In April 2024, our founder and CEO, Sheila Weinberg, spoke at the AGA South Dakota's Professional Development Conference on budget gimmicks, research & resources, and the Financial Data Transparency Act. Her presentation simplified government accounting to a personal level, with examples of how an individual might balance their checkbook and what they would consider right and wrong when doing so. For many years, state governments like South Dakota have claimed a balanced budget yet haven't properly balanced their checkbook. Plus, government financial reports are more complicated than a household budget. Hence, it is difficult for citizens to read and understand when a government has not truly balanced its budget. 

Sheila's colleague and University of Denver professor Christine Kuglin, JD LLM, joined Sheila via video to explain what governments can do to become more transparent with their financial reporting. Watch Christine's explanation of the Financial Data Transparency Act and XBRL below.