AgdaPkt 2005-01-24 - Laserfiche WebLink

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NOTE 1- SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (CONTINUED) In September of 1993, the County of San Mateo Board of Supervisors adopted the "Teeter Plan" for secured property taxes. Under the Teeter Plan, the state law allows the county to advance to the cities all property taxes billed, regardless of whether the taxes have been paid. The county then is entitled to keep all penalties and interest accruing on delinquent taxes. Property taxes on unsecured taxable property are not affected by this change. Under Proposition 13, adopted by the voters in a statewide ballot in 1978, assessed value is increased by the cost of living index, not to exceed 2% as of January 1 each year except for those properties that have changed ownership during the 12 month period since the lien date. City property tax revenues are recognized when levied to the extent that they result in current receivables. J. Unbilled Service Receivables In the water and sewer utilities, residential customers are billed bi-monthly and all commercial and industrial customers monthly. Revenue is recorded as billed to customers on a cyclical basis. No accrual is made for unbilled services. There were no unbilled services in Port, parking, or internal service funds as of June 30, 2004. There is no accrual for unbilled water services as of June 30, 2004; revenues cannot be recognized since water meters are not read at such date. Management believes that the revenue from unbilled services does not have a material effect on total revenue. K Capital Assets All capital assets are valued at historical cost or estimated historical cost if actual historical cost is not available. Contributed capital assets are valued at their estimated fair value on the date contributed. The City's policy is to capitalize all assets with costs exceeding certain minimum thresholds, $5,000 for machinery and equipment, $100,000 for buildings, improvements, and infrastructure, and with useful lives exceeding two years. With the implementation of GASB Statement No. 34, the City has recorded all its public domain (infrastructure) capital assets placed in service after June 30, 1980, which include roads, bridges, curbs and gutters, streets and sidewalks, drainage systems, and lighting systems using the basic approach. The purpose of depreciation is to spread the cost of capital assets equitably among all users over the life of these assets. The amount charged to depreciation expense each year represents that year's pro rata share of the cost of capital assets. GASB Statement No. 34 requires that all capital assets with limited useful lives be depreciated over their estimated useful lives. Depreciation is provided using the straight line method which means the cost of the asset is divided by its expected useful life in years and the result is charged to expense each year until the asset is fully depreciated. The City has assigned the useful lives listed below to capital assets. Buildings Improvements Equipment Streets Parks Bridges Traffic Signals Storm Drains 20-50 33-60 2-15 20 25 30 20 40 Years Years Years Years Years Years Years Years 31