CCP 05-24-2004 - Laserfiche WebLink

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CITY OF ARDEN HILLS, MINNESOTA NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS DECEMBER 31, 2003 . Note I: SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POliCIES - CONTINUED Property Taxes The Council annually adopts a tax levy in December and certifies it to the ComIty for collection in the following year. The County is responsible for collecting all property taxes for the City_ These taxes attach an enforceable lien on taxable property within the Cily on January] $1 and are payable by the property owners in two installments. The taxes are collected by the C01111ty Auditor and tax settlements are made to the City during January, July and December each year. Taxes payable on homestead property, as defmed by Minnesota statutes, were partially reduced by a market value credit aid. The credit is paid to the City by the State of Minnesota in lieu of taxes levied against the homestead property. The State remits this credit in two equal installments in October and December each year. Delinquent taxes receivable include the past six years' uncollected taxes. Delinquent taxes have been offset by a deferred revenue liability fOT delinquent !.axes not received within 60 days after year end. Accounts Receivable ACCOlll1ts receivable include amounts billed for services provided before year end. Unbilled utility enterprise fund receivables are also included for services provided in 2003. The City annually certifies delinquent water and sewer accounts to the County for collection in the following year. Therefore) there has been no allowance for doubtful accounts established. Special Assessments . Special assessments represent the fmancing for public improvements paid for by benefiting property owners. These assessments are recorded as receivable upon certification to the County. Special assessments are recognized as revenue when they are received in cash or within 60 days after year end. All govenunental special assessments receivable are offset by a deferred revenue liability. lnterfund Receivables and Payables Transactions between funds that are representative oflending/borrowing arrangements outstanding at the end of the fiscal year are referred to as either "interfund receivablesJpayablesH (i.e., the current portion of interfund loans) or "advances to/from other ftmds" (i.e., the non-current portioo ofinterfimd loans). All other outstanding balances between funds are reported as "due to/from other funds". Inventories and Prepaid Items The inventories are stated at the lower of cost or market on the first-in, rlIst-out (FIFO) method. Certain payments to vendors reflect costs applicable to future accounting periods and arc recorded as prepaid items. . -14-