Issued to: County, City, Town and Village Chief Fiscal Officers, School District and BOCES Business Officials.

The Risk Retention Fund (CS) was originally established to account for risk financing and insurance activity in a single fund using the modified accrual basis of accounting. As a result of pronouncements from the Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB), the Risk Retention Fund (CS) will be eliminated from the Uniform System of Accounts for fiscal years ending after December 31, 2000.

This bulletin explains revenue account code changes related to Child Welfare Funding in the 2002-03 State Budget.

The sales tax generates 8 percent of all local government revenues in New York State and 27 percent of county revenues. This report examines the general sales and use tax imposed for local governments in the State. It covers the sales tax rates in counties and cities, and trends in sales tax revenues for local governments. It also includes an up-to-date county-level summary of sales tax sharing arrangements and discusses recent activity in the taxation of Internet sales.

An agreement for the purpose of protecting New York City’s drinking water supply and the economic vitality of the upstate Watershed communities. The agreement provides for expenditures by New York City and the State of New York on various long-range watershed protection and water quality enhancement programs.

Account codes have been established to record revenues received from natural gas lease and royalty payments and wind farm revenues received from host community fees and payments in lieu of taxes (PILOTs).

The State has approximately 639 local authorities operating outside of New York City. These authorities generally operate without many of the constraints and controls over day-to-day operations required of municipal governments. OSC audits have helped to shine a light on questionable practices from board member compensation to the selection and results of economic development projects.

Declining trends in the horse racing industry and an increase in gaming options have taken their toll on OTBs. With the advent of commercial casinos in the State, policymakers have an opportunity to re-examine the viability of OTBs and how they fit into State-authorized gambling.

The purpose of this bulletin is to inform local government officials of the establishment of new revenue and appropriation codes to account for and report homeland security aid and related expenditures.

GASB Statement 48 makes a distinction between sales of receivables and future revenues, and the pledging of receivables or future revenues to repay a collateralized borrowing. The distinction is important because the cash received from a borrowing would result in a liability while the cash received from a sale would most likely be recorded as revenue or deferred revenue, depending on the transaction.