Assignment 1: Financial Statement / Audit Report Review

Due Week 4 and worth 240 points

Select one (1) local government in your state or area and review the financial statements and audit report for the county or municipality. The financial statements of the government you selected should have at least three (3) funds. Refer to the continuing problem homework for Weeks 1 through 3 for this assignment.

Write a three to five (3-5) page paper in which you:

1.Compare and contrast the comprehensive annual financial report (CAFR) of the selected local government entity with the city of Austin report from Week 1 homework. In your comparison, include:

a.Publication method of the CAFR

b.Audit and budget information in the CAFR

c.The type of audit report issued

d.Existence or non-existence of an internal audit function within the government entity

2.Prepare the analysis for the selected local government entity, including information on the introduction, financial section, and statistical section prepared in the city of Austins CAFR from chapter 2.

3.Analyze the methods used by the selected local government entity in comparing the budget-to-actual reports. Your analysis should include an evaluation of the basis of accounting used for the budget and financial statements.

4.Analyze the sources of revenue on the selected local government. Your analysis should include information on both governmental and business-type activities of the government. In your report, be sure to examine

a.Property taxes and how they are accounted for

b.Other sources identified as primary revenue for the entity

c.Deferred revenue

d.Year-to-year variations in the tax levels of income

e.Various management discussion and analysis items of note

f.Information about the general fund