The CAFR (Comprehensive Annual Financial Report) Thread

[Mouse]

Just did a couple hour review of the 2009 CAFR for the City Of Springfield, MO, which is 150,000 and about an hour from me. The local towns and counties here don't have available financials unless you go to them.

I must admit, that although the City has a lot of money, the Net Assets are around 750,000,000, most of which, say 460,000,000 is in capital assets (buildings, roads, trucks, equipment, computers, office furniture, etc.) there is about 160,000,000 of "slush" fund sitting there and the city in 2009 turned a 22,000,000 profit.

The pension funds for fire and cops were 55% funded and appeared to be within reasonable actuarial limits.

The most blatant piece of doo-doo I could find was the City Cemetary, which is a permanently restricted fund holding 1.2MM for care and maintenance, of which, zero dollars were spent and 7k was increase in the fund. This money is clearly not invested very well, and should not be permanently restricted to grow forever.

Aside from that, there was a lot of fascinating information on the public sewer system and more importantly the municipal power utility company. This was all pretty much as expected and I didn't see anything in the financials to set off any booga-booga in my mind. You can be assured that any city or gov. running anything will do it less efficiently than a private enterprise could do it, the results of the components (the utility and the sewerage) were pretty much to be expected.

There is a LOT of investing going on, as I suppose there should be when you are sitting on 160,000,000 to invest. The investments had clear boundaries and limits in credit exposure, sector exposure, equities v. bonds and gov's and etc.

So - if the city were to go polling for a new tax hike or cry about pensions, I would certainly be able to wave their paper at them and say "what for" (I don't live there, but the info is there to lodge an argument).

Thinking of it, there is about maybe 1,250 of every city resident's dollars sitting in the kitty at the City gov. for future use.

Perhaps when a resident leaves, they should inquire about getting their fair share to take when they leave.

I believe there are huge conflicts of interest and other issues regarding the corporatization of our S&L gov's, but the CAFR I reviewed indicated a relatively healthy gov (financially) with capital assets (streets, roads, lights, bridges, parks, trucks, etc) and income coming in and going out, with funds set aside to pay bonds and pensions, and funds for rainy day. I didn't see particularly evil blood sucking leaches - perhaps they hide them off balance sheet.

disclosure - I am a CPA.

[lapis]

I believe there are huge conflicts of interest and other issues regarding the corporatization of our S&L gov's, but the CAFR I reviewed indicated a relatively healthy gov (financially) with capital assets (streets, roads, lights, bridges, parks, trucks, etc) and income coming in and going out, with funds set aside to pay bonds and pensions, and funds for rainy day. I didn't see particularly evil blood sucking leaches - perhaps they hide them off balance sheet.

disclosure - I am a CPA.

It's so great that a CPA reviewed this information. I hate accounting of any kind, even doing my own so a lot of this stuff is so overwhelming to me.

There is a LOT of investing going on, as I suppose there should be when you are sitting on 160,000,000 to invest. The investments had clear boundaries and limits in credit exposure, sector exposure, equities v. bonds and gov's and etc.

Did it show the profits of investments in Fortune 500 corporations? That seems to be the biggest source of wealth in these reports.

[mick silver]

if you find some of the CAFR of city or states would you post them . i would like to see what they are hiding

[Mouse]

I believe there are huge conflicts of interest and other issues regarding the corporatization of our S&L gov's, but the CAFR I reviewed indicated a relatively healthy gov (financially) with capital assets (streets, roads, lights, bridges, parks, trucks, etc) and income coming in and going out, with funds set aside to pay bonds and pensions, and funds for rainy day. I didn't see particularly evil blood sucking leaches - perhaps they hide them off balance sheet.

disclosure - I am a CPA.

It's so great that a CPA reviewed this information. I hate accounting of any kind, even doing my own so a lot of this stuff is so overwhelming to me.

There is a LOT of investing going on, as I suppose there should be when you are sitting on 160,000,000 to invest. The investments had clear boundaries and limits in credit exposure, sector exposure, equities v. bonds and gov's and etc.

Did it show the profits of investments in Fortune 500 corporations? That seems to be the biggest source of wealth in these reports.

Only showed bonds by type (e.g. fed, corp) and equities. It was interesting to note that they had currency hedges in place with a ton of different fiats. I am not saying AT ALL that the CAFR thing is Bullshit, just saying that with the data in front of you the stuff they know they have to pay off in the future, they put funds aside for, they invest it to meet that funding goal. I looked at CALSTERS and CALPERS and they are insane, but I used to look at that as part of their audits, so I was looking at very small pieces of the portfolio.

They are definitely hiding stuff in the CAFR and claiming budget woes in many, many places, in order to clamp down. I am still researching this and will be looking at some other cities just for kicks. The biggest assumptions (err.... management estimates) are the actuarial models used on the pensions and bene's. Obviously, this is at the heart of what they are holding the dough for in most cases. The auditors rely on the actuaries as third party experts. They take the model results at face value and move on, so even in a full document CAFR the perhaps biggest point of contention - PENSIONS and HEALTH - is determined by a geek in a cube somewhere at AIG or god knows where, and it presented as truth to the auditor, who is able to write off all responsibility for those model assumptions and take the lead sheet into the section of the fund without really thinking about it.

To finalize (IMHO) even if you had the most detailed CAFR of every agency in the country you would not be able to put the dots together well enough to unravel the conspiracy. The accounting firms, actuaries, big-banking and gov are in on it. In auditing terms - it is improbable to for an auditor to detect a fraud where management is complicit. It is far more improbable to detect a fraud where management, the government, outside experts relied upon by the auditor, and the auditor himself are complicit.

The amount of laundering, book running and off-balance sheet economy is beyond your wildest dreams. And that's where it all ends up, eventually.

Kudos on the great post and putting this work out there, it has been an additional eye-opener for me. I will post back with thoughts after I dig through some other CAFRs.

edited to fix messed up /quote

[lapis]

"A Declaration of War is given"

by Walter Burien (from his latest "National Post" email. Also can be viewed here.)

I have listened to many of the different media heads and ABC, CNN, CBS, NBC, PBS programs closely for the last three weeks as the so called "budget debates" takes place. The one issue that is as basic as it gets when it comes down to any budget discussion there has not been one mention of. In the absence of not a mention in all respects of that issue it makes the "budget discussions" a 100% complete charade.

Each and every one of us whether being in poverty or a billionaire when we discus our annual or monthly budget for home or business will discuss with our significant other or business partners two basic issues:

#1. Our normal operating expenses; planed expenses for any project we are working on or intend to implement; and any standing balances we plan on keeping as time passes.

#2. What our standing investments are that we have; account balances of all liquid cash; and our income we expect to get from all sources with all sources being our investment, salary, sales, and other sources.

In the "budget debates or discussions" we have been watching the issues presented that are saturating the air waves through the talking heads; news; and media programs almost exclusively, if not without exception, have only talked about; discussed; or presented the topic of #1 above.

In the real world of our personal and business lives this type of behavior and conduct excluding mention and serious discussions of #2 would never happen under any circumstances. On a business level in discussions with partners it would be considered fraud and an actionable offense for criminal malfeasance and removal of the partners responsible for such an omission. On a personal level the same would break up a marriage or close friendship.

Here we have the intentional participation of the syndicated media and the entire political body doing exactly the same with the omission of #2 and doing so: knowingly; willingly; and intentionally whether eagerly in planned participation (the majority) or out of fear of reprisal (the minority). I will add one meritorious exception of a house speaker Bruce Hana from the State of Oregon here - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJ8YhJyxPQo If you have a Youtube account or other video display site you may want to copy this short video and post the same there with your comments.

Folks, the media and political charade taking place, it is all a masterful selective presentation designed to maintain the well entrenched void in public comprehension of the absolute basics of #2 and thus the obscene wealth and power derived staying intact and at the disposal of the inside players. Massive wealth that in this serious omission the public has been spoon feed all but mention of over the last six or seven decades as it grew and captured it all by investment whereby it gives the definition of actionable fraud of no equal by said intentional orchestrated omission.

If a complete accounting was presented to the public of #2 above held by both local and federal government, the world would then be established as being a much different place then we have been led to believe it is. The parallels that this revelation when and if shown and comprehended by all would equal I do not need to go into here, we all know what the true picture would present upon conclusion of disclosure being cognitively presented.

The War that is needed here with a barrage assault from all fronts on the media and political body is for immediate; clear; and in-depth; and open discussions to take place per #2 above. I emphasize that only liquid investment assets be addressed and NOT hard physical assets. All physical assets are to be held and ONLY liquid investment assets and the massive annual returns derived therefrom are to be looked at for reallocation for other use to resolve any "budget shortfall".

My conservative estimate of standing domestic and "international" liquid investment holdings held by both federal and local governments collectively at this time is between 90 to 110 trillion dollars.

The immediate war and assault by email; letter; phone call; and protest rally barrage I request against the media and political body is that the issues of #2 be equally included in all discussions and presentations. The following are specific categories that are applicable to the discussions per any political local or federal body and are general categories that may exclude other holding accounts that may be needed for inclusion in the discussions when identified.

For the public to be played as total idiots with the exclusion of the massive wealth held in the #2 arena it is unacceptable under any terms of the rules of engagement of a country supposedly ruled by We The People:

1. What are the standing collective investment asset balances held both domestically and " internationally" by general purpose government and enterprise authorities. Included should be the firms and management funds where held globally.

2. Identifying what specialty investment funds are held that are not included under the categories of general purpose government or enterprise authorities but are still held or overseen by the same.

3. Being that government keeps records of their standing investment assets and true gross income from all sources as depicted in their own Annual Financial Reports of which the names given to the same are: Comprehensive Annual Financial Report; Annual Financial Statement; or Annual Financial Report, that the clear mention of the same be made with the comment made that " All residents of that City; County; State; or School District should carefully review their local government's report of the same". For federal it is called: Consolidated Financial Statements or Financial Report of the United States Government - http://www.fms.treas.gov/fr/backissues.html

For local governments a Google search using quotes around the name of the report and then the name of the local government on the search line will bring up many. I note that there was an intentional void created in your thinking not to hear about these reports being that if you looked; learned; and comprehended what is shown therein the job of treating you as a complete idiot with the spiel you are intentionally spoon fed from the media and political bodies would not be such an easy job to do. And yes it is a job on their part DUE TO THE MONEY INVOLVED and the power / control it breeds within the back halls and behind the closed doors of government AND the media.

I make no lite statement as to the importance of this request of War and assault as stated. Many may have a hard effort in comprehending what they are looking at in these reports BUT there are many that have the background in finance or business that will catch and comprehend what is shown. The ramifications of comprehending by even a small majority of We The People shall have the impact to turn the tide of events towards a direct and continued benefit for We The People and our futures.

I make special note of remedy upon the public learning and comprehending the scope of the wealth involved and held within government being my suggested application of the TRF for the inevitable elimination of all taxation - http://TaxRetirement.com A four point initiative linked on the front page shows the basics for turning that tide.

Circulate this request to all that you know and ask them to join the War. Compose your own letters and emails to the media and political players making it clear that further omission in the discussions of the basic issues of the liquid wealth as stated above you consider intentional fraud by omission in combination with their "selective presentation" crying broke and bankrupt utilizing the psychological tactic of fear mongering misdirection to extort more wealth from the people and that continuing to do so in perpetuating such fraud by omission and selective presentation may and could have severe, unexpected; and dire consequences.

Simple mention of the above starts the ball rolling. A fever pitch of mention can create a landslide of affirmative action for correction in the true behalf of We The People.

The intentionally maintained void in public comprehension must and needs to be filled at this time. There is no alternative that is acceptable. A declaration of War is given.

Sent for your information and your action, truly yours,

Walter J. Burien, Jr. - CAFR1.com
P. O. Box 2112
Saint Johns, AZ 85936

Tel. (928) 445-3532

PS: It's not nice to be #1 on with the results of #2 never being mentioned.

[dys]

This thing with the government shutdown proves to me that the percentage of people that don't buy the 'we are out of money' company line is growing. In the poker circles, we call this 'making a play'. The rule of thumb is that you only want to bet just enough to make your opponent fold, because the larger the bluff, the larger the risk. Shutting down the government is a pretty large bet, what will the bet be next time I wonder?

On another note, the republicans and their 'we need to reduce spending' palaver is now exposed by this thread as the red herring that it is.

dys

[lapis]

Latest post at the Reality blog:

As I was going through my emails, I got yet another request from someone who wanted me to sign a petition to send to my political “representative” in office, asking politely to stop funding big oil companies. I sighed in disillusionment, trying to think of a way to make people understand that this form of political action is absolutely useless in a corporate government.

I am so saddened as of late that these types of “petitions” are the focus of so much wasted energy. Writing, calling, and even worse… emailing your “representative” in this kind of futile effort is the worst part of our mutually controlled opposition. The sense of satisfaction and patriotism that is felt by these actions is indeed exactly the desired effect of these actions. They accomplish nothing, and yet makes whole groups feel a sense of accomplishment. A petition has NO legal jurisdiction. A letter is scanned and then filed in the trash, while emails are dumped into a folder on a digital archive never to be seen again.

What a game we play – pawns moving around exactly as we are lead, never changing anything, begging our masters to do what’s right and to start representing us. It’s pathetic!

Don’t you understand? The government owns Exxon Mobile. It has controlling stock interest in the company. It owns British Petroleum, Chevron, and any other petroleum based companies you can think of. If it didn’t have a major or controlling financial interest in BP, that gulf oil spill would have been immediately cleaned up! It wouldn’t have cost the government anything to force this corporation to clean up its mess.

Don’t you Understand? Of course the government gives billions and billions in R&D grants to Pharmaceuticals and medical companies. Government owns those as well, both national and international. It hands these subsidies to these companies because it is profitable for government!!! It must do this to justify its tax collections.

Don’t you understand? They wont stop giving their own profitable businesses subsidies (taxpayer money) just because you say pretty please. They wont stop making a profit to save a few square miles of farmland or housing. And they certainly wont change anything just because a bunch of pussified patriots sign a piece of paper demanding it.

And so, I have compiled this list of just the New York State Retirement Fund’s holdings in Pharmaceuticals, oil companies, the media, and other industries. This is only one out of over 200,000 governments, Federal, state, and local. And if just one single government owns this much in these companies, the answers to the following questions should be as clear as day… government owns and profits from these corporations, and passes the laws which regulate them and to guarantee those profits, regardless of what the public wants. The answer to all questions is simple… it’s just business.

Why are pharmaceuticals and medical companies out of control and killing people? Why is cancer the number one most profitable business, despite proven cures? Why are vaccines soon to be mandatory without one shred of evidence as to them being medically sound? Why are banks allowed to charge practically unlimited interest despite usury laws? Why are banks allowed to foreclose on millions and millions of homes? Why are banks allowed to ignore state laws in lieu of federal laws? Why are products made in China all over the stinking place? Why are dangerous and poisonous products being imported into America? Why is the American market so saturated with foreign products? Why was Exxon and BP not required to clean up their historical oil spills? Why is oil still being used when such vast and wonderful alternatives are all around us? Why is the media lying and misinforming us at every turn, supporting government in every way?

All of these questions are answered by this simple realization…

Government owns it all!!!

Government is in a direct conflict of interest by being major majority shareholder (owner) of all significant corporations, both foreign and domestic.

The following is the New York Pension System holdings in major corporations around the world in 2009. This incomplete list and a 2010 list can be downloaded here:

http://www.osc.state.ny.us/retire/ab...2010/index.php

I challenge you to find a company this government doesn’t own stock in!

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Company # of shares Market Value 2009

–Oil and Energy–

Exxon Mobil Corp 18,125,534 1,234,348,865
Chevron Corp 7,698,784 517,666,219
ConocoPhillips 6,003,030 235,078,655
Schlumberger Ltd 4,624,733 187,856,654
BP plc – Sponsored ADR 202,055 8,102,406
Royal Dutch Shell plc – A 1,816,523 40,904,335
Royal Dutch Shell plc – A 2,842,162 63,886,007
Royal Dutch Shell plc – A 84,900 3,761,070
Royal Dutch Shell plc – B 35,812 1,561,761
Royal Dutch Shell plc – B 1,553,412 34,088,987
American Electric Power Co Inc 1,785,207 45,094,329
PG&E Corp 1,249,975 47,774,045
Questar Corp 802,950 23,630,819

[Etc., etc.]

[Book]

Each and every one of us whether being in poverty or a billionaire when we discus our annual or monthly budget for home or business will discuss with our significant other or business partners two basic issues:

#1. Our normal operating expenses; planed expenses for any project we are working on or intend to implement; and any standing balances we plan on keeping as time passes.

#2. What our standing investments are that we have; account balances of all liquid cash; and our income we expect to get from all sources with all sources being our investment, salary, sales, and other sources.

Hey...What about #3? The TRILLIONS we allegedly owe on the National Debt?

WHO exactly do we allegedly owe it to?

[lapis]

Latest post from The Reality Blog. The information about the Sheriff's department is as alarming as the CAFR stuff!

Salt Lake County Mayor Admits To CAFR Fund Wealth

The following is an interview on Utah’s local K-Talk AM630 radio station with myself, Dale Williams of FreeWestRadio.com, and the Mayor of Salt Lake County, Peter Corroon.

Download [25-minute version] here: http://realitybloger.files.wordpress...rveiw-edit.mp3

Download [full 90-minute version] here: http://realitybloger.files.wordpress...rview-full.mp3

In this rare historical confession, the Salt Lake County Mayor not only reveals his complete knowledge of the Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR) of his county, local, and state government, but tells us that indeed his new “Unified Police District” is a private corporation, and that the elected Sheriff was appointed as the CEO of that private corporate police force after dissolving the Sheriff’s Department, leaving no lawful protection of the people, and creating a gangland style police-state in the “unified” Utah and Salt Lake County.

This completely verifies my previous article, “The Sheriff Who Sold his County”, located here:

http://realitybloger.wordpress.com/2...ld-his-county/

Please download, re-post, and forward this interview and article freely, with no copyright or other restrictions.

And be vigilant for this in your own Sheriff’s Department, before you loose yours as well.

[lapis]

The comprehension key to unlocking the big vault door

by Walter Burien
05/26/11

CAFR1 Reply to Dough per a post of 05/26/11 from the Ludwig von Mises Institute that is copied below my reply.

__________________________________________________ ______

Dough:

Here is the comprehension key to unlocking the big vault door on this issue:

1. Government investment outsourced internationally starting the exodus of well positioned massive government investment funds in the 80's, expanded in the 90's, and had a primary world market share come 2000. The investment returns first from Mexico in the 80's, soviet block countries in the 90's, and now China 2000 forward taking advantage of cheap labor were impressive to say the least. Mexico yielded 400% to 3400% annual returns; Soviet block countries 65% to 300%; China 500% to 7000%. Greed as always focused on accentuating those circumstances contrary to "others" interests (The work-force of people from the United States).

Open-door government trade policies were set to guarantee massive returns on those well placed international investments. At each turn of the investment cycle for those international investments as the wealth transfer from those products being sold in the USA took place guaranteed massive profits. Over the last four decades the biggest conflict of interests from Government International investments vs. the work-force of the United States was at play here.

Anyone from the syndicated media, organized education, or political party who had any though of making this circumstance public knowledge stood the same chance as a fly buzzing around in a 10,000 watt fly zapper "due to the money and profit involved" and the world economic take-over facilitated in the same. The interconnected power-base was as far reaching and big as it gets here.

2. When examining any primary government policy set since the 80's, as the public was masterfully entertained being given a song and dance on the "why" the International policy was being enacted and implemented as it was (NAFTA - GATT, world currency movements, etc.) the underlying core motive was guaranteeing those massive profits for US Government on those well placed and actively traded international investments trough [through?] the flood gates of trade pouring into the US and that wealth transfer taking place.

Keep in mind the US Government investments by the 70's, primarily by investment ownership already exerted primary influence over the large domestic corporations in the US. Quietly through private membership associations they exerted their influence to perpetuate the exodus of manufacturing from the US to international locations where the takeover investment plays were taking place through the use of those massive US Government Institutional investment funds to thus again guarantee massive returns on those well placed international government investments.

3. The ease of how the world markets could be manipulated by the US Government Institutional corporate investment cartel outside of public comprehension led to circumstances out of simple greed and opportunity to orchestrate massive theft and conquest on a grand scale by contrived circumstance being created as the pubic as a mushroom was fed b*ll sh*t and kept in the dark. Done so based on the massive and easy wealth transfer out of simple opportunity wanting to build their own fortunes from those contrived circumstance.

Per the masterful entertainment of the public by the controlling parties it was like taking candy from a baby without any consequences or genuine liability for having done so. The two largest contrived circumstance in the last decade that guaranteed the quick transfer of wealth in the trillions of dollars were 911 in 2001 and the housing bubble collapse backed up with a massive international and very profitable (to the tune of 25 to 30 trillion dollars liberated from the domestic and international marks) derivatives play at the end of 2008.

As has been said from many, many generations ago: "Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely" My personal favorite though is: TREASON: "Treason doth never prosper; what's the reason? For if it prosper, none dare call it treason." Sir John Harrington, 1561-1612

How can this general and now all so pervasive circumstance be corrected for the public's behalf?

The public needs to become the "first line beneficiary". Up until this point the public over the last 1000 years was primarily left out of the loop being looked at by government as a "productivity resource to be drained and managed". (the primary motive and intent of government policy). This was not nor ever will be a "good thing".

Just as much as the comprehension was very effectively held back from the populace per what is stated above due to the massive money; investment return; and control derived therefrom, a void in comprehension will be diligently maintained by the government syndicate to maintain the current in place standard of government corporate operations. What CAFR1 has presented through the TRF - http://TaxRetirement.com/TRFA.html will if enacted make the population the "First Line Beneficiary", inevitably phase out all taxation, make it a win - win for all involved (public; government; and the financial cartels) and most important of all it changes the primary motive and intent of government policy from looking at the public as a productivity resource to be drained and managed into the intent now being to see the public as wealthy and as prosperous as possible.

You see under the TRF mode of operation within government, the more wealthy and prosperous the public is, the greater the truck loads of cash coming in for government and the financial cartels will be. Again a win - win for all involved.

On a special note there is one other fringe benefit of the TRF mode of operation: The orchestrated events such as 911 and the housing bubble collapse would probably not happen again being that it would upset the apple cart of a very prosperous circumstance for "all". You see under the old of the public being a productivity resource to be drained and managed, in the very exclusive "Big Boys Club" there was a tendency to behind closed doors pat the players on the back that "pulled it off". Under the mode of operation of the TRF once in place, if the same was done disrupting the very profitable structured operation of the TRF mode of operation, those pulling off the same would disappear rather violently by directives of the Big Boys Club for have rocked the millennium in place apple cart. See that, even the ultimate greed principle at that point protects the people and all involved. So for the last time a win - win for one and all.

On a last note with emphasis added: If things stay the way they are I don't believe we as a people or a civilization will survive the final circumstances of the inevitable end result and that end could be sooner than you think if and when a snowball world circumstance presents itself that spirals out of anyone's control. In the alternative if and when the TRF mode of operation goes into full play we may just overt the before mentioned and the age-old promised period of the millennium could be at hand and in motion. A thousand years of prosperity for one and all. On a global note the same will work for every country on this planet in the same fashion.

Per stories, lets go back to the first, the story of Adam and Eve choosing between given paradise or eating from the tree of knowledge whereby if they did so they would loose given paradise and have the choice to create their own paradise (or Hell) with the knowledge obtained. My choice is paradise and I have staked my life upon it, what about your choice that through knowledge now present(s) itself to you?

Please share this communication by all means with all that you know and ask them to do the same.

Sent FYI and truly yours,


Walter Burien - CAFR1
P. O. Box 2112
Saint Johns, AZ 85936

Tel. (928) 445-3532