OSA Weekly Update - 5/3/2024

1. Message from Auditor Blaha

2. Available: CTAS 2024

3. Available: 2023 TIF Annual Reporting Forms

4. Avoiding Pitfall: Municipal Ratification of Relief Association Benefit Levels

5. Job Openings

1. Message from Auditor Blaha

Scholarship Alert: One important role of The Minnesota chapter of Women in Public Finance is to attract and keep people in our profession. They have a scholarship that may interest you:
“The Minnesota Chapter of Women in Public Finance (MnWPF) has opened the application period for the scholarships it offers to women attending their undergraduate studies in the fall of 2024. While MnWPF typically awards at least $5,000 to deserving students each year, the total amount allocated for 2024 and the amount of individual awards may vary. Applications are due June 1, 2024.” Visit MnWPF's website for the application and share with your networks.

2. Available: CTAS 2024

CTAS 2024 is now available for install through the State Auditor's Form Entry System (SAFES).
If your entity purchased CTAS Version 8, there's no additional cost. If you need help logging into SAFES, send an email to SAFES@osa.state.mn.us.

Information on CTAS 2024 Enhancements and the CTAS Newsletter can be found on the CTAS page of the OSA's website.

CTAS questions and concerns can be emailed to ctas@osa.state.mn.us.

3. Available: 2023 TIF Annual Reporting Forms

TIF Annual Reporting Forms, required annually to report the tax increment financing activities of each TIF district, are now available in the State Auditor Form Entry System (SAFES). Forms must be downloaded, completed off-line, and submitted via SAFES by August 1, 2024.

Instructions and SAFES information were e-mailed on Thursday, May 2, 2024. If you did not receive an email and have TIF districts to report, contact our office at TIF@osa.state.mn.us.

Questions sometimes arise regarding municipal ratification of relief association benefit levels. A relief association initiates a change in benefit levels by amending its bylaws. A city council or town board can choose to approve a relief association benefit change or choose not to approve the change. After the bylaws are ratified by the governing body, however, the benefit levels are guaranteed by the municipality.

In approving benefit levels, the city council or town board assumes responsibility for ensuring the relief association Special Fund has sufficient assets to cover approved benefit levels.

The Office of the State Auditor knows of no authority for a city council to ratify a relief association benefit level while simultaneously limiting any future contributions to the relief association to amounts less than those required by Minnesota law. Minnesota law is clear that a municipality is required to make any contributions that become due to the relief association at an approved benefit level.

For more information regarding municipal contribution requirements, see the Statement of Position on this topic here.

The full Avoiding Pitfall is available on the OSA website.