Notes to the Financial Statements
June 30, 2002
Note 1 Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
The accompanying financial statements of the State of Connecticut have been prepared in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles as prescribed in pronouncements of the Governmental Accounting Standards Board, except for the financial statements of the University of Connecticut Foundation, Incorporated (a component unit). Those statements are prepared according to generally accepted accounting principles as prescribed in pronouncements of the Financial Accounting Standards Board.
For financial reporting purposes, the State's reporting entity includes the "primary government" and its "component units." The primary government includes all funds, agencies, departments, bureaus, commissions, and component units that are considered an integral part of the State's legal entity. Component units are legally separate organizations for which the State is financially accountable. Financial accountability exists if (1) the State appoints a voting majority of the organization's governing board, and (2) the State is able to impose its will on the organization, or there is a potential for the organization to provide specific financial benefits to, or impose specific financial burdens on the State. The State also includes a nongovernmental corporation as a component unit because it would be misleading to exclude the corporation from the reporting entity. Component units are reported in the financial statements in a separate column (discrete presentation), or as part of the primary government (blending presentation).
Discretely Presented Component Units
Discretely presented component units include legally separate organizations for which the State appoints a voting majority of the organization's governing board and is contingently liable for the organization's debt or provides significant funding for the organization's programs (applies only to the Connecticut Innovations, Incorporated and the Capital City Economic Development Authority). The following organizations are reported in separate columns and rows in the government-wide financial statements to emphasize that they are legally separate from the primary government:
Connecticut Development Authority
The Authority is a public instrumentality and political subdivision of the State. It was created to stimulate industrial and commercial development within the State through its Self-Sustaining Bond, Umbrella, and Insurance programs as well as other economic development programs.
Connecticut Housing Finance Authority
The Authority is a public instrumentality and political subdivision of the State. It was created for the purpose of increasing the housing supply and encouraging and assisting in the purchase, development, and construction of housing for low and moderate-income families and persons throughout the State. The Authority's fiscal year is for the period ending on December 31, 2001.
Connecticut Resources Recovery Authority
The Authority is a public instrumentality and political subdivision of the State. It is responsible for implementing the State Solid Waste Management Plan by determining the location of and constructing solid waste management projects; owning, operating, and maintaining waste management projects; or making provisions for operation and maintenance by contracting with private industry.
Connecticut Higher Education Supplemental Loan Authority
The Authority is a public instrumentality and political sub-division of the State. It was created to assist students, their parents, and institutions of higher education to finance the cost of higher education through its Bond funds.
Connecticut Health and Educational Facilities Authority
The Authority is a public instrumentality and political subdivision of the State. The purpose of the Authority is to assist certain health care institutions, institutions of higher education, and qualified for-profit and not-for-profit institutions in the financing and refinancing of projects to be undertaken in relation to programs for these institutions.
Connecticut Innovations, Incorporated
The Authority is a public instrumentality and political subdivision of the State. It was established to stimulate and promote technological innovation and application of technology within Connecticut and encourage the development of new products, innovations, and inventions or markets in Connecticut by providing financial and technical assistance.
Capital City Economic Development Authority
The Authority is a public instrumentality and political subdivision of the State. It was established in 1998 to stimulate new investment in Connecticut; to attract and service large conventions, tradeshows, exhibitions, conferences, and local consumer shows, exhibitions and events; to encourage the diversification of the state economy; to strengthen Hartford's role as the region's major business and industry employment center and seat of government; to encourage residential housing development in downtown Hartford; and to construct, operate, maintain and market a convention center project in Hartford.
Financial statements for the major component units are included in the accompanying financial statements after the fund financial statements. Audited financial statements issued separately by each component unit can be obtained from their respective administrative offices.
Blended Component Units
Connecticut Lottery Corporation
The Connecticut Lottery Corporation is a legally separate organization for which the State appoints a voting majority of the Corporation's governing board and which provides a significant amount of revenues to the State. The corporation is reported as part of the primary government's business-type activities in the government-wide financial statements and as a major Enterprise fund in the fund financial statements.
University of Connecticut Foundation, Incorporated
The University of Connecticut Foundation, Incorporated is a nongovernmental nonprofit corporation created exclusively to solicit, receive, and administer gifts and financial resources from private sources for the benefit of all campuses and programs of the University of Connecticut, a unit of the Higher Education fund. The University is not financially accountable for the Foundation. However, the Foundation is included as a component unit because the nature and significance of its relationship to the University are such that exclusion would cause the University's financial statements to be misleading. The Foundation is reported as part of the primary government's business-type activities in the government-wide financial statements and as part of the Higher Education fund (a major Enterprise fund) in the fund financial statements.
Government-wide Financial Statements
The Statement of Net Assets and the Statement of Activities report information on all of the nonfiduciary activities of the primary government and its component units. These statements distinguish between the governmental and business-type activities of the primary government by using separate columns and rows. Governmental activities are generally financed through taxes and intergovernmental revenues. Business-type activities are financed in whole or in part by fees charged to external parties. For the most part, the effect of interfund activity has been removed from these statements.
The Statement of Net Assets presents the reporting entity's nonfiduciary assets and liabilities, with the difference reported as net assets. Net assets are reported in three categories:
The Statement of Activities demonstrates the degree to which the direct expenses of a given function or segment are offset by program revenues. Direct expenses are those that are clearly identifiable with a specific function or segment. Indirect expenses are not allocated to the various functions or segments. Program revenues include a) fees, fines, and charges paid by the recipients of goods or services offered by the functions or segments and b) grants and contributions that are restricted to meeting the operational or capital needs of a particular function or segment. Revenues that are not classified as program revenues, including all taxes, are reported as general revenues.
Fund Financial Statements
The fund financial statements provide information about the State's funds, including its fiduciary funds and blended component units. Separate statements for each fund category (governmental, proprietary, and fiduciary) are presented. The emphasis of fund financial statements is on major governmental and enterprise funds; each displayed in a separate column. All remaining governmental and enterprise funds are aggregated and reported as nonmajor funds.
The State reports the following major governmental funds:
General Fund - This is the State's primary operating fund. It is used to account for all financial resources which are not required to be accounted in other funds and which are spent for those services normally provided by the State (e.g., health, social assistance, education, etc.).
Debt Service - This fund is used to account for the resources accumulated and payments made for principal and interest on special tax obligation bonds of the Transportation fund and Rental Housing bonds.
Transportation - This fund is used to account for motor vehicle taxes, receipts, and transportation related federal revenues collected for the purpose of payment of transportation related bonds and budgeted appropriations of the Department of Transportation. The Department of Transportation is responsible for all aspects of the planning, development, maintenance, and improvement of transportation in the State.
The State reports the following major enterprise funds:
Higher Education - This fund is used to account for the financial activities of the State's higher education institutions, including the University of Connecticut, the University of Connecticut Health Center (including John Dempsey Hospital), State Universities, Community-Technical Colleges, and the University of Connecticut Foundation, Incorporated, a component unit.
Bradley International Airport - This fund is used to account for the financial activities of the Bradley International Airport, which is owned and operated by the State.
Connecticut Lottery Corporation - This fund is used to account for the financial activities of the State's lottery. The Corporation was created in 1996 for the purpose of generating revenues for the State's General Fund.
Employment Security - This fund is used to account for unemployment insurance premiums from employers and the payment of unemployment benefits to eligible claimants.
Second Injury and Compensation Assurance - This fund is an extension of the Workers' Compensation Act managed by the State Treasurer and is used to pay injured workers whose injuries are made more severe because of a pre-existing condition, and in cases where an injured worker subsequently undergoes an incapacitating relapse.
Clean Water - This fund is used to account for resources used to provide loans to municipalities to finance waste water treatment facilities.
In addition, the State reports the following fund types:
Internal Service Funds - These funds account for goods and services provided to other agencies of the State on a cost-reimbursement basis. These goods and services include prisoner-built office furnishings, information services support, telecommunications, printing, and other services.
Pension (and Other Employee Benefits) Trust Funds - These funds account for resources held in trust for the members and beneficiaries of the State's defined benefit pension plans, a defined contribution plan, and other employee benefits plans. These plans are discussed more fully in Notes 10 and 11.
Investment Trust Fund - This fund accounts for the external portion of the State's Short-Term Investment Fund, an investment pool managed by the State Treasurer.
Private-Purpose Trust Fund - This fund accounts for escheat securities held in trust for individuals by the State Treasurer.
Agency Funds - These funds account for deposits, investments, and other assets held by the State as an agent for inmates and patients of State institutions, insurance companies, municipalities, and private organizations.
d. Measurement Focus and Basis of Accounting
Government-wide, Proprietary, and Fiduciary Fund Financial Statements
The government-wide, proprietary, and fiduciary fund financial statements are reported using the economic resources measurement focus and the accrual basis of accounting. Revenues are recorded when earned and expenses are recorded at the time the liabilities are incurred, regardless of when the related cash flows take place. Taxes and casino gaming payments are recognized as revenues in the period when the underlying exchange transaction has occurred. Grants and similar items are recognized as revenues in the period when all eligibility requirements imposed by the provider have been met.
Proprietary funds distinguish operating revenues and expenses from nonoperating items. Operating revenues and expenses generally result from providing services and producing and delivering goods in connection with a proprietary fund's principal ongoing operations. The principal operating revenues of the State's enterprise and internal service funds are charges to customers for sales and services, assessments, and intergovernmental revenues. Operating expenses for enterprise and internal service funds include salaries, wages, and administrative expenses, unemployment compensation, claims paid, and depreciation expense. All revenues and expenses not meeting this definition are reported as nonoperating revenues and expenses.
Private-sector standards of accounting and financial reporting issued prior to December 1, 1989, generally are followed in both the government-wide and proprietary fund financial statements to the extent that those standards do not conflict with or contradict guidance of the Governmental Accounting Standards Board. Governments also have the option of following subsequent private-sector guidance for their business-type activities and enterprise funds, subject to the same limitation. This option is followed by the following component units of the State: the Connecticut Development Authority and the Connecticut Health and Educational Facilities Authority.
Governmental Fund Financial Statements
Governmental funds are reported using the current financial resources measurement focus and the modified accrual basis of accounting. Under this method, revenues are recognized when measurable and available. The State considers all revenues reported in the governmental funds to be available if the revenues are collected within 60 days after year-end. Sales and use taxes, personal income taxes, public service corporation taxes, special fuel taxes, federal grants, and casino gaming payments are considered to be susceptible to accrual. Licenses, permits, and fees are not considered to be susceptible to accrual and are recognized as revenues when the cash is collected. Expenditures are recorded when the related fund liability is incurred, except for principal and interest on general long-term debt, compensated absences, and claims and judgments, which are recognized as expenditures to the extent they have matured. General capital asset acquisitions are reported as expenditures in governmental funds. Proceeds of general-long term debt and acquisitions under capital leases are reported as other financing sources.
When both restricted and unrestricted resources are available for use, it is the State's policy to use restricted resources first, then unrestricted resources, as they are needed.
By statute, the Governor must submit the State budget to the General Assembly in February of every other year. Prior to June 30, the General Assembly enacts the budget through the passage of appropriation acts for the next two fiscal years and sets forth revenue estimates for the same period for the following funds: the General Fund, the Transportation Fund, the Mashantucket Pequot Fund, the Workers' Compensation Administration Fund, the Banking Fund, the Consumer Counsel and Public Utility Control Fund, the Insurance Fund, the Criminal Injuries Fund, the Soldiers, Sailors, and Marines Fund and the Regional Market Operations Fund. Under the State Constitution, the Governor has the power to veto any part of the itemized appropriations bill and to accept the remainder of the bill. However, the General Assembly may separately reconsider and repass the disapproved items by a two-thirds majority vote of both the Senate and the House.
Budgetary control is maintained at the individual appropriation account level by agency as established in authorized appropriation bills and is reported in the Annual Report of the State Comptroller. A separate document is necessary because the level of legal control is more detailed than reflected in the CAFR. Before an agency can utilize funds appropriated for a particular purpose, such funds must be allotted for the specific purpose by the Governor and encumbered by the Comptroller upon request by the agency. Such funds can then be expended by the Treasurer only upon a warrant, draft or order of the Comptroller drawn at the request of the responsible agency. The allotment process maintains expenditure control over special revenue, enterprise, and internal service funds that are not budgeted as part of the annual appropriation act.
The Governor has the power under Connecticut statute to modify budgetary allotment requests for the administration, operation and maintenance of a budgeted agency. However, the modification cannot exceed 3 percent of the fund or 5 percent of the appropriation amount. Modifications beyond those limits, but not in excess of 5 percent of the total funds, require the approval of the Finance Advisory Committee. The Finance Advisory Committee is comprised of the Governor, the Lieutenant Governor, the Treasurer, the Comptroller, two senate members, not of the same political party, and three house members, not more than two of the same political party. Additional reductions of appropriations of more than 5 percent of the total appropriated fund can be made only with the approval of the General Assembly.
All funds, except fiduciary funds, use encumbrance accounting. Under this method of accounting, purchase orders, contracts, and other commitments for the expenditures of the fund are recorded in order to reserve that portion of the applicable appropriation. All encumbrances lapse at year-end and, generally, all appropriations lapse at year-end except for certain continuing appropriations (continuing appropriations are defined as carry forwards of spending authority from one fiscal budget into a subsequent budget). The continuing appropriations include: appropriations continued for a one-month period after year-end which are part of a program that was not renewed the succeeding year; appropriations continued the entire succeeding year, as in the case of highway and other capital construction projects; and appropriations continued for specified amounts for certain special programs. Carry forward appropriations are reported as reservations of the fund balance in the financial statements.
The budget is prepared on a "modified cash" basis of accounting under which revenues are recognized when received, except for certain taxes and Federal and other restricted grant revenues of the General and Transportation funds which are recognized when earned. Tax revenues recognized when earned include the following: sales and use, personal income, corporation, public service corporations, petroleum companies, cigarettes, alcoholic beverages, gasoline, special motor fuel, and motor carrier road. Under the modified cash basis, expenditures are recognized when paid. A comparison of actual results of operations recorded on this basis and the adopted budget is presented in the financial statements for the General and Transportation funds. During the 2002 fiscal year, the original adopted budget was adjusted by the General Assembly and the Finance Advisory Committee.
Cash and Cash Equivalents (see Note 4)
In addition to petty cash and bank accounts, this account includes cash equivalents - short-term, highly liquid investments with original maturities of three months or less when purchased. Cash equivalents include investments in the Short-Term Investment Fund ("STIF") and the Tax Exempt Proceeds Fund, Inc. ("TEPF"). TEPF is a short-term, tax-exempt money market fund reported under the Investment Company Act of 1940. Investments in STIF and TEPF are reported at the fund's share price.
Investments (see Note 4)
Investments include Equity in Combined Investment Funds and other investments. Equity in Combined Investment Funds is reported at fair value based on the funds' current share price. Other investments are reported at fair value, except for the following investments which are reported at cost or amortized cost:
The fair value of other investments is determined based on quoted market prices except for:
The State invests in derivatives. STIF and the Combined Investment Funds hold these investments.
Inventories
Inventories are reported at cost. Cost is determined by the first-in first-out (FIFO) method. Inventories in the governmental funds consist of expendable supplies held for consumption whose cost was recorded as an expenditure at the time the individual inventory items were purchased. Reported inventories in these funds are offset by a fund balance reserve to indicate that they are unavailable for appropriation.
Capital Assets and Depreciation
Capital assets, which include property, plant, equipment, and infrastructure assets (e.g. roads, bridges, railways, and similar items), are reported in the applicable governmental or business-type activities columns in the government-wide financial statements. Capital assets are defined by the State as assets with an initial individual cost of more than $1,000 and an estimated useful life in excess of one year. Such assets are recorded at historical cost or estimated fair market value at the date of donation.
Collections of historical documents, rare books and manuscripts, guns, paintings, and other items are not capitalized. These collections are held by the State Library for public exhibition, education, or research; and are kept protected, cared for, and preserved indefinitely. The costs of normal maintenance and repairs that do not add to the value of the asset or materially extend assets lives are also not capitalized.
Major outlays for capital assets and improvements are capitalized as projects are constructed. Interest incurred during the construction phase of capital assets of business-type activities is included as part of the capitalized value of the assets constructed.
Property, plant and equipment of the primary government is depreciated using the straight line method over the following estimated useful lives:
| Assets | Years |
|---|---|
| Buildings | 40 |
| Improvements Other than Buildings | 10-20 |
| Machinery and Equipment | 5-30 |
| Infrastructure | 20-28 |
Securities Lending Transactions (see Note 4)
Assets, liabilities, income, and expenses arising from securities lending transactions of the Combined Investment Funds are allocated ratably to the participant funds based on their equity in the Combined Investment Funds.
Deferred Revenues
In the government-wide and fund financial statements, this liability represents resources that have been received, but not yet earned. In the fund financial statements, this liability also represents revenues considered measurable but not available during the current period.
Long-term Obligations
In the government-wide and proprietary fund financial statements, long-term debt and other long-term obligations are reported as liabilities in the applicable governmental activities, business-type activities, or proprietary fund statement of net assets. Bond premiums and discounts, as well as issuance costs, are deferred and amortized over the life of the bonds using the straight line method. Bonds payable are reported net of the applicable bond premium or discount. Bond issuance costs are reported as deferred charges and amortized over the term of the related debt. Other long-term obligations include compensated absences, workers' compensation claims, capital leases, claims and judgments, annuities payable, and the net pension obligation.
In the fund financial statements, governmental fund types recognize bond premiums and discounts, as well as bond issuance costs, during the current period. The face amount of debt issued is reported as other financing sources. Premiums received on debt issuances are reported as other financing sources while discounts on debt issuances are reported as other financing uses. Issuance costs, whether or not withheld from the actual debt proceeds received, are reported as debt service expenditures.
Capital Appreciation Bonds
Capital appreciation (deep-discount) bonds issued by the State, unlike most bonds, which pay interest semi-annually, do not pay interest until the maturity of the bonds. An investor who purchases a capital appreciation bond at its discounted price and holds it until maturity will receive an amount which equals the initial price plus an amount which has accrued over the life of the bond on a semiannual compounding basis. The net value of the bonds is accreted (the discount reduced), based on this semiannual compounding, over the life of the bonds. This deep-discount debt is reported in the government-wide statement of net assets at its net or accreted value rather than at face value.
Compensated Absences
The liability for compensated absences reported in the government-wide and proprietary fund statements consist of unpaid, accumulated vacation and sick leave balances. The liability has been calculated using the vesting method, in which leave amounts for both employees who currently are eligible to receive termination payments and other employees who are expected to become eligible in the future to receive such payments upon termination are included.
Vacation and sick policy is as follows: Employees hired on or before June 30, 1977, and managers regardless of date hired can accumulate up to a maximum of 120 vacation days. Employees hired after that date can accumulate up to a maximum of 60 days. Upon termination or death, the employee is entitled to be paid for the full amount of vacation days owed. No limit is placed on the number of sick days that an employee can accumulate. However, the employee is entitled to payment for accumulated sick time only upon retirement, or after ten years of service upon death, for an amount equal to one-fourth of his/her accrued sick leave up to a maximum payment equivalent to sixty days.
In the fund financial statements, governmental funds report reservations of fund balance for amounts that are not available for appropriation or are legally restricted by outside parties for use for a specific purpose.
The State has entered into interest rate swap agreements to modify interest rates on outstanding debt. Other than the net interest expenditures resulting from these agreements, no amounts are recorded in the financial statements (see Note 16).
In the fund financial statements, interfund activities are reported as follows:
Interfund receivables/payables - The current portion of interfund loans outstanding at the end of the fiscal year is reported as due from/to other funds; the noncurrent portion as advances to/from other funds. All other outstanding balances between funds are reported as due from/to other funds. Any residual balances outstanding between the governmental activities and business-type activities are reported in the government-wide financial statements as "internal balances."
Interfund services provided and used - Sales and purchases of goods and services between funds for a price approximating their external exchange value. Interfund services provided and used are reported as revenues in seller funds and expenditures or expenses in purchaser funds. In the statement of activities, transactions between the primary government and its discretely presented component units are reported as revenues and expenses, unless they represent repayments of loans or similar activities.
Interfund transfers - Flows of assets without equivalent flows of assets in return and without a requirement for repayment. In governmental funds, transfers are reported as other financing uses in the funds making transfers and as other financing sources in the funds receiving transfers. In proprietary funds, transfers are reported after nonoperating revenues and expenses.
Interfund reimbursements - Repayments from the funds responsible for particular expenditures or expenses to the funds that initially paid for them. Reimbursements are not reported in the financial statements.
Food stamps distributed to recipients during the year are recognized as both an expenditure and a revenue in the governmental fund financial statements.
Assets and liabilities of the Short-Term Investment Fund are allocated ratably to the External Investment Pool Fund based on its investment in the Short-Term Investment Fund (see Note 4). Pool income is determined based on distributions made to the pool's participants.
The preparation of the financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. Actual results could differ from those estimates.