City & Town Newsletters

Article reviews Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) views of strategic planning in a volatile and resource constrained environment.

Financial Management Resource Bureau recommends as a best practice, communities engage a certified public accountant to conduct independent audits of their financial records to review operating procedures, financial controls and comment on management practices.

This article discusses Other Postemployment Benefits (OPEB) for public employees in Massachusetts, focusing on the financial obligations municipalities face regarding retiree benefits such as health insurance. It highlights the importance of establishing OPEB trust funds and developing funding strategies to manage these liabilities effectively, as well as the implications for municipal budgeting and credit ratings.

This article provides recommendations for local officials submitting available appropriation information into Gateway through Page 4 of the Tax Rate Recap.

This article discusses the importance of utilizing the "Financial Indicators Dashboard" developed by the Financial Management Resource Bureau to help cities and towns plan for the future by analyzing financial and demographic trends, informing policy decisions, and setting realistic financial goals for long-term stability.

This article is a helpful guide for local officials presenting the annual budget season. It provides a helpful roadmap of suggestions and best practices that foster communication and engagement for policymakers and taxpayers as cities and towns craft their fiscal year budgets.

Importance of municipal governments to encourage professional development for their municipal employees.

The article discusses the importance of managing reserves as a financial strategy for communities, particularly in Massachusetts, and contrasts traditional views of reserves as savings with a new perspective that frames them as a risk management tool or insurance. It emphasizes the need for communities to adopt a risk-aware approach to reserves management, incorporating both qualitative and quantitative risk analysis to better prepare for future uncertainties and justify reserve levels to the public.

Financial Management Resource Bureau guidance on enterprise accounting for indirect costs.

Financial Management Resource Bureau provides background on two programs that could provide property tax relief, the senior work-off an veterans work-off programs.