Page 569 - Fort Worth City Budget 2019

Glossary and Acronyms

Service Funds such as computer technical support, copy and mailroom services, and vehicle fleet
maintenance services and through per-capita-allocated service costs such as insurance,
healthcare, legal, and administrative services.
o Utilities, Repairs and Rentals consists of items and supplies that are necessary to perform public
service duties.
o Other Purchased Services are expenses that may be required in connection with a public works
project meeting the definition of public work.
o Supplies consist of the costs associated with goods that are consumed or used in connection with
providing city services and that are of either limited cost or have a limited useful life. Examples
include basic office supplies; minor electronic equipment; books and magazines; construction raw
materials; postage; uniforms; vehicle fuel and accessories; and library books.
• Capital are expenses and outlays related to the acquisition or construction of fixed assets. The city’s fixed
assets fall primarily into the following categories: 1) Land; 2) Improvements other than buildings; 3)
Buildings; and 4) Equipment.
• Debt Service expenses refer to money paid as interest and principal on loans received or public securities
issued by the city as borrower or issuer.
o Principal refers to the unpaid balance of funds borrowed, excluding any interest or other fees.
o Interest refers to money that is paid in exchange for borrowing or using another person's or
organization's money.
• Transfer Out & Other is an approved movement of monies from one separate fund to another fund.
Budgets can call for Transfers In to the General Fund to pay for centralized expenditures such as utilities,
insurance, or fringe benefits. Transfers Out from the General Fund may be required to subsidize new
special activity funds or those with insufficient or unreliable revenue sources.

Certificate of Obligation: Debt that local government may use to fund public works without voter approval unless
5 percent of qualified voters within the jurisdiction petition for an election on the spending in question. The debt
is supported by property taxes or other local revenues and is often issued to take advantage of lower interest
rates.

Collector: A person who collects and accounts for the property taxes for the taxing unit.

Commitment: The pledge of appropriated funds to purchase an item or service. Funds are committed when a
requisition is issued through the Purchasing Division of the city.

Community Indicator: Use of citizen survey response data to evaluate city progress toward Council goals.
Community indicators can be used as key performance indicators for strategic level objectives, but it is important
that they are used in coordination with internal measures.

Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR): A thorough and detailed presentation of a government’s
financial condition. It reports on the government’s activities and balances for each fiscal year. The CAFR is
presented in three sections: 1. introductory section – includes transmittal letter with financial overview,
discussion of the overall economy and organization charts of the entity. 2. Financial section – includes the
independent auditor’s report, management’s discussion and analysis, government-wide financial statements,
notes to the financial statements, required supplemental information, combining financial statements and
schedules. 3. Statistical section – includes additional financial, economic, and demographic information on a multi-
year basis.

B
Contribution to Fund alance: Refers to an allocation of money from revenues received during the fiscal year
in a Governmental Fund that the city receives, does not expend and carries forward for future use.

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