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NOTE 1— SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (CONTINUED) <br />E. Cash and Investments (Continued) <br />Cash and investments held by trustee include balances held in segregated accounts that are established for <br />specific purposes, such as bond indentures held by trustee established for certain bonds. Interest earned <br />on these investments is allocated directly to the escrow account. <br />The City generally reports investments at fair value. The Minnesota Municipal Money Market (4M) Fund <br />is an external investment pool regulated by Minnesota Statutes that is not registered with the Securities <br />and Exchange Commission (SEC), but follows the same regulatory rules of the SEC under rule 2a7. The <br />City's investment in this fund is measured at the net asset value per share provided by the pool, which is <br />based on an amortized cost method that approximates fair value. <br />F. Receivables <br />All miscellaneous accounts receivable are presented net of an allowance for doubtful accounts. Since the <br />City is generally able to certify delinquent amounts to the county for collection as special assessments, no <br />allowance for uncollectible accounts has been provided on these receivables. The only receivables not <br />expected to be fully collected within one year are property taxes and special assessments receivable. <br />G. Property Taxes <br />Property tax levies are set by the City Council by December of each year and are certified to the County <br />Auditor for collection in the following year. In Minnesota, counties act as collection agents for all <br />property taxes. <br />A portion of the property taxes levied is paid by the state of Minnesota through various tax credits, which <br />is included in intergovernmental revenue in the financial statements. <br />The county spreads all levies over taxable property. Such taxes become a lien on January 1 and are <br />recorded as receivables by the City on that date. Real property taxes may be paid by taxpayers in two <br />equal installments on May 15 and October 15. Personal property taxes are due in full on May 15. The <br />county provides tax settlements to cities and other taxing districts several times a year. Taxes which <br />remain unpaid at December 31 are classified as delinquent taxes receivable. <br />H. Special Assessments <br />Special assessments represent the financing for public improvements paid for by the benefiting property <br />owners. These assessments are recorded as delinquent (levied but unremitted) or deferred (certified but <br />not yet levied) special assessments receivable. <br />I. Prepaid items <br />Certain payments to vendors reflect costs applicable to future accounting periods and are recorded as <br />prepaid items in both government -wide and fund financial statements. <br />J. Interfund Receivables and Payables <br />Activity between funds that is representative of lending or borrowing arrangements is reported as either <br />"due to /from other funds" (current portion) or "advances to /from other funds." All other outstanding <br />balances between funds are reported as "due to /from other funds." Any residual balances outstanding <br />between the governmental activities and business -type activities are reported in the government -wide <br />financial statements as "internal balances." <br />65 <br />