Oakland County wins fiscal transparency awards

Oakland County has received top honors in financial reporting. The Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada (GFOA) awarded Certificates of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting to the county for its Fiscal Year 2020 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR) for the 30th straight year and its Fiscal Year 2020 Popular Annual Financial Report (PAFR) for 24 years in a row.

The ACFR and PAFR are one of the many ways Oakland County remains transparent and accountable to residents and taxpayers. The ACFR discloses the county's finances in full detail to anyone who wants to review them, particularly those investing in the county. The PAFR provides a summary of the county’s finances in a format that everyone can understand.

“[Oakland County’s ACFR] report has been judged by an impartial panel to meet the high standards of the program, which includes demonstrating a constructive ‘spirit of full disclosure’ to clearly communicate its financial story,” the GFOA said in a news release announcing the award.

Organizational excellence is among the seven goals outlined in the County’s new five-year roadmap, unveiled by Oakland County Executive Dave Coulter in his 2022 State of the County speech March 15, 2022.
“Our administration has a reputation for fiscal responsibility through prudent management, balanced three-year budgets and innovative services,” said Coulter during his address. “Maintaining fiscal discipline and ensuring the county lives within its means is a fundamental principle of good government. So is transparency.”

As a leader in financial transparency, Oakland County offers several reports from the budget to monthly financial reports on its Fiscal Services webpage at www.oakgov.com/mgtbud/fiscal/Pages/default.aspx.