RubinBrown Public Sector Stats 2017

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The conclusions reached as to which results are more or less favorable are based upon what is most commonly accepted in the industry while taking into consideration what the majority of cities are likely to believe. Each statistic may be viewed differently or may be more or less meaningful based upon each city’s situation. For example, a small city may view a large amount of funding being spent on public safety as favorable, whereas our analysis places this in a less favorable quartile.

In addition, per capita ratios may be adversely affected if a city serves a large non-resident population due to a significant daily influx of workers.

Analysis The results of this year’s survey indicate that 2016 was another year of growth in net position and fund balances, but at a significantly slower pace for most regions. Revenue continues to grow in most regions; however, costs are growing at a much faster pace comparatively. This has resulted in a decrease in the results of operations for many cities as discussed in more detail in the regional analysis that follows. In the analysis that follows, the results for each metropolitan area are examined with an emphasis placed on the development of financial ratio quartiles allowing cities to compare their results to other cities of similar size and geographic location. We encourage each finance officer to share the results of this analysis with the city’s chief executive officer and governing body to help key officials understand how their city compares to that of their peers.