Remember dancing to your favorite 45s,cruising to an 8-track tape or popping a cassette into the stereo? Seemslike a long time ago, doesn’t it?

That is because these all representtechnologies of the past. Even the once-mighty compact disc appearsheaded for extinction. One recent survey indicated more people are now streamingmusic rather than buying it.

Records, tapes and even CDs are just datastorage systems by other names – they’re just like file folders, zip drives andhard drives. All are yesterday’s news. Each system has its virtues, buteach has the same major limitation – each can only contain a limited amount ofdata and can only be accessed in one particular setting.

Not so with the expanding internet and cloudcomputing.

It’s all in the numbers and the simpler they are – the easier they are to understand. That is why Munetrix uses a single digit number as a barometer to gauge the financial health – or stress – of local governments and school districts.

We use Michigan’s single digit Fiscal Scoring System, augmented by our color-coded highlights. It makes for an eye catching display that is easy to understand. Financially healthy jurisdictions tend to have a smaller number, highlighted in green, while their stressed counterparts tend to have a larger number, highlighted in red.

This methodology allows for quick identification of those who may be taking a turn for the worse, highlighted in blue, while giving them enough time to avoid a problem. These data representations are a tool to help jurisdictions make educated, fact-based decisions about their finances. They also give a clear, concise financial picture to government officials and the people they serve.