merritt research services

Chronically Late Municipal Bond Audits Further Delayed in FY 2018

By Richard A. Ciccarone, President of Merritt Research Services, an Investortools, Inc. Company Every year since 2007, Merritt Research Services1 (Merritt Research) reports the time it takes for municipal bond borrowers to complete their annual financial audits. The...

Assessing the Credit Quality of America’s Cities – Part Four: FY 2014 Financial Condition

The most basic sign that a government is living within its means is that it balances its books at the end of the year. Traditionally, most city officials, experts, and observers of state and local government focus primarily on the general fund, usually a government's...

Assessing the Credit Quality of America’s Cities – Part Three: Long-Term Liabilities beyond Pensions

By Richard A. Ciccarone City Financial Challenges Beyond Pensions When Assessing the Credit Quality of America's Cities, pensions aren't the only big long term liability facing America's cities.     Add to the list bonded indebtedness, other post-employment benefits...

Leading by Example: Syracuse University Is Fastest Municipal Borrower to Complete Financial Audits

Syracuse University is known for many things: its Orangemen, its hilly campus, and its famous alumni, including Joe Biden, Dick Clark, and William Safire. But perhaps one of its lesser known accolades is that it is a leader in timely financial reporting among...

Study Examines Municipal Audit Turnaround Time

How long does it take for municipal entities to produce annual audit reports?

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