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Cabarrus County, North Carolina Notes to the Financial Statements For the Year Ended June 30, 2011 4. Ad Valorem Taxes Receivable In accordance with G.S. 105 -347 and G.S. 159- 13(a), ad valorem taxes on property other than motor vehicles are levied on July 1, the beginning of the fiscal year, and are due on September 1; however, interest does not accrue until the following January 6. The taxes are based on the assessed values as of January 1, 2010. The legal lien date is January 1. The County is permitted by North Carolina general statutes to levy taxes up to $1.50 per $100 assessed valuation for general governmental services. This limitation does not apply to debt service, court and jail facilities, funding deficits, conducting elections, kindergarten to post secondary public education, social services or joint ventures with other political subdivisions in providing these functions, services or activities. The County's tax rate for the 2010/11 fiscal year was $0.63 per $100 valuation. 5. Allowances for Doubtful Accounts All receivables that historically experience uncollectible accounts are shown net of an allowance for doubtful accounts. This amount is estimated by analyzing the percentage of receivables that were written off in prior years. 6. Inventories and Prepaid items The inventories of Cabarrus County are valued at cost (first -in, first -out), which approximates market. The County's inventories consist of expendable supplies that are recorded as expenditures when purchased (purchasing method). The Alliance maintains no inventory. Certain payments to vendors reflect costs applicable to future accounting periods and are recorded as prepaid items in both government -wide and fund financial statements. 7. Capital Assets Capital assets are defined by the government as assets with an initial, individual cost of more than $5,000 and an estimated useful life in excess of one year. Capital assets, which include property, plant and equipment, are reported in the applicable governmental or business -type activities columns in the government -wide financial statements. Such assets are recorded at historical cost or estimated historical cost if purchased or constructed. Donated capital assets are recorded at estimated fair value at the date of donation. The costs of normal maintenance and repair that do not add to the value of the assets or materially extend assets lives are not capitalized. The County holds title to certain Cabarrus County and Kannapolis City Board of Education properties, which have not been included in capital assets. The properties have been deeded to the County to permit Certificates of Participation and installment financing of acquisition and construction costs and to permit the County to receive refunds of sales tax paid for construction costs. Agreements between the County and the Boards of Education give the Boards of Education full use of the facilities, full responsibility for maintenance of the facilities, and provide that the County will convey title to the property back to the Boards of Education, once all restrictions of the financing agreements and all sales tax reimbursement requirements have been met. The properties are reflected as capital assets in the financial statements of the Cabarrus County and Kannapolis City Boards of Education. Capital assets are depreciated using the straight line method over the following estimated useful lives: Assets Years Buildings 40 Building improvements 40 Land improvements 15 Furniture and equipment 5 Reservoir 999 Vehicles and motorized equipment 5 44 Attachment number 1 1 -3 Page 166