Good at number crunching? We could use your help with the Keene CAFR.

October 15, 2008 by Ian
Filed under: Economic Freedom

An interesting discussion has emerged on the Free Keene Forum, and we could use your help interpreting the Keene Comprehensive Annual Financial Report. If the allegations about the CAFRs are true, governments have far more money than they let on. Are they true for Keene? Accounting is difficult for me to comprehend, so I was wondering if you’d join the conversation and help!

Comments

7 Comments on Good at number crunching? We could use your help with the Keene CAFR.

nick on Wed, 15th Oct 2008 8:00 pm

Where’s the line that a conspiracy become “not worth your time”? You’ve dismissed 9-11 and chem trails as irrelevant and not worth the time spent to learn about them, and I don’t disagree.

Is this relevant? Is this worth your time?

Ian on Wed, 15th Oct 2008 8:21 pm

It’s relevant because if it’s true, then when we advocate cutting the govt bureaucracies free of taxes, they can’t claim (and you better believe they will!) that their families will be starving, cause they have a fuckload of money.

nick on Wed, 15th Oct 2008 9:56 pm

How many people do you suppose are in on the scam? Just the mayor? Just the city manager? The whole counsel? Or do none of them know?

Ian on Wed, 15th Oct 2008 11:01 pm

Good question.

Curt Springer on Thu, 16th Oct 2008 7:32 am

New accounting rules require municipalities to account for the value of their non-cash assets, like real estate and even town roads. But of course they are not going to sell these, and they don’t generate revenue. To the contrary it requires the operating budget to pay for staffing and maintenance.

Curt Springer on Thu, 16th Oct 2008 6:56 pm

I just took a quick look at the Keene CAFR and I was impressed with how much explanation there is. I don’t know how much more they could have done to make it understandable for non-financial people (which includes me).

In my town (Danville) the report for 2007 has not even been finalized and released.

You are not going to find slush funds. Municipalities are supervised by the state Department of Revenue Administration (DRA) in all aspects of budgeting, expenditures, accounting, and taxation. It is the DRA that sets the local tax rates for municipal, school and county purposes, not the cities and towns. They take into account the voted budgets, cash on hand, and unexpected income or expenses.

elkheart on Thu, 16th Oct 2008 10:10 pm

No, Curt, you are not going to find slush funds. You’re a “non-financial” person, remember? Well, can *YOU* explain all the sordid details of the latest Wall Street Bailout??? Those crooks in Concord are clever. Dishonest. That’s a dangerous combination. Think about this: What year was the Great Depression? Prohibition??? The first NH Lottery??? Are you beginning to catch on? NH is, even when you allow for the small population, one of the most corrupt states in America. Ian is correct, if a bit crude. They have BEAUCOUP FUCKLOADS of $$$. NH is top 5 in National income. 47th in overall tax burden. Kinda’ like Alaska, w/out the OIL subsidy! You think *Washington* is crooked? Hell, it’s *straight arrow* compared to CONCORD! Remember when our own NH Atty General, Peter Heed, was screwed out of office? There was no wrongdoing. They said so. Or the $2million property, that the City of Keene bought 48hours later, for $4+million? No “impropriety” there, either! Sheesh! Grown-ups.

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