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5. Detailed schedules of debt service requirements are presented in <strong>the</strong> annual budget.<br />

Commentary<br />

If capital projects are to be debt financed, <strong>the</strong> estimated cost of <strong>the</strong> repayment of interest and<br />

principal on <strong>the</strong> debt should be presented at <strong>the</strong> time <strong>the</strong> multi-year fiscal plan is made available for<br />

review by <strong>the</strong> governing body. Commentary should also be included concerning <strong>the</strong> capacity of <strong>the</strong><br />

<strong>municipal</strong>ity to raise new, or allocate existing, revenues to pay <strong>the</strong> debt service for <strong>the</strong> term of <strong>the</strong><br />

loan or bond issue.<br />

6. Bond maturity schedules are designed so that <strong>the</strong>y do not exceed <strong>the</strong> expected life of <strong>the</strong><br />

projects financed by such bonds.<br />

Commentary<br />

The fiscal planning process for capital needs should estimate how long proposed projects or<br />

equipment will last or provide services to <strong>the</strong> <strong>municipal</strong>ity. State laws which govern <strong>municipal</strong><br />

borrowing require that <strong>the</strong> projects financed with debt proceeds last or have a Auseful life@ for at least<br />

as long as it takes to totally repay <strong>the</strong> loan or bond issue.<br />

7. Funds borrowed for longer than one year are used to finance capital projects, not<br />

current operating expenses.<br />

Commentary<br />

Along with this standard, it is recommended that <strong>the</strong> <strong>municipal</strong>ity provide a definition of what<br />

constitutes a "capital project." Any item not meeting this definition, should not be financed by<br />

borrowed money. The definition of a capital item most often reflects a dollar amount or <strong>the</strong> useful<br />

life of an item. For example: Capital expenditures for equipment with a useful life of five years<br />

shall be part of <strong>the</strong> operating budget. Or, equipment or projects which cost $5,000 or more will be<br />

included in <strong>the</strong> capital improvement budget.<br />

8. The replacement and maintenance of <strong>municipal</strong> equipment, vehicles or facilities is to be<br />

in accordance with a formal schedule. This plan is used for planning and in preparing<br />

<strong>the</strong> annual operating budget.<br />

Commentary<br />

If a <strong>municipal</strong>ity has a replacement and maintenance schedule which encompasses all of its<br />

equipment and vehicles, it can be used for <strong>the</strong> multi-year planning of major expenditures. Also, new<br />

capital facilities and equipment over <strong>the</strong> long term generally result in additional operating costs<br />

related to preventative maintenance and parts replacement. These new or additional costs should be<br />

projected at <strong>the</strong> same time <strong>the</strong> capital projects are considered since <strong>the</strong>y will require an allocation in<br />

future annual operating budgets.<br />

A-24

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