"The City of Atlanta announced today that the Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada has presented the City with its Distinguished Budget Presentation Award for the fourth consecutive year. The award recognizes the commitment of the City’s Department of Finance to meeting the highest principles of governmental budgeting.

"It is a tremendous honor to be recognized by the GFOA for our budget for the fourth consecutive year,” said Mayor Kasim Reed. “The Distinguished Budget Presentation Award recognizes the City of Atlanta’s hard work and success in meeting nationally recognized guidelines for effective budget presentation. I offer my congratulations to the budget team and the entire Department of Finance, and hope that Atlanta residents can take pride in our performance."

The City of Atlanta’s budget was evaluated on 14 criteria across four categories: how well a budget functions as a policy document, a financial plan, an operations guide and a communications device. A budget must receive a rating of “proficient” or better in all four categories to receive the Award.

“It is a privilege for the Department of Finance to be recognized on a national level for upholding the highest budgetary standards," said Jim Beard, Chief Financial Officer. "This award reflects the commitment and accomplishments that the City of Atlanta has achieved under Mayor Kasim Reed’s leadership.”

The GFOA established the Distinguished Budget Presentation Awards Program in 1984 to encourage and assist state and local governments to prepare budget documents of the very highest quality that reflect both the guidelines established by the National Advisory Council on State and Local Budgeting and the GFOA’s best practices on budgeting and then to recognize individual governments that succeed in achieving that goal."