Fiscal Year 2004 Proposed Budget

Proposed Budget Contents | Section C Contents | Department of Management and Finance Contents | Submit Comments

DEPARTMENT OF MANAGEMENT AND FINANCE
FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT

PROGRAM MISSION: To ensure the prudent use of County resources.

The Financial Management component of the Department of Management and Finance consists of Administration/Tax Policy Coordination; Management and Budget; Accounting and Audit; and Purchasing and Contracts.

• Administration/Tax Policy Division ensures that the Department of Management and Finance direct services providers receive the leadership, policies, tools, services and support required to serve their customers. This program area provides overall leadership, management and administrative support for the Department of Management and Finance, as well as for the Department of Real Estate Assessments (a division of DMF). It also includes the Senior Tax Policy Coordinator, who primarily serves as a problem solver and liaison between businesses and other agencies.

• Management and Budget Division facilitates effective resource allocation and budget execution for the provision of services to Arlington residents. The Management and Budget Program provides financial, economic and policy analysis, research and recommendations to the County Board, County Manager, departments, agencies, and the public, and prepares the annual County operating budget and the six-year capital improvement program. This program also coordinates County bond sales, staffs the Industrial Development Authority (IDA) and the Fiscal Affairs Advisory Commission, as well as monitors County expenditures and revenues. Staff support for the Countywide Capital Improvement Program and the performance measurement system known as "Arlington Counts!" is provided by the Management and Budget Division.

• Accounting and Audit Division provides effective controls and sound financial services. The Accounting and Audit program provides the best possible financial information to the County Board, County management, County staff, the public and other interested organizations such as bond rating agencies, and institutional investors. The program also ensures that County purchase orders and payments to vendors are processed in an accurate and timely manner and that integrity is maintained in all financial processes and in the financial information system.

• Purchasing and Contracts Division assists agencies in the purchase of needed goods and services in a timely manner while complying with legal requirements. Purchasing and Contracts Program provides quality goods and services which meet user customer needs at reasonable costs by assuring that all purchasing actions are fair and impartial, with all qualified sellers having equal access to County business. This program provides purchasing services, consults with user agencies on bidding strategies and contract development for all County departments and agencies, and participates in regional cooperative purchasing efforts to achieve cost reductions through volume buying.

SIGNIFICANT BUDGET HIGHLIGHTS:

• An increase of $30,000 in fees as a result of interest received from the Industrial Development Authority which partially offsets a slight decrease in revenues received from fees charged for bid packages, from $15,000 to $10,000. The reduction is due to two process improvements that have benefited customers. The first process improvement was to raise the minimum amount for bids, and the second improvement was the posting of bid packages on the Internet which can be downloaded free of charge.

PERFORMANCE MEASURES:

Objective: Ensure that the Management and Finance Department's direct services providers receive the leadership, policies, tools, services and support required to serve their customers (Administration/Tax Policy).

• The measurements identified above are new requirements and no historical information is available. Data collection for these performance measures will commence in FY 2004.

Objective: To improve the quality of the proposed and adopted budget documents, improve satisfaction with the budget process, and improve projection accuracy (Management and Budget).

• Several of the measurements identified above are new requirements and no historical information is available. Data collection for these performance measures will commence in FY 2004.

• Customer Satisfaction index is based on survey results from customers of the Management and Budget Division. An expanded Department wide survey will be conducted in FY 2004 to solicit feedback on all DMF products and services. The index is based on a 100-point scale. The target benchmark of 80 is established utilizing the American Customer Satisfaction Index through comparisons with other public and private sector organizations providing similar services.

Objective: To provide effective controls and sound financial services (Accounting and Audit).

• Typically, three or fewer comments on the State Auditor of Public Accounts Transmittal of Comments are indicative of a high level of achievement and performance regarding the CAFR. This pertains to the translation of the CAFR to the Auditor of Public Accounts format.

• Several of the measurements identified above are new requirements and no historical information is available. Data collection for these performance measures will commence in FY 2004.

Objective: To assist agencies in the purchase of needed goods and services in a timely manner while complying with legal requirement, providing the County with high quality goods/services at reasonable costs which meet customer needs in a timely manner, while using open, fair, competitive purchasing practices (Purchasing and Contracts).

• The performance of the Purchasing and Contracts Division has continued to ensure that all purchasing actions are held in compliance with all legal requirements, as evidenced by no protests of purchasing actions upheld.

• In FY 2001, the dollar threshold for formal and informal bids was increased from $30,000 to $50,000.