Technology California
California treasurer launches interactive public finance guide
By Keeley Webster December 24, 2020, 1:43 p.m. EST 1 Min Read
California Treasurer Fiona Ma's office has gone virtual with the California Debt Financing Guide, making it easier for public finance professionals to find information they need.
Ma announced the release of a new interactive software version of the guide Wednesday, which up until now had only been available as a static PDF document. It's available at www.debtguide.treasurer.ca.gov.
"The new interactive application responds to the needs of present-day finance officers, many of whom require quick answers to complex questions," Ma said.
California Treasurer Fiona Ma unveils a computer app that makes CDIAC's public finance guide more user-friendly.
California has more than 4,400 units of government that tap the muni market to fund projects and look to the guide for answers to questions on how to issue bonds.
The app was developed by the California Debt and Investment Advisory Commission (CDIAC), which Treasurer Ma chairs. CDIAC provides educational resources to public finance professionals in California.
Robert Berry, CDIAC's executive director, told the Bond Buyer when he was named head of the commission early this year that this project was on his short list of goals.
"This version of the Debt Guide enables users to easily search for public finance terms and concepts and then save their personal notes and bookmarks for future use," Berry said in a statement.
The Debt Guide is the 2020 update to CDIAC's flagship resource, the California Debt Issuance Primer.
As designed, the app enables users to create an account to highlight sections, save notes and bookmark sections for future use. In addition, the application can be accessed and viewed on any personal device. The app also has a legal references appendix.
"One of the most important aspects of the Debt Guide app is that it can be accessed on any device, a shortcut to the application can be saved to the home screen of your phone, tablet, or computer and easily accessed when needed," Berry said.
Keeley Webster
Technology California State of California