As indicated in the text, popular reports are being prepared by a growing number of governments. Because there are no standards for popular reports, the reports can vary widely in their content and display. Two organizations have award programs to help ensure that popular reports meeting their award criteria have effective and relevant content. However, as will be seen, the two awarding agencies have different criteria for excellence. Two cities that have received the Association of Government Accountants Certificate of Excellence are Scottsdale, Arizona, and Suffolk, Virginia; however, only Suffolk has applied for and received the GFOA Popular Annual Financial Report (PAFR) award. For this exercise access the Scottsdale popular report from its site, www.scottsdaleaz.gov/Assets/ScottsdaleAZ/ About+Scottsdale/Annual+report+2016.pdf, and Suffolk’s popular reportfrom its site, www.suffolkva.us/departments/finance/.

Required
a. The GFOA PAFR Award program lists four eligibility criteria in addition to the requirement that a government’s CAFR report receive the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting. Find the four eligibility criteria on the GFOA website (www.gfoa.org). Evaluate Scottsdale’s and Suffolk’s popular reports relative to these four criteria and explain how you believe the reports meet the four criteria.
b. One of the reasons for popular reports is to encourage increasing communication with various users of government financial information, especially citizens. Compare and evaluate the Scottsdale and Suffolk reports using the following three GFOA PAFR criteria: it is visually appealing for the reader, is understandable, and provides relevant information. If you were a citizen, which of the reports is more helpful and appealing to you based on the three criteria? Explain why you find one more helpful and appealing by identifying the strengths and weaknesses of the reports.