The City of Milton has been honored, once again, for its excellence in government financial reporting for two of its most recent informative, insightful publications.

The Government Finance Officers Association – the premiere organization for those in the government finance field – recently informed the City about the prestigious recognitions. Specifically, they were for Milton’s submissions of these documents chronicling details of City finances from Fiscal Year 2024 (which ran from Oct. 1, 2023, to Sept. 30, 2024):

• The Annual Comprehensive Financial Report, or ACFR, which you can find at https://www.miltonga.gov/home/showdocument?id=8505. This detailed, 118-page report contains a wealth of information such as financial statements, analyses of each City fund, revenue and debt data, financial trends, and more. ACFR’s target audience is those who are knowledgeable and passionate about government finance and accounting. 

• The Popular Annual Financial Report, or PAFR, which is accessible at https://www.miltonga.gov/home/showdocument?id=8238. This publication aims to give everyday people, including those with little to no financial expertise, a useful, engaging, easy-to-understand account of Milton’s finances. Over 17 pages, it tells the City’s financial story using charts, graphics, and comprehensible language. 

This is in addition to the Distinguished Budget Presentation Award, bestowed last June by the same organization, for the City’s latest “Budget Book” chronicling Fiscal Year 2025. Within government finance circles, the accumulation of all three honors at once is considered the “Triple Crown” and signifies a government’s exceptional record-keeping and transparency on multiple levels.

GFOA has bestowed the City with a Certificate of Achievement in Financial Reporting for every comprehensive financial report that the City has ever produced, starting with the one documenting the year of its incorporation. Similarly, each Milton PAFR edition (since the first one chronicling FY2018) has earned an Award for Outstanding Achievement in Popular Annual Financial Reporting.

These award-winning publications reflect the high value that the City places on financial accountability and transparency. Milton officials take great pride in their conservative stewardship of City funds, feeling an earnest responsibility to taxpayers to ensure the accurate accounting of every dollar in-and-out. More examples can be found by going to www.miltonga.gov/Transparency.

“The citizens of Milton deserve the best and, as such, deserve ready access to financial information that is organized, understandable, and valuable,” Deputy City Manager Bernadette Harvill said. “We in the City are committed to continue providing this core service through ACFR, PAFR, our online transparency portal, and other channels.”