Item 3C: Adoption of Resolution Acknowledging Receipt of the FY10 CAFR

Home Browse Search

CITY OF EUGENE, OREGON Notes to Basic Financial Statements (1) Summary of Significant Accounting Policies, continued (J) Capital Assets Capital assets are defined by the government as tangible or intangible assets that are used in operations and that have initial useful lives extending beyond a single reporting period. The City’s capitalization threshold for tangible assets is $5,000. Tangible assets include land, right-of-way (included with land), buildings, improvements, equipment, and infrastructure. The capitalization threshold for intangible assets is $50,000. Intangible assets include copyrights, trademarks, and computer software. Infrastructure capital assets are those that are stationary in nature and can be preserved for a significantly greater number of years than most other capital assets. The City has a transportation infrastructure system reported in governmental activities consisting of roads, bridges, sidewalks, and traffic and lighting systems. Infrastructure reported in business-type activities consists of a regional airfield, and stormwater and wastewater collection systems. As permitted by GASB 34, the City has limited the retroactive capitalization of governmental fund infrastructure to fiscal years ending after June 30, 1980. Although the majority of such infrastructure was placed in service before that date, it has not been included in these financial statements since it has been substantially depreciated. Except for governmental activities infrastructure placed in service prior to July 1, 1980, all capital assets have been capitalized in the government-wide and proprietary fund financial statements. In accordance with the current financial resources measurement focus, capital assets are not capitalized in the governmental fund financial statements. All purchased capital assets are valued at cost where historical records are available and at estimated historical cost where no historical records exist. Historical cost is measured by the cash or cash equivalent price of obtaining an asset, including ancillary charges necessary to place the asset into its intended location and condition for use. Donated capital assets are reported at their estimated fair value at the time of acquisition plus ancillary charges, if any. Additions, improvements, and other capital outlays that significantly extend the useful life of an asset are capitalized. Amounts expended for maintenance and repairs are charged to expenditures/expenses in the appropriate funds as incurred and are not capitalized. Capital improvements financed by special assessments which provide assets to the City’s Stormwater Utility Fund and Wastewater Utility Fund are capitalized in the proprietary fund Statement of Fund Net Assets. Capital assets are depreciated unless they are inexhaustible in nature or have an indefinite useful life (e.g., land and right-of-ways). Depreciation is an accounting process which allocates the cost of capital assets, in a systematic and rational manner, to those periods expected to benefit from the use of capital assets. Depreciation is not intended to represent an estimate in the decline of fair market value, nor are capital assets, net of accumulated depreciation, intended to represent an estimate of the current condition of the assets, or the maintenance requirements needed to maintain the assets at their current level of condition. Depreciation is computed over the estimated useful lives of the capital assets. All estimates of useful lives are based on actual experience by City departments with identical or similar capital assets. Infrastructure assets are depreciated using a composite depreciation method. All other categories of assets are depreciated on the straight-line basis of accounting. The estimated useful lives of the various categories of assets are as follows: Estimated Category useful life Buildings 40-50 years Improvements other than buildings 20 years Infrastructure25-40 years Equipment 3-15 years continued