-2165RESOLUTION NO. 2013-21162
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY CONIMISSION OF THE CITY OF
SUNNY ISLES BEACH, FLORIDA, URGING MEMBERS OF THE
FLORIDA LEGISLATURE TO OPPOSE LEGISLATION THAT
WOULD MANDATE THE USE OF A UNIFORM CHART OF
ACCOUNTS FOR ALL GOVERNMENTAL ENTITIES TO
REPORT FINANCIAL INFORMATION; AUTHORIZING THE
CITY MANAGER TO DO ALL THINGS NECESSARY TO
EFFECTUATE THIS RESOLUTION; DIRECTING THE CITY
CLERK TO TRANSMIT A COPY OF THIS RESOLUTION TO
THE OFFICIALS AS STATED HEREIN; PROVIDING FOR AN
EFFECTIVE DATE.
WHEREAS, in 2011 the Florida Legislature passed and the Governor signed Senate Bill
1292 requiring the chief financial officer to recommend uniform chart of accounts for reporting
financial information for all state agencies, local governments, educational entities, and entities
of higher education; and
WHEREAS, each entity of the state and local government is different, serves a different
purpose and uses a different basis of accounting; and
WHEREAS, the purpose of the Chart of Accounts Project is to develop a uniform chart
of accounts to be used by all governmental entities for reporting assets, liabilities, equities,
revenues and expenditures; and
WHEREAS, the draft uniform chart of accounts will impact over 2350 governmental
entities, and each of the impacted entities are currently accountable to the electorate, citizens and
users of their services; and
WHEREAS. Florida governments are required to meet many reporting requirements,
both at the state and federal level. including reporting to the Florida Department of Financial
Services, Florida Equal Employment Opportunity, Florida Unemployment Compensation,
Florida Retirement System. Federal Affordable Care Act, and payroll taxes and W-2 information
to the Internal Revenue Service; and
WHEREAS, the monthly reporting may be prepared on a basis of accounting that may
differ from the basis of accounting used to prepare the year -end audited financial statements and
that the monthly information will not be validated; and
WHEREAS, the new level of detail required at the objective level for monthly reporting
is far greater than the level of detail reported either in the audited financial statements or in the
Annual Financial Report required pursuant to the provisions of Section 218.32(1)(a), Florida
Statutes; and
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WHEREAS. there will be no attempt to validate any of the data before it is posted for
public viewing and this results in a high risk that the data will be inaccurate; invalid or
incomplete; and
WHEREAS, the establishment of a uniform chart of accounts without requiring
uniformity in other areas such as in the basis of accounting and in the accounting treatment of
various transactions in itself will not provide users with any meaningful comparisons between
organizations: and
WHEREAS, regardless of the approach taken to implement the provisions of Section
215.89. Florida Statutes, significant resources will be required to achieve the goals of the chief
financial officer, and the cost of implementing the Uniform Chart of Accounts far exceeds any
benefit that taxpayers may accrue, and
WHEREAS, we believe that transparency and accountability of the use of public funds
to citizens and other stakeholders is paramount but that it must be done while simultaneously
limiting the burden to the entities and preserving the autonomy of each entity of government; and
WHEREAS, we believe that legislation should be enacted that prescribes minimum
desired transparency reporting by local governments, leaving it to the local governments to
include such information on their web sites, and that such legislation should not impose
significant financial burdens on local governments.
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY CONEMISSION OF THE
CITY OF SUNNY ISLES BEACH, FLORIDA, AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Opposing the Passage of Legislation regarding Uniform Chart of Accounts. The
City Commission hereby urges members of the Florida Legislature to oppose legislation that
would mandate the use of a uniform chart of accounts for all governmental entities to report
financial information.
Section 2. Authorization of Citv Manager. The City Manager is hereby authorized to do all
things necessary to effectuate this Resolution.
Section 3. Directive to the City Clerk. The City Commission hereby directs the City Clerk
to transmit a cop}, of this Resolution to the Florida Government Finance Officers Association
(FGFOA) and to the Executive Director of the Miami -Dade County League of Cities.
Section 4. Effective Date. This Resolution shall become effective upon adoption.
PASSED AND ADOPTED this 19th day of December 2013.
S. Edelcup, Mayor
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ATTEST:
Jane.A. Hines. MMC. Citv Clerk"
r I _
APPROVED AS /TO FORM
AND LEG'AL_SU FICIENCY:
Attorney
Vote: S —O
Mayor Edelcup
Vice Mayor Isaac Aelion
Commissioner Jeanette Gatto
Commissioner Jennifer Levin
Commissioner George `Bud" Scholl
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82013- Urging Legislature To Oppose Uniform Chan Of Accts Paste 3 of 3
Preview
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TO:
VIA:
FROM:
DATE:
RE:
Pa_e 1 of 1
City of Sunny Isles Beach
18070 Collins Avenue
Sunny Isles Beach, Florida 33160
(305) 947 -0606 City Hall
(305) 949 -3113 Fax
►yi I: t T i 11111] : L• \► I Dili IT,
The Honorable Mayor and City Commission
Christopher J Russo, City Manager
Audra K Curts - Whann. Finance Director
12/19/2013
Opposing the Passage of Legislation regarding the use of a
Uniform Chart of Accounts for all governmental entities
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the City Commission approve a Resolution urging
members of the Florida Legislature to oppose legislation that would mandate the
use of a Uniform Chart of Accounts for all governmental entities to report
financial information.
REASONS:
The Florida Government Finance Officers Association and other governmental
entities oppose this legislation for a number of reasons delineated in the attached
Resolution. We believe in transparency and accountability for the use of public
funds to citizens and other stakeholders, but also believe it must be done while
simultaneously limiting the burden to the entities and preserving the autonomy of
each entity of government.
ATTACHMENTS:
Resolution
http: / /siba2enda.sibfl. net /Aeenda/Preview.aspx ?ltemlD =1201 &,amp;MeetinglD =O &... 12/10/2013