Hi Joe - I’m interested in trying to calculate the Financial Strength Indicator for my area, but unsure of where to pull the numbers. Is the numerator in your equation the total value of all taxable property within the boundaries of the municipality? And for the denominator, is this just municipal expenditures? Or are you looking at road and sewer maintenance specifically? Not sure how to determine true maintenance liability vs what’s actually been spent each year.
I’m in a different state so I’m sure the reporting’s different but any guidance would be greatly appreciated, really enjoying your writing.
My hometown has the same streets problem. And deferring street maintenance, especially in the Midwest with its freeze / thaw cycles is (in my opinion) a false economy. And, poor streets are another signal that moving there is a bad idea. What about the infrastructure you can’t see - physical and human? Sewers old and failing requiring expensive fixes or mandated upgrades that have been deferred too long? Lead water pipes? Poor police or fire response?
Hi Joe - I’m interested in trying to calculate the Financial Strength Indicator for my area, but unsure of where to pull the numbers. Is the numerator in your equation the total value of all taxable property within the boundaries of the municipality? And for the denominator, is this just municipal expenditures? Or are you looking at road and sewer maintenance specifically? Not sure how to determine true maintenance liability vs what’s actually been spent each year.
I’m in a different state so I’m sure the reporting’s different but any guidance would be greatly appreciated, really enjoying your writing.
My hometown has the same streets problem. And deferring street maintenance, especially in the Midwest with its freeze / thaw cycles is (in my opinion) a false economy. And, poor streets are another signal that moving there is a bad idea. What about the infrastructure you can’t see - physical and human? Sewers old and failing requiring expensive fixes or mandated upgrades that have been deferred too long? Lead water pipes? Poor police or fire response?