File No. 33-44227
811-06489
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM N-1A
REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933 [X]
Pre-Effective Amendment No. [__]
Post-Effective Amendment No. 14 [X]
and/or
REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT OF 1940 [X]
Amendment No. 14 [X]
(Check appropriate box or boxes.)
DREYFUS FLORIDA INTERMEDIATE MUNICIPAL BOND FUND
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)
c/o The Dreyfus Corporation
200 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10166
(Address of Principal Executive Offices) (Zip Code)
Registrant's Telephone Number, including Area Code: (212) 922-6000
Mark N. Jacobs, Esq.
200 Park Avenue
New York, New York 10166
(Name and Address of Agent for Service)
It is proposed that this filing will become effective (check appropriate box)
immediately upon filing pursuant to paragraph (b)
----
X on May 1, 2000 pursuant to paragraph (b)
----
60 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(1)
----
on (DATE) pursuant to paragraph (a)(1)
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----
75 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(2)
----
on (DATE) pursuant to paragraph (a)(2) of Rule 485
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----
If appropriate, check the following box:
---- this post-effective amendment designates a new effective date
for a previously filed post-effective amendment.
<PAGE>
Dreyfus Florida Intermediate Municipal Bond Fund
Investing for income that is exempt from federal income tax
PROSPECTUS May 1, 2000
As with all mutual funds, the Securities and Exchange Commission has not
approved or disapproved these securities or passed upon the adequacy of this
prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
<PAGE>
Contents
THE FUND
- ----------------------------------------------------
2 Goal/Approach
3 Main Risks
4 Past Performance
5 Expenses
6 Management
7 Financial Highlights
YOUR INVESTMENT
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8 Account Policies
11 Distributions and Taxes
12 Services for Fund Investors
14 Instructions for Regular Accounts
FOR MORE INFORMATION
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Back Cover
What every investor should know about the fund
Information for managing your fund account
Where to learn more about this and other Dreyfus funds
<PAGE>
The Fund
Dreyfus Florida Intermediate Municipal Bond Fund
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Ticker Symbol: DFLIX
GOAL/APPROACH
The fund seeks as high a level of income exempt from federal income tax as is
consistent with the preservation of capital. To pursue its goal, the fund
normally invests substantially all of its assets in municipal bonds issued by
the state of Florida, its political subdivisions, authorities and corporations,
that provide income exempt from federal income tax and the Florida intangibles
personal property tax. The fund generally maintains a dollar-weighted average
portfolio maturity between three and ten years. While the fund generally intends
to invest only in investment grade securities or the unrated equivalent as
determined by Dreyfus, it does have the ability to invest up to 20% of its net
assets in bonds rated below BBB/Baa.
Municipal bonds are typically of two types:
o GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS, which are secured by the full faith and
credit of the issuer and its taxing power
o REVENUE BONDS, which are payable from the revenues derived from a
specific revenue source, such as charges for water and sewer service or
highway tolls
The fund is non-diversified, which means that a relatively high percentage of
the fund's assets may be invested in a limited number of issuers. Therefore, its
performance may be more vulnerable to changes in the market value of a single
issuer or a group of issuers.
INFORMATION ON THE FUND'S RECENT STRATEGIES AND HOLDINGS CAN BE FOUND IN THE
CURRENT ANNUAL/SEMIANNUAL REPORT (SEE BACK COVER).
Concepts to understand
AVERAGE MATURITY: an average of the stated maturities of the bonds held in the
fund, based on their dollar-weighted proportions in the fund.
INVESTMENT GRADE BONDS: independent rating organizations analyze and evaluate a
bond issuer's credit history and ability to repay debts. Based on their
assessment, they assign letter grades that reflect the issuer's
creditworthiness. AAA or Aaa represents the highest credit rating, AA/Aa the
second highest, and so on down to D, for defaulted debt. Bonds rated BBB or Baa
and above are considered investment grade.
<PAGE>
MAIN RISKS
Prices of bonds tend to move inversely with changes in interest rates. Although
a rise in rates may allow the fund to invest for higher yields, the most
immediate effect is usually a drop in bond prices and, therefore, in the fund's
share price as well. As a result, the value of your investment in the fund could
go up and down, which means that you could lose money.
Other risk factors could have an effect on the fund's performance:
o if an issuer fails to make timely interest or principal payments or if
there is a decline in the credit quality of a bond or a perception of a
decline, the bond's value could fall, potentially lowering the fund's
share price
o Florida's economy and revenues underlying its municipal bonds may
decline
o investing primarily in a single state may make the fund's portfolio
securities more sensitive to risks specific to the state
Although the fund's objective is to generate income exempt from federal income
tax, interest from some of its holdings may be subject to the alternative
minimum tax. In addition, the fund occasionally may invest in taxable bonds.
Other potential risks
The fund may, at times, invest in certain derivatives, such as futures, options
and inverse floaters, which may cause taxable income. Derivatives can be
illiquid and highly sensitive to changes in their underlying security, interest
rate or index, and as a result can be highly volatile. A small investment in
certain derivatives could have a potentially large impact on the fund's
performance.
The Fund
<PAGE>
PAST PERFORMANCE
The bar chart and table below show some of the risks of investing in the fund.
The bar chart shows the changes in the fund's performance from year to year. The
table compares the fund's average annual total return to that of the Lehman
Brothers 10-Year Municipal Bond Index, an unmanaged, non-Florida-specific,
total-return performance benchmark. Of course, past performance is no guarantee
of future results.
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Year-by-year total return AS OF 12/31 EACH YEAR (%)
[Exhibit A]
BEST QUARTER: Q1 '95 +5.92%
WORST QUARTER: Q1 '94 -4.69%
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Average annual total return AS OF 12/31/99
Since
inception
1 Year 5 Years (1/21/92)
----------------------------------------------------
FUND -1.16% 5.39% 5.45%
LEHMAN BROTHERS
10-YEAR MUNICIPAL
BOND INDEX -1.25% 7.12% 6.50%*
* FOR COMPARATIVE PURPOSES, THE VALUE OF THE INDEX ON 1/31/92 IS USED AS THE
BEGINNING VALUE ON 1/21/92.
What this fund is --
and isn't
This fund is a mutual fund:
a pooled investment that is professionally managed and gives you the opportunity
to participate in financial markets. It strives to reach its stated goal,
although as with all mutual funds, it cannot offer guaranteed results.
An investment in this fund is not a bank deposit. It is not insured or
guaranteed by the FDIC or any other government agency. It is not a complete
investment program. You could lose money in this fund, but you also have the
potential to make money.
<PAGE>
EXPENSES
As an investor, you pay certain fees and expenses in connection with the fund,
which are described in the table below. Shareholder transaction fees are paid
from your account. Annual fund operating expenses are paid out of fund assets,
so their effect is included in the share price. The fund has no sales charge
(load) or Rule 12b-1 distribution fees.
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Fee table
SHAREHOLDER TRANSACTION FEES
% OF TRANSACTION AMOUNT
Maximum redemption fee 1.00%
CHARGED ONLY WHEN SELLING SHARES YOU
HAVE OWNED FOR LESS THAN 30 DAYS*
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ANNUAL FUND OPERATING EXPENSES
% OF AVERAGE DAILY NET ASSETS
Management fees 0.60%
Shareholder services fee 0.09%
Other expenses 0.12%
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TOTAL 0.81%
* SHARES PURCHASED BEFORE JUNE 1, 2000 MUST BE HELD FOR AT LEAST 15 DAYS TO
AVOID THE REDEMPTION FEE.
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Expense example
1 Year 3 Years 5 Years 10 Years
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$83 $259 $450 $1,002
This example shows what you could pay in expenses over
time. It uses the same hypothetical conditions other
funds use in their prospectuses: $10,000 initial
investment, 5% total return each year and no changes in
expenses. The figures shown would be the same whether
you sold your shares at the end of a period or kept
them. Because actual return and expenses will be
different, the example is for comparison only.
Concepts to understand
MANAGEMENT FEE: the fee paid to Dreyfus for managing the fund's portfolio and
assisting in all aspects of the fund's operations.
SHAREHOLDER SERVICES FEE: a fee of up to 0.25% used to reimburse the fund's
distributor for shareholder account service and maintenance.
OTHER EXPENSES: fees paid by the fund for miscellaneous items such as transfer
agency, custody, professional and registration fees.
The Fund
<PAGE>
MANAGEMENT
The fund's investment adviser is The Dreyfus Corporation, 200 Park Avenue, New
York, New York 10166. Founded in 1947, Dreyfus manages more than $127 billion in
over 160 mutual fund portfolios. For the past fiscal year, the fund paid Dreyfus
a management fee at the annual rate of 0.60% of the fund's average daily net
assets. Dreyfus is the primary mutual fund business of Mellon Financial
Corporation, a global financial services company with approximately $2.5
trillion of assets under management, administration or custody, including
approximately $485 billion under management. Mellon provides wealth management,
global investment services and a comprehensive array of banking services for
individuals, businesses and institutions. Mellon is headquartered in Pittsburgh,
Pennsylvania.
The fund, Dreyfus and Dreyfus Service Corporation (the fund's distributor) each
have adopted a code of ethics that permits its personnel, subject to such code,
to invest in securities, including securities that may be purchased or held by
the fund. The Dreyfus code of ethics restricts the personal securities
transactions of its employees, and requires portfolio managers and other
investment personnel to comply with the code's preclearance and disclosure
procedures. Its primary purpose is to ensure that personal trading by Dreyfus
employees does not disadvantage any Dreyfus-managed fund.
Portfolio manager
Monica S. Wieboldt has been the fund's primary portfolio manager since August
1999 and has been employed by Dreyfus since November 1983.
<PAGE>
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
This table describes the fund's performance for the fiscal periods indicated.
"Total return" shows how much your investment in the fund would have increased
(or decreased) during each period, assuming you had reinvested all dividends and
distributions. These figures have been independently audited by Ernst & Young
LLP, whose report, along with the fund's financial statements, is included in
the annual report.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31,
1999 1998 1997 1996 1995
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PER-SHARE DATA ($)
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Net asset value, beginning of period 13.59 13.64 13.45 13.62 12.52
Investment operations:
Investment income -- net .59 .60 .60 .61 .62
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss)
on investments (.74) .06 .23 (.17) 1.10
Total from investment operations (.15) .66 .83 .44 1.72
Distributions:
Dividends from investment
income -- net (.59) (.60) (.60) (.61) (.62)
Dividends from net realized gain
on investments .00(1) (.11) (.04) -- --
Total distributions (.59) (.71) (.64) (.61) (.62)
Net asset value, end of period 12.85 13.59 13.64 13.45 13.62
Total return (%) (1.16) 4.98 6.35 3.35 13.98
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RATIOS/SUPPLEMENTAL DATA
Ratio of expenses to average net assets (%) .81 .81 .80 .80 .69
Ratio of net investment income
to average net assets (%) 4.42 4.41 4.43 4.53 4.70
Decrease reflected in above
expense ratios due to actions
by Dreyfus (%) -- -- -- -- .08
Portfolio turnover rate (%) 10.61 32.49 19.68 19.14 25.00
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Net assets, end of period ($ x 1,000) 287,162 329,089 351,964 387,899 428,896
(1) AMOUNT REPRESENTS LESS THAN $.01.
</TABLE>
The Fund
<PAGE>
Your Investment
ACCOUNT POLICIES
Buying shares
YOU PAY NO SALES CHARGES to invest in this fund. Your price for fund shares is
the fund's net asset value per share (NAV), which is generally calculated as of
the close of trading on the New York Stock Exchange (usually 4:00 p.m. Eastern
time) every day the exchange is open.
YOUR ORDER WILL BE PRICED at the next NAV calculated after your order is
accepted by the fund's transfer agent or other authorized entity. The fund's
investments are generally valued at fair value by an independent pricing service
approved and supervised by the fund's board. Because the fund seeks tax-exempt
income, it is not recommended for purchase in IRAs or other qualified retirement
plans.
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Minimum investments
Initial Additional
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REGULAR ACCOUNTS $2,500 $100
$500 FOR
TELETRANSFER INVESTMENTS
DREYFUS AUTOMATIC $100 $100
INVESTMENT PLANS
All investments must be in U.S. dollars. Third-party
checks cannot be accepted. You may be charged a fee for
any check that does not clear. Maximum TeleTransfer
purchase is $150,000 per day.
Third-party investments
If you invest through a third party (rather than directly with Dreyfus), the
policies and fees may be different than those described here. Banks, brokers,
401(k) plans, financial advisers and financial supermarkets may charge
transaction fees and may set different minimum investments or limitations on
buying or selling shares. Consult a representative of your plan or financial
institution if in doubt.
<PAGE>
Selling shares
YOU MAY SELL (REDEEM) SHARES AT ANY TIME. Your shares will be sold at the next
NAV calculated after your order is accepted by the fund's transfer agent or
other authorized entity. Any certificates representing fund shares being sold
must be returned with your redemption request. Your order will be processed
promptly and you will generally receive the proceeds within a week.
BEFORE SELLING RECENTLY PURCHASED SHARES, please note that:
o if the fund has not yet collected payment for the shares you are
selling, it may delay sending the proceeds for up to eight business
days or until it has collected payment
o if you are selling or exchanging shares you have owned for less than 30
days*, the fund may deduct a 1% redemption fee (not charged on shares
sold through the Checkwriting Privilege, Automatic Withdrawal Plan or
Dreyfus Auto-Exchange Privilege, or on shares acquired through dividend
reinvestment)
* SHARES PURCHASED BEFORE JUNE 1, 2000 MUST BE HELD FOR AT LEAST 15 DAYS TO
AVOID THE REDEMPTION FEE.
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Limitations on selling shares by phone
Proceeds ent by Minimum Maximum
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CHECK NO MINIMUM $250,000 PER DAY
WIRE $1,000 $500,000 FOR JOINT ACCOUNTS
EVERY 30 DAYS
TELETRANSFER $500 $500,000 FOR JOINT ACCOUNTS
EVERY 30 DAYS
Written sell orders
Some circumstances require written sell orders along with signature guarantees.
These include:
o amounts of $10,000 or more on accounts whose address has been changed
within the last 30 days
o requests to send the proceeds to a different payee or address
Written sell orders of $100,000 or more must also be signature guaranteed.
A SIGNATURE GUARANTEE helps protect against fraud. You can obtain one from most
banks or securities dealers, but not from a notary public. For joint accounts,
each signature must be guaranteed. Please call us to ensure that your signature
guarantee will be processed correctly.
Your Investment
<PAGE>
ACCOUNT POLICIES (CONTINUED)
General policies
UNLESS YOU DECLINE TELEPHONE PRIVILEGES on your application, you may be
responsible for any fraudulent telephone order as long as Dreyfus takes
reasonable measures to verify the order.
THE FUND RESERVES THE RIGHT TO:
o refuse any purchase or exchange request that could adversely affect the
fund or its operations, including those from any individual or group
who, in the fund's view, is likely to engage in excessive trading
(usually defined as more than four exchanges out of the fund within a
calendar year)
o refuse any purchase or exchange request in excess of 1% of the fund's
total assets
o change or discontinue its exchange privilege, or temporarily suspend
this privilege during unusual market conditions
o change its minimum investment amounts
o delay sending out redemption proceeds for up to seven days (generally
applies only in cases of very large redemptions, excessive trading or
during unusual market conditions)
The fund also reserves the right to make a "redemption in kind" -- payment in
portfolio securities rather than cash -- if the amount you are redeeming is
large enough to affect fund operations (for example, if it represents more than
1% of the fund's assets).
Small account policies
To offset the relatively higher costs of servicing smaller accounts, the fund
charges regular accounts with balances below $2,000 an annual fee of $12. The
fee will be imposed during the fourth quarter of each calendar year.
The fee will be waived for: any investor whose aggregate Dreyfus mutual fund
investments total at least $25,000; IRA accounts; accounts participating in
automatic investment programs; and accounts opened through a financial
institution.
If your account falls below $500, the fund may ask you to increase your balance.
If it is still below $500 after 30 days, the fund may close your account and
send you the proceeds.
<PAGE>
DISTRIBUTIONS AND TAXES
THE FUND USUALLY PAYS ITS SHAREHOLDERS DIVIDENDS from its net investment income
once a month, and distributes any net capital gains it has realized once a year.
Your distributions will be reinvested in the fund unless you instruct the fund
otherwise. There are no fees or sales charges on reinvestments.
THE FUND ANTICIPATES THAT VIRTUALLY ALL OF ITS INCOME DIVIDENDS will be exempt
from federal income tax. However, any dividends and capital gains from taxable
investments are taxable as ordinary income, whether or not you reinvested them.
The tax status of any distribution is the same regardless of how long you have
been in the fund and whether you reinvest your distributions or take them in
cash. In general, distributions are federally taxable as follows:
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Taxability of distributions
Type of Tax rate for Tax rate for
distribution 15% bracket 28% bracket or above
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INCOME GENERALLY GENERALLY
DIVIDENDS TAX EXEMPT TAX EXEMPT
SHORT-TERM ORDINARY ORDINARY
CAPITAL GAINS INCOME RATE INCOME RATE
LONG-TERM
CAPITAL GAINS 10% 20%
The tax status of your dividends and distributions will be detailed in your
annual tax statement from the fund.
Because everyone's tax situation is unique, always consult your tax professional
about federal, state and local tax consequences.
Taxes on transactions
Any sale or exchange of fund shares, including through the checkwriting
privilege, may generate a tax liability.
The table at right also can provide a guide for your potential tax liability
when selling or exchanging fund shares. "Short-term capital gains" applies to
fund shares sold or exchanged up to 12 months after buying them. "Long-term
capital gains" applies to shares sold or exchanged after 12 months.
Your Investment
<PAGE>
SERVICES FOR FUND INVESTORS
Automatic services
BUYING OR SELLING SHARES AUTOMATICALLY is easy with the services described
below. With each service, you select a schedule and amount, subject to certain
restrictions. You can set up most of these services with your application or by
calling 1-800-645-6561.
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For investing
DREYFUS AUTOMATIC For making automatic investments ASSET BUILDER((reg.tm)) from
a designated bank account.
DREYFUS PAYROLL For making automatic investments SAVINGS PLAN through a payroll
deduction.
DREYFUS GOVERNMENT For making automatic investments
DIRECT DEPOSIT from your federal employment,
PRIVILEGE Social Security or other regular
federal government check.
DREYFUS DIVIDEND For automatically reinvesting the
SWEEP dividends and distributions from
one Dreyfus fund into another
(not available for IRAs).
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For exchanging shares
DREYFUS AUTO- For making regular exchanges
EXCHANGE PRIVILEGE from one Dreyfus fund into
another.
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For selling shares
DREYFUS AUTOMATIC For making regular withdrawals
WITHDRAWAL PLAN from most Dreyfus
funds.
Dreyfus Financial Centers
Through a nationwide network of Dreyfus Financial Centers, Dreyfus offers a full
array of investment services and products. This includes information on mutual
funds, brokerage services, tax-advantaged products and retirement planning.
Experienced financial consultants can help you make informed choices and provide
you with personalized attention in handling account transactions. The Financial
Centers also offer informative seminars and events. To find the Financial Center
nearest you, call 1-800-499-3327.
<PAGE>
Checkwriting privilege
YOU MAY WRITE REDEMPTION CHECKS against your account in amounts of $500 or more.
These checks are free; however, a fee may be charged if you request a stop
payment or if the transfer agent cannot honor a redemption check due to
insufficient funds or another valid reason. Please do not postdate your checks
or use them to close your account.
Exchange privilege
YOU CAN EXCHANGE SHARES WORTH $500 OR MORE from one Dreyfus fund into another.
You can request your exchange in writing or by phone. Be sure to read the
current prospectus for any fund into which you are exchanging before investing.
Any new account established through an exchange will have the same privileges as
your original account (as long as they are available). There is currently no fee
for exchanges, although you may be charged a sales load when exchanging into any
fund that has one.
Dreyfus TeleTransfer privilege
TO MOVE MONEY BETWEEN YOUR BANK ACCOUNT and your Dreyfus fund account with a
phone call, use the Dreyfus TeleTransfer privilege. You can set up TeleTransfer
on your account by providing bank account information and following the
instructions on your application.
24-hour automated account access
YOU CAN EASILY MANAGE YOUR DREYFUS ACCOUNTS, check your account balances,
transfer money between your Dreyfus funds, get price and yield information and
much more -- when it's convenient for you -- by calling 1-800-645-6561.
Your Investment
<PAGE>
INSTRUCTIONS FOR REGULAR ACCOUNTS
TO OPEN AN ACCOUNT
In Writing
Complete the application.
Mail your application and a check to:
The Dreyfus Family of Funds
P.O. Box 9387, Providence, RI 02940-9387
TO ADD TO AN ACCOUNT
Fill out an investment slip, and write your account number on your check.
Mail the slip and the check to: The Dreyfus Family of Funds P.O. Box 105,
Newark, NJ 07101-0105
By Telephone
WIRE Have your bank send your
investment to The Bank of New York, with these instructions:
* ABA# 021000018
* DDA# 8900202920
* the fund name
* your Social Security or tax ID number
* name(s) of investor(s)
Call us to obtain an account number. Return your application.
WIRE Have your bank send your investment to The Bank of New York, with these
instructions:
* ABA# 021000018
* DDA# 8900202920
* the fund name
* your account number
* name(s) of investor(s)
ELECTRONIC CHECK Same as wire, but insert "1111" before your account number.
TELETRANSFER Request TeleTransfer on your application. Call us to request your
transaction.
Automatically
WITH AN INITIAL INVESTMENT Indicate on your application which automatic
service(s) you want. Return your application with your investment.
WITHOUT ANY INITIAL INVESTMENT Check the Dreyfus Step Program option on your
application. Return your application, then complete the additional materials
when they are sent to you.
ALL SERVICES Call us to request a form to add any automatic investing service
(see "Services for Fund Investors"). Complete and return the forms along with
any other required materials.
Via the Internet
COMPUTER Visit the Dreyfus Web site http://www.dreyfus.com and follow the
instructions to download an account application.
<PAGE>
TO SELL SHARES
Write a redemption check OR write a letter of instruction that includes:
* your name(s) and signature(s)
* your account number
* the fund name
* the dollar amount you want to sell
* how and where to send the proceeds
Obtain a signature guarantee or other documentation, if required (see "Account
Policies -- Selling Shares").
Mail your request to: The Dreyfus Family of Funds P.O. Box 9671, Providence, RI
02940-9671
WIRE Be sure the fund has your bank account information on file. Call us to
request your transaction. Proceeds will be wired to your bank.
TELETRANSFER Be sure the fund has your bank account information on file. Call us
to request your transaction. Proceeds will be sent to your bank by electronic
check.
CHECK Call us to request your transaction. A check will be sent to the address
of record.
DREYFUS AUTOMATIC WITHDRAWAL PLAN Call us to request a form to add the plan.
Complete the form, specifying the amount and frequency of withdrawals you would
like.
Be sure to maintain an account balance of $5,000 or more.
To reach Dreyfus, call toll free in the U.S.
1-800-645-6561
Outside the U.S. 516-794-5452
Make checks payable to:
THE DREYFUS FAMILY OF FUNDS
You also can deliver requests to any Dreyfus Financial Center. Because
processing time may vary, please ask the representative when your account will
be credited or debited.
Concepts to understand
WIRE TRANSFER: for transferring money from one financial institution to another.
Wiring is the fastest way to move money, although your bank may charge a fee to
send or receive wire transfers. Wire redemptions from the fund are subject to a
$1,000 minimum.
ELECTRONIC CHECK: for transferring money out of a bank account. Your transaction
is entered electronically, but may take up to eight business days to clear.
Electronic checks usually are available without a fee at all Automated Clearing
House (ACH) banks.
Your Investment
<PAGE>
NOTES
<PAGE>
<PAGE>
For More Information
Dreyfus Florida Intermediate Municipal Bond Fund
------------------------------------------------
SEC file number: 811-6489
More information on this fund is available free upon
request, including the following:
Annual/Semiannual Report
Describes the fund's performance, lists portfolio
holdings and contains a letter from the fund's manager
discussing recent market conditions, economic trends and
fund strategies that significantly affected the fund's
performance during the last fiscal year.
Statement of Additional Information (SAI)
Provides more details about the fund and its policies. A
current SAI is on file with the Securities and Exchange
Commission (SEC) and is incorporated by reference (is
legally considered part of this prospectus).
To obtain information:
BY TELEPHONE Call 1-800-645-6561
BY MAIL Write to: The Dreyfus Family of Funds 144 Glenn Curtiss Boulevard
Uniondale, NY 11556-0144
BY E-MAIL Send your request to [email protected]
ON THE INTERNET Text-only versions of certain fund documents can be viewed
online or downloaded from:
SEC
http://www.sec.gov
DREYFUS
http://www.dreyfus.com
You can also obtain copies by visiting the SEC's Public Reference Room in
Washington, DC (for information, call 1-202-942-8090) or, after paying a
duplicating fee, by E-mail request to [email protected], or by writing to the
SEC's Public Reference Section, Washington, DC 20549-0102.
(c) 2000 Dreyfus Service Corporation 740P0500
<PAGE>
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DREYFUS FLORIDA INTERMEDIATE MUNICIPAL BOND FUND
STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
MAY 1, 2000
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This Statement of Additional Information, which is not a prospectus,
supplements and should be read in conjunction with the current Prospectus of
Dreyfus Florida Intermediate Municipal Bond Fund (the "Fund"), dated May 1,
2000, as it may be revised from time to time. To obtain a copy of the Fund's
Prospectus, please write to the Fund at 144 Glenn Curtiss Boulevard, Uniondale,
New York 11556-0144, or call one of the following numbers:
Call Toll Free 1-800-645-6561
In New York City - Call 1-718-895-1206
Outside the U.S. - Call 516-794-5452
The Fund's most recent Annual Report and Semi-Annual Report to
Shareholders are separate documents supplied with this Statement of Additional
Information, and the financial statements, accompanying notes and report of
independent auditors appearing in the Annual Report are incorporated by
reference into this Statement of Additional Information.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PAGE
Description of the Fund...............................................B-2
Management of the Fund................................................B-16
Management Arrangements...............................................B-20
How to Buy Shares.....................................................B-23
Shareholder Services Plan.............................................B-24
How to Redeem Shares..................................................B-25
Shareholder Services..................................................B-28
Determination of Net Asset Value......................................B-31
Portfolio Transactions................................................B-31
Dividends, Distributions and Taxes....................................B-32
Performance Information...............................................B-34
Information About the Fund............................................B-35
Counsel and Independent Auditors......................................B-37
Year 2000 Issues......................................................B-37
Appendix A............................................................B-38
Appendix B............................................................B-43
<PAGE>
DESCRIPTION OF THE FUND
The Fund is a Massachusetts business trust that commenced operations
on January 21, 1992. The Fund is an open-end management investment company,
known as a municipal bond fund.
The Dreyfus Corporation (the "Manager") serves as the Fund's
investment adviser.
Dreyfus Service Corporation (the "Distributor") is the distributor of
the Fund's shares.
CERTAIN PORTFOLIO SECURITIES
The following information supplements and should be read in
conjunction with the Fund's Prospectus.
MUNICIPAL OBLIGATIONS. The Fund will invest primarily in the debt
securities of the State of Florida, its political subdivisions, authorities and
corporations, the interest from which is, in the opinion of bond counsel to the
issuer, exempt from Federal income tax (collectively, "Florida Municipal
Obligations"). The Fund will seek to invest in securities which are exempt from
the Florida intangible personal property tax. To the extent acceptable Florida
Municipal Obligations are at any time unavailable for investment by the Fund,
the Fund will invest temporarily in other Municipal Obligations. The Fund will
invest at least 80% of the value of its net assets (except when maintaining a
temporary defensive position) in Municipal Obligations. Municipal Obligations
are debt obligations issued by states, territories and possessions of the United
States and the District of Columbia and their political subdivisions, agencies
and instrumentalities, or multistate agencies or authorities, the interest from
which is, in the opinion of bond counsel to the issuer, exempt from Federal
income tax. Municipal Obligations generally include debt obligations issued to
obtain funds for various public purposes as well as certain industrial
development bonds issued by or on behalf of public authorities. Municipal
Obligations are classified as general obligation bonds, revenue bonds and notes.
General obligation bonds are secured by the issuer's pledge of its faith, credit
and taxing power for the payment of principal and interest. Revenue bonds are
payable from the revenue derived from a particular facility or class of
facilities or, in some cases, from the proceeds of a special excise or other
specific revenue source, but not from the general taxing power. Tax exempt
industrial development bonds, in most cases, are revenue bonds that do not carry
the pledge of the credit of the issuing municipality, but generally are
guaranteed by the corporate entity on whose behalf they are issued. Notes are
short-term instruments which are obligations of the issuing municipalities or
agencies and are sold in anticipation of a bond sale, collection of taxes or
receipt of other revenues. Municipal Obligations include municipal
lease/purchase agreements which are similar to installment purchase contracts
for property or equipment issued by municipalities. Municipal Obligations bear
fixed, floating or variable rates of interest, which are determined in some
instances by formulas under which the Municipal Obligation's interest rate will
change directly or inversely to changes in interest rates or an index, or
multiples thereof, in many cases subject to a maximum and minimum. Certain
Municipal Obligations are subject to redemption at a date earlier than their
stated maturity pursuant to call options, which may be separated from the
related Municipal Obligation and purchased and sold separately.
The yields on Municipal Obligations are dependent on a variety of
factors, including general economic and monetary conditions, money market
factors, conditions in the Municipal Obligations market, size of a particular
offering, maturity of the obligation and rating of the issue.
CERTAIN TAX EXEMPT OBLIGATIONS. The Fund may purchase floating and
variable rate demand notes and bonds, which are tax exempt obligations
ordinarily having stated maturities in excess of one year, but which permit the
holder to demand payment of principal at any time or at specified intervals.
Variable rate demand notes include master demand notes which are obligations
that permit the Fund to invest fluctuating amounts, at varying rates of
interest, pursuant to direct arrangements between the Fund, as lender, and the
borrower. These obligations permit daily changes in the amount borrowed. Because
these obligations are direct lending arrangements between the lender and
borrower, it is not contemplated that such instruments generally will be traded,
and there generally is no established secondary market for these obligations,
although they are redeemable at face value, plus accrued interest. Accordingly,
where these obligations are not secured by letters of credit or other credit
support arrangements, the Fund's right to redeem is dependent on the ability of
the borrower to pay principal and interest on demand. Each obligation purchased
by the Fund will meet the quality criteria established for the purchase of
Municipal Obligations.
TAX EXEMPT PARTICIPATION INTERESTS. The Fund may purchase from
financial institutions participation interests in Municipal Obligations (such as
industrial development bonds and municipal lease/purchase agreements). A
participation interest gives the Fund an undivided interest in the Municipal
Obligation in the proportion that the Fund's participation interest bears to the
total principal amount of the Municipal Obligation. These instruments may have
fixed, floating or variable rates of interest. If the participation interest is
unrated, it will be backed by an irrevocable letter of credit or guarantee of a
bank that the Fund's Board has determined meets prescribed quality standards for
banks, or the payment obligation otherwise will be collateralized by U.S.
Government securities. For certain participation interests, the Fund will have
the right to demand payment, on not more than seven days' notice, for all or any
part of the Fund's participation interest in the Municipal Obligation, plus
accrued interest. As to these instruments, the Fund intends to exercise its
right to demand payment only upon a default under the terms of the Municipal
Obligation, as needed to provide liquidity to meet redemptions, or to maintain
or improve the quality of its investment portfolio.
Municipal lease obligations or installment purchase contract
obligations (collectively, "lease obligations") have special risks not
ordinarily associated with Municipal Obligations. Although lease obligations do
not constitute general obligations of the municipality for which the
municipality's taxing power is pledged, a lease obligation ordinarily is backed
by the municipality's covenant to budget for, appropriate and make the payments
due under the lease obligation. However, certain lease obligations contain
"non-appropriation" clauses which provide that the municipality has no
obligation to make lease or installment purchase payments in future years unless
money is appropriated for such purpose on a yearly basis. Although
"non-appropriation" lease obligations are secured by the leased property,
disposition of the property in the event of foreclosure might prove difficult.
The staff of the Securities and Exchange Commission currently considers certain
lease obligations to be illiquid. Determination as to the liquidity of such
securities is made in accordance with guidelines established by the Fund's
Board. Pursuant to such guidelines, the Board has directed the Manager to
monitor carefully the Fund's investment in such securities with particular
regard to: (1) the frequency of trades and quotes for the lease obligation; (2)
the number of dealers willing to purchase or sell the lease obligation and the
number of other potential buyers; (3) the willingness of dealers to undertake to
make a market in the lease obligation; (4) the nature of the marketplace trades,
including the time needed to dispose of the lease obligation, the method of
soliciting offers and the mechanics of transfer; and (5) such other factors
concerning the trading market for the lease obligation as the Manager may deem
relevant. In addition, in evaluating the liquidity and credit quality of a lease
obligation that is unrated, the Fund's Board has directed the Manager to
consider: (a) whether the lease can be canceled; (b) what assurance there is
that the assets represented by the lease can be sold; (c) the strength of the
lessee's general credit (e.g., its debt, administrative, economic, and financial
characteristics); (d) the likelihood that the municipality will discontinue
appropriating funding for the leased property because the property is no longer
deemed essential to the operations of the municipality (e.g., the potential for
an "event of nonappropriation"); (e) the legal recourse in the event of failure
to appropriate; and (f) such other factors concerning credit quality as the
Manager may deem relevant. The Fund will not invest more than 15% of the value
of its net assets in lease obligations that are illiquid and in other illiquid
securities.
TENDER OPTION BONDS. The Fund may purchase tender option bonds. A
tender option bond is a Municipal Obligation (generally held pursuant to a
custodial arrangement) having a relatively long maturity and bearing interest at
a fixed rate substantially higher than prevailing short-term tax exempt rates,
that has been coupled with the agreement of a third party, such as a bank,
broker-dealer or other financial institution, pursuant to which such institution
grants the security holders the option, at periodic intervals, to tender their
securities to the institution and receive the face value thereof. As
consideration for providing the option, the financial institution receives
periodic fees equal to the difference between the Municipal Obligation's fixed
coupon rate and the rate, as determined by a remarketing or similar agent at or
near the commencement of such period, that would cause the securities, coupled
with the tender option, to trade at par on the date of such determination. Thus,
after payment of this fee, the security holder effectively holds a demand
obligation that bears interest at the prevailing short-term tax exempt rate. The
Manager, on behalf of the Fund, will consider on an ongoing basis the
creditworthiness of the issuer of the underlying Municipal Obligation, of any
custodian and of the third party provider of the tender option. In certain
instances and for certain tender option bonds, the option may be terminable in
the event of a default in payment of principal or interest on the underlying
Municipal Obligation and for other reasons.
The Fund will purchase tender option bonds only when it is satisfied
that the custodial and tender option arrangements, including the fee payment
arrangements, will not adversely affect the tax exempt status of the underlying
Municipal Obligations and that payment of any tender fees will not have the
effect of creating taxable income for the Fund. Based on the tender option bond
agreement, the Fund expects to be able to value the tender option bond at par;
however, the value of the instrument will be monitored to assure that it is
valued at fair value.
CUSTODIAL RECEIPTS. The Fund may purchase custodial receipts
representing the right to receive certain future principal and interest payments
on Municipal Obligations which underlie the custodial receipts. A number of
different arrangements are possible. In a typical custodial receipt arrangement,
an issuer or a third party owner of Municipal Obligations deposits such
obligations with a custodian in exchange for two classes of custodial receipts.
The two classes have different characteristics, but, in each case, payments on
the two classes are based on payments received on the underlying Municipal
Obligations. One class has the characteristics of a typical auction rate
security, where at specified intervals its interest rate is adjusted, and
ownership changes, based on an auction mechanism. This class's interest rate
generally is expected to be below the coupon rate of the underlying Municipal
Obligations and generally is at a level comparable to that of a Municipal
Obligation of similar quality and having a maturity equal to the period between
interest rate adjustments. The second class bears interest at a rate that
exceeds the interest rate typically borne by a security of comparable quality
and maturity; this rate also is adjusted, but in this case inversely to changes
in the rate of interest of the first class. In no event will the aggregate
interest paid with respect to the two classes exceed the interest paid by the
underlying Municipal Obligations. The value of the second class and similar
securities should be expected to fluctuate more than the value of a Municipal
Obligation of comparable quality and maturity and their purchase by the Fund
should increase the volatility of its net asset value and, thus, its price per
share. These custodial receipts are sold in private placements. The Fund also
may purchase directly from issuers, and not in a private placement, Municipal
Obligations having characteristics similar to custodial receipts. These
securities may be issued as part of a multi-class offering and the interest rate
on certain classes may be subject to a cap or floor.
STAND-BY COMMITMENTS. The Fund may acquire "stand-by commitments" with
respect to Municipal Obligations held in its portfolio. Under a stand-by
commitment, the Fund obligates a broker, dealer or bank to repurchase, at the
Fund's option, specified securities at a specified price and, in this respect,
stand-by commitments are comparable to put options. The exercise of a stand-by
commitment, therefore, is subject to the ability of the seller to make payment
on demand. The Fund will acquire stand-by commitments solely to facilitate its
portfolio liquidity and does not intend to exercise its rights thereunder for
trading purposes. The Fund may pay for stand-by commitments if such action is
deemed necessary, thus increasing to a degree the cost of the underlying
Municipal Obligation and similarly decreasing such security's yield to
investors. Gains realized in connection with stand-by commitments will be
taxable. The Fund also may acquire call options on specific Municipal
Obligations. The Fund generally would purchase these call options to protect the
Fund from the issuer of the related Municipal Obligation redeeming, or other
holder of the call option from calling away, the Municipal Obligation before
maturity. The sale by the Fund of a call option that it owns on a specific
Municipal Obligation could result in the receipt of taxable income by the Fund.
RATINGS OF MUNICIPAL OBLIGATIONS. The Fund will invest at least 80% of
the value of its net assets in Municipal Obligations which, in the case of
bonds, are rated no lower than Baa by Moody's Investors Service, Inc.
("Moody's") or BBB by Standard & Poor's Ratings Group ("S&P") or Fitch IBCA,
Inc. ("Fitch" and, together with Moody's and S&P, the "Rating Agencies"). The
Fund may invest up to 20% of the value of its net assets in Municipal
Obligations which, in the case of bonds, are rated lower than Baa by Moody's and
BBB by S&P and Fitch and as low as the lowest ratings assigned by the Rating
Agencies. The Fund also may invest in securities which, while not rated, are
determined by the Manager to be of comparable quality to the rated securities in
which the Fund may invest; for purposes of the 80% requirement described in this
paragraph, such unrated securities will be considered to have the rating so
determined.
The average distribution of investments (at value) in Municipal
Obligations (including notes) by ratings for the fiscal year ended December 31,
1999, computed on a monthly basis, was as follows:
PERCENTAGE OF
FITCH or MOODY'S or S&P VALUE
---------- ------- --- -------
AAA Aaa AAA 68.7%
AA Aa AA 19.6
A A A 3.0
BBB Baa BBB 3.7
BB Ba BB .7
F-1+/F-1 VMIG1/MIG1, P-1 SP-1+/SP-1, A-1 1.1
Not Rated Not Rated Not Rated 3.2 *
---------
100.0%
- ------------------
* Included in the Not Rated category are securities comprising 3.2% of the
Fund's market value which, while not rated, have been determined by the Manager
to be of comparable quality to securities in the following rating categories:
Aaa/AAA (.5%), Baa/BBB (1.3%), Ba/BB (1.1%) and B/B (.3%).
<PAGE>
Subsequent to its purchase by the Fund, an issue of rated Municipal
Obligations may cease to be rated or its rating may be reduced below the minimum
required for purchase by the Fund. Neither event will require the sale of such
Municipal Obligations by the Fund, but the Manager will consider such event in
determining whether the Fund should continue to hold the Municipal Obligations.
To the extent that the ratings given by the Rating Agencies for Municipal
Obligations may change as a result of changes in such organizations or their
rating systems, the Fund will attempt to use comparable ratings as standards for
its investments in accordance with the investment policies contained in the
Prospectus and this Statement of Additional Information. The ratings of the
Rating Agencies represent their opinions as to the quality of the Municipal
Obligations which they undertake to rate. It should be emphasized, however, that
ratings are relative and subjective and are not absolute standards of quality.
Although these ratings may be an initial criterion for selection of portfolio
investments, the Manager also will evaluate these securities and the
creditworthiness of the issuers of such securities.
ZERO COUPON SECURITIES. The Fund may invest in zero coupon securities
which are debt securities issued or sold at a discount from their face value
which do not entitle the holder to any periodic payment of interest prior to
maturity or a specified redemption date (or cash payment date). The amount of
the discount varies depending on the time remaining until maturity or cash
payment date, prevailing interest rates, liquidity of the security and perceived
credit quality of the issuer. Zero coupon securities also may take the form of
debt securities that have been stripped of their unmatured interest coupons, the
coupons themselves and receipts or certificates representing interest in such
stripped debt obligations and coupons. The market prices of zero coupon
securities generally are more volatile than the market prices of securities that
pay interest periodically and are likely to respond to a greater degree to
changes in interest rates than non-zero coupon securities having similar
maturities and credit qualities.
ILLIQUID SECURITIES. The Fund may invest up to 15% of the value of its
net assets in securities as to which a liquid trading market does not exist,
provided such investments are consistent with the Fund's investment objective.
These securities may include securities that are not readily marketable, such as
securities that are subject to legal or contractual restrictions on resale, and
repurchase agreements providing for settlement in more than seven days after
notice. As to these securities, the Fund is subject to a risk that should the
Fund desire to sell them when a ready buyer is not available at a price that the
Fund deems representative of their value, the value of the Fund's net assets
could be adversely affected.
TAXABLE INVESTMENTS. From time to time, on a temporary basis other
than for temporary defensive purposes (but not to exceed 20% of the value of the
Fund's net assets) or for temporary defensive purposes, the Fund may invest in
taxable short-term investments ("Taxable Investments") consisting of: notes of
issuers having, at the time of purchase, a quality rating within the two highest
grades of a Rating Agency; obligations of the U.S. Government, its agencies or
instrumentalities; commercial paper rated not lower than P-2 by Moody's, A-2 by
S&P or F-2 by Fitch; certificates of deposit of U.S. domestic banks, including
foreign branches of domestic banks, with assets of $1 billion or more; time
deposits; bankers' acceptances and other short-term bank obligations; and
repurchase agreements in respect of any of the foregoing. Dividends paid by the
Fund that are attributable to income earned by the Fund from Taxable Investments
will be taxable to investors. See "Dividends, Distributions and Taxes." Except
for temporary defensive purposes, at no time will more than 20% of the value of
the Fund's net assets be invested in Taxable Investments. When the Fund has
adopted a temporary defensive position, including when acceptable Florida
Municipal Obligations are unavailable for investment by the Fund, in excess of
35% of the Fund's net assets may be invested in securities other than Florida
Municipal Obligations. Under normal market conditions, the Fund anticipates that
not more than 5% of the value of its total assets will be invested in any one
category of Taxable Investments.
INVESTMENT TECHNIQUES
The following information supplements and should be read in
conjunction with the Fund's Prospectus. The Fund's use of certain of the
investment techniques described below may give rise to taxable income.
BORROWING MONEY. The Fund is permitted to borrow to the extent
permitted under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act"),
which permits an investment company to borrow in an amount up to 33-1/3% of the
value of its total assets. The Fund currently intends to borrow money only for
temporary or emergency (not leveraging) purposes, in an amount up to 15% of the
value of its total assets (including the amount borrowed) valued at the lesser
of cost or market, less liabilities (not including the amount borrowed) at the
time the borrowing is made. While such borrowings exceed 5% of the Fund's total
assets, the Fund will not make any additional investments.
SHORT-SELLING. In these transactions, the Fund sells a security it
does not own in anticipation of a decline in the market value of the security.
To complete the transaction, the Fund must borrow the security to make delivery
to the buyer. The Fund is obligated to replace the security borrowed by
purchasing it subsequently at the market price at the time of replacement. The
price at such time may be more or less than the price at which the security was
sold by the Fund, which would result in a loss or gain, respectively.
Securities will not be sold short if, after effect is given to any
such short sale, the total market value of all securities sold short would
exceed 25% of the value of the Fund's net assets. The Fund may not make a short
sale which results in the Fund having sold short in the aggregate more than 5%
of the outstanding securities of any class of an issuer.
The Fund also may make short sales "against the box," in which the
Fund enters into a short sale of a security it owns. At no time will more than
15% of the value of the Fund's net assets be in deposits on short sales against
the box.
Until the Fund closes its short position or replaces the borrowed
security, the Fund will: (a) segregate permissible liquid assets in an amount
that, together with the amount deposited with the broker as collateral, always
equals the current value of the security sold short; or (b) otherwise cover its
short position.
LENDING PORTFOLIO SECURITIES. The Fund may lend securities from its
portfolio to brokers, dealers and other financial institutions needing to borrow
securities to complete certain transactions. The Fund continues to be entitled
to payments in amounts equal to the interest or other distributions payable on
the loaned securities which affords the Fund an opportunity to earn interest on
the amount of the loan and on the loaned securities' collateral. Loans of
portfolio securities may not exceed 33-1/3% of the value of the Fund's total
assets, and the Fund will receive collateral consisting of cash, U.S. Government
securities or irrevocable letters of credit which will be maintained at all
times in an amount equal to at least 100% of the current market value of the
loaned securities. Such loans are terminable by the Fund at any time upon
specified notice. The Fund might experience risk of loss if the institution with
which it has engaged in a portfolio loan transaction breaches its agreement with
the Fund. In connection with its securities lending transactions, the Fund may
return to the borrower or a third party which is unaffiliated with the Fund, and
which is acting as a "placing broker," a part of the interest earned from the
investment of collateral received for securities loaned.
DERIVATIVES. The Fund may invest in, or enter into, derivatives, which
may include futures and options, for a variety of reasons, including to hedge
certain market risks, to provide a substitute for purchasing or selling
particular securities or to increase potential income gain. Derivatives may
provide a cheaper, quicker or more specifically focused way for the Fund to
invest than "traditional" securities would. However, derivatives can be volatile
and involve various types and degrees of risk, depending upon the
characteristics of the particular derivative and the portfolio as a whole.
Derivatives permit the Fund to increase or decrease the level of risk, or change
the character of the risk, to which its portfolio is exposed in much the same
way as the Fund can increase or decrease the level of risk, or change the
character of the risk, of its portfolio by making investments in specific
securities. However, derivatives may entail investment exposures that are
greater than their cost would suggest, meaning that a small investment in
derivatives could have a large potential impact on the Fund's performance.
If the Fund invests in derivatives at inopportune times or judges
market conditions incorrectly, such investments may lower the Fund's return or
result in a loss. The Fund also could experience losses if its derivatives were
poorly correlated with its other investments, or if the Fund were unable to
liquidate its position because of an illiquid secondary market. The market for
many derivatives is, or suddenly can become, illiquid. Changes in liquidity may
result in significant, rapid and unpredictable changes in the prices for
derivatives.
Although the Fund will not be a commodity pool, certain derivatives
subject the Fund to the rules of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission which
limit the extent to which the Fund can invest in such derivatives. The Fund may
invest in futures contracts and options with respect thereto for hedging
purposes without limit. However, the Fund may not invest in such contracts and
options for other purposes if the sum of the amount of initial margin deposits
and premiums paid for unexpired options with respect to such contracts, other
than bona fide hedging purposes, exceeds 5% of the liquidation value of the
Fund's assets, after taking into account unrealized profits and unrealized
losses on such contracts and options; provided, however, that in the case of an
option that is in-the-money at the time of purchase, the in-the-money amount may
be excluded in calculating the 5% limitation.
Derivatives may be purchased on established exchanges or through
privately negotiated transactions referred to as over-the-counter derivatives.
Exchange-traded derivatives generally are guaranteed by the clearing agency
which is the issuer or counterparty to such derivatives. This guarantee usually
is supported by a daily variation margin system operated by the clearing agency
in order to reduce overall credit risk. As a result, unless the clearing agency
defaults, there is relatively little counterparty credit risk associated with
derivatives purchased on an exchange. By contrast, no clearing agency guarantees
over-the-counter derivatives. Therefore, each party to an over-the-counter
derivative bears the risk that the counterparty will default. Accordingly, the
Manager will consider the creditworthiness of counterparties to over-the-counter
derivatives in the same manner as it would review the credit quality of a
security to be purchased by the Fund. Over-the-counter derivatives are less
liquid than exchange-traded derivatives since the other party to the transaction
may be the only investor with sufficient understanding of the derivative to be
interested in bidding for it.
FUTURES TRANSACTIONS--IN GENERAL. The Fund may enter into futures contracts in
U.S. domestic markets, such as the Chicago Board of Trade. Engaging in these
transactions involves risk of loss to the Fund which could adversely affect the
value of the Fund's net assets. Although the Fund intends to purchase or sell
futures contracts only if there is an active market for such contracts, no
assurance can be given that a liquid market will exist for any particular
contract at any particular time. Many futures exchanges and boards of trade
limit the amount of fluctuation permitted in futures contract prices during a
single trading day. Once the daily limit has been reached in a particular
contract, no trades may be made that day at a price beyond that limit or trading
may be suspended for specified periods during the trading day. Futures contract
prices could move to the limit for several consecutive trading days with little
or no trading, thereby preventing prompt liquidation of futures positions and
potentially subjecting the Fund to substantial losses.
Successful use of futures by the Fund also is subject to the Manager's
ability to predict correctly movements in the direction of the relevant market
and, to the extent the transaction is entered into for hedging purposes, to
ascertain the appropriate correlation between the securities being hedged and
the price movements of the futures contract. For example, if the Fund uses
futures to hedge against the possibility of a decline in the market value of
securities held in its portfolio and the prices of such securities instead
increase, the Fund will lose part or all of the benefit of the increased value
of securities which it has hedged because it will have offsetting losses in its
futures positions. Furthermore, if in such circumstances the Fund has
insufficient cash, it may have to sell securities to meet daily variation margin
requirements. The Fund may have to sell such securities at a time when it may be
disadvantageous to do so.
Pursuant to regulations and/or published positions of the Securities
and Exchange Commission, the Fund may be required to segregate permissible
liquid assets to cover its obligations relating to its transactions in
derivatives. To maintain this required cover, the Fund may have to sell
portfolio securities at disadvantageous prices or times since it may not be
possible to liquidate a derivative position at a reasonable price. In addition,
the segregation of such assets will have the effect of limiting the Fund's
ability otherwise to invest those assets.
SPECIFIC FUTURES TRANSACTIONS. The Fund may purchase and sell interest rate
futures contracts. An interest rate future obligates the Fund to purchase or
sell an amount of a specific debt security at a future date at a specific price.
OPTIONS--IN GENERAL. The Fund may invest up to 5% of its assets, represented by
the premium paid, in the purchase of call and put options. The Fund may write
(i.e., sell) covered call and put option contracts to the extent of 20% of the
value of its net assets at the time such option contracts are written. A call
option gives the purchaser of the option the right to buy, and obligates the
writer to sell, the underlying security or securities at the exercise price at
any time during the option period, or at a specific date. Conversely, a put
option gives the purchaser of the option the right to sell, and obligates the
writer to buy, the underlying security or securities at the exercise price at
any time during the option period, or at a specific date.
A covered call option written by the Fund is a call option with
respect to which the Fund owns the underlying security or otherwise covers the
transaction by segregating permissible liquid assets. A put option written by
the Fund is covered when, among other things, the Fund segregates permissible
liquid assets having a value equal to or greater than the exercise price of the
option to fulfill the obligation undertaken. The principal reason for writing
covered call and put options is to realize, through the receipt of premiums, a
greater return than would be realized on the underlying securities alone. The
Fund receives a premium from writing covered call or put options which it
retains whether or not the option is exercised.
There is no assurance that sufficient trading interest to create a
liquid secondary market on a securities exchange will exist for any particular
option or at any particular time, and for some options no such secondary market
may exist. A liquid secondary market in an option may cease to exist for a
variety of reasons. In the past, for example, higher than anticipated trading
activity or order flow, or other unforeseen events, at times have rendered
certain of the clearing facilities inadequate and resulted in the institution of
special procedures, such as trading rotations, restrictions on certain types of
orders or trading halts or suspensions in one or more options. There can be no
assurance that similar events, or events that may otherwise interfere with the
timely execution of customers' orders, will not recur. In such event, it might
not be possible to effect closing transactions in particular options. If, as a
covered call option writer, the Fund is unable to effect a closing purchase
transaction in a secondary market, it will not be able to sell the underlying
security until the option expires or it delivers the underlying security upon
exercise or it otherwise covers its position.
Successful use by the Fund of options will be subject to the Manager's
ability to predict correctly movements in interest rates. To the extent the
Manager's predictions are incorrect, the Fund may incur losses.
FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS. The Fund may take advantage of opportunities in the area of
options and futures contracts and options on futures contracts and any other
derivatives which are not presently contemplated for use by the Fund or which
are not currently available but which may be developed, to the extent such
opportunities are both consistent with the Fund's investment objective and
legally permissible for the Fund. Before entering into such transactions or
making any such investment, the Fund will provide appropriate disclosure in its
Prospectus or Statement of Additional Information.
FORWARD COMMITMENTS. The Fund may purchase Municipal Obligations and
other securities on a forward commitment or when-issued basis, which means that
delivery and payment take place a number of days after the date of the
commitment to purchase. The payment obligation and the interest rate receivable
on a forward commitment or when-issued security are fixed when the Fund enters
into the commitment, but the Fund does not make payment until it receives
delivery from the counterparty. The Fund will commit to purchase such securities
only with the intention of actually acquiring the securities, but the Fund may
sell these securities before the settlement date if it is deemed advisable. The
Fund will segregate permissible liquid assets at least equal at all times to the
amount of the Fund's purchase commitments.
Municipal Obligations and other securities purchased on a forward
commitment or when-issued basis are subject to changes in value (generally
changing in the same way, i.e., appreciating when interest rates decline and
depreciating when interest rates rise) based upon the public's perception of the
creditworthiness of the issuer and changes, real or anticipated, in the level of
interest rates. Securities purchased on a forward commitment or when-issued
basis may expose the Fund to risks because they may experience such fluctuations
prior to their actual delivery. Purchasing securities on a forward commitment or
when-issued basis can involve the additional risk that the yield available in
the market when the delivery takes place actually may be higher than that
obtained in the transaction itself. Purchasing securities on a forward
commitment or when-issued basis when the Fund is fully or almost fully invested
may result in greater potential fluctuation in the value of the Fund's net
assets and its net asset value per share.
INVESTMENT CONSIDERATIONS AND RISKS
INVESTING IN MUNICIPAL OBLIGATIONS. The Fund may invest more than 25%
of the value of its total assets in Municipal Obligations which are related in
such a way that an economic, business or political development or change
affecting one such security also would affect the other securities; for example,
securities the interest upon which is paid from revenues of similar types of
projects. As a result, the Fund may be subject to greater risk as compared to a
fund that does not follow this practice.
Certain municipal lease/purchase obligations in which the Fund may
invest may contain "non-appropriation" clauses which provide that the
municipality has no obligation to make lease payments in future years unless
money is appropriated for such purpose on a yearly basis. Although
"non-appropriation" lease/purchase obligations are secured by the leased
property, disposition of the leased property in the event of foreclosure might
prove difficult. In evaluating the credit quality of a municipal lease/purchase
obligation that is unrated, the Manager will consider, on an ongoing basis, a
number of factors including the likelihood that the issuing municipality will
discontinue appropriating funding for the leased property.
Certain provisions in the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended
(the "Code"), relating to the issuance of Municipal Obligations may reduce the
volume of Municipal Obligations qualifying for Federal tax exemption. One effect
of these provisions could be to increase the cost of the Municipal Obligations
available for purchase by the Fund and thus reduce available yield. Shareholders
should consult their tax advisers concerning the effect of these provisions on
an investment in the Fund. Proposals that may restrict or eliminate the income
tax exemption for interest on Municipal Obligations may be introduced in the
future. If any such proposal were enacted that would reduce the availability of
Municipal Obligations for investment by the Fund so as to adversely affect Fund
shareholders, the Fund would reevaluate its investment objective and policies
and submit possible changes in the Fund's structure to shareholders for their
consideration. If legislation were enacted that would treat a type of Municipal
Obligation as taxable, the Fund would treat such security as a permissible
Taxable Investment within the applicable limits set forth herein.
INVESTING IN FLORIDA MUNICIPAL OBLIGATIONS. Since the Fund is
concentrated in securities issued by Florida or entities within Florida, an
investment in the Fund may involve greater risk than investments in certain
other types of bond funds. You should consider carefully the special risks
inherent in the Fund's investment in Florida Municipal Obligations. You should
review "Appendix A" which more fully sets forth these and other risk factors.
LOWER RATED BONDS. The Fund may invest up to 20% of the value of its
net assets in higher yielding (and, therefore, higher risk) debt securities such
as those rated Ba by Moody's or BB by S&P or Fitch and as low as the lowest
rating assigned by the Rating Agencies (commonly known as junk bonds). They may
be subject to certain risks with respect to the issuing entity and to greater
market fluctuations than certain lower yielding, higher rated Municipal
Obligations. See "Appendix B" for a general description of the Rating Agencies'
ratings of Municipal Obligations. Although ratings may be useful in evaluating
the safety of interest and principal payments, they do not evaluate the market
value risk of these bonds. The Fund will rely on the Manager's judgment,
analysis and experience in evaluating the creditworthiness of an issuer.
You should be aware that the market values of many of these bonds tend
to be more sensitive to economic conditions than are higher rated securities and
will fluctuate over time. These bonds generally are considered by the Rating
Agencies to be, on balance, predominantly speculative with respect to capacity
to pay interest and repay principal in accordance with the terms of the
obligation and generally will involve more credit risk than securities in the
higher rating categories.
Because there is no established retail secondary market for many of
these securities, the Fund anticipates that such securities could be sold only
to a limited number of dealers or institutional investors. To the extent a
secondary trading market for these bonds does exist, it generally is not as
liquid as the secondary market for higher rated securities. The lack of a liquid
secondary market may have an adverse impact on market price and yield and the
Fund's ability to dispose of particular issues when necessary to meet the Fund's
liquidity needs or in response to a specific economic event such as a
deterioration in the creditworthiness of the issuer. The lack of a liquid
secondary market for certain securities also may make it more difficult for the
Fund to obtain accurate market quotations for purposes of valuing the Fund's
portfolio and calculating its net asset value. Adverse publicity and investor
perceptions, whether or not based on fundamental analysis, may decrease the
values and liquidity of these securities. In such cases, judgment may play a
greater role in valuation because less reliable, objective data may be
available.
These bonds may be particularly susceptible to economic downturns. It
is likely that any economic recession would disrupt severely the market for such
securities and may have an adverse impact on the value of such securities, and
could adversely affect the ability of the issuers of such securities to repay
principal and pay interest thereon which would increase the incidence of default
for such securities.
The Fund may acquire these bonds during an initial offering. Such
securities may involve special risks because they are new issues. The Fund has
no arrangement with any person concerning the acquisition of such securities,
and the Manager will review carefully the credit and other characteristics
pertinent to such new issues.
The credit risk factors pertaining to lower rated securities also
apply to lower rated zero coupon bonds and pay-in-kind bonds, in which the Fund
may invest up to 5% of its total net assets. Zero coupon bonds and pay-in-kind
bonds carry an additional risk in that, unlike bonds which pay interest
throughout the period to maturity, the Fund will realize no cash until the cash
payment date unless a portion of such securities are sold and, if the issuer
defaults, the Fund may obtain no return at all on its investment. See
"Dividends, Distributions and Taxes."
SIMULTANEOUS INVESTMENTS. Investment decisions for the Fund are made
independently from those of other investment companies advised by the Manager.
If, however, such other investment companies desire to invest in, or dispose of,
the same securities as the Fund, available investments or opportunities for
sales will be allocated equitably to each investment company. In some cases,
this procedure may adversely affect the size of the position obtained for or
disposed of by the Fund or the price paid or received by the Fund.
INVESTMENT RESTRICTIONS
The Fund's investment objective is a fundamental policy, which cannot
be changed without approval by the holders of a majority (as defined in the 1940
Act) of the Fund's outstanding voting shares. In addition, the Fund has adopted
investment restrictions numbered 1 through 7 as fundamental policies. Investment
restrictions numbered 8 through 11 are not fundamental policies and may be
changed by a vote of a majority of the Fund's Board members at any time. The
Fund may not:
1. Invest more than 25% of its assets in the securities of issuers in
any single industry; provided that there shall be no limitation on the purchase
of Municipal Obligations and, for defensive purposes, securities issued by banks
and obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government, its agencies or
instrumentalities.
2. Borrow money, except to the extent permitted under the 1940 Act
(which currently limits borrowings to no more than 33-1/3% of the value of the
Fund's total assets). For purposes of this investment restriction, the entry
into options, forward contracts, futures contracts, including those relating to
indices, and options on futures contracts or indices shall not constitute
borrowing.
3. Purchase or sell real estate, commodities or commodity contracts,
or oil and gas interests, but this shall not prevent the Fund from investing in
Municipal Obligations secured by real estate or interests therein, or prevent
the Fund from purchasing and selling options, forward contracts, futures
contracts, including those relating to indices, and options on futures contract
or indices.
4. Underwrite the securities of other issuers, except that the Fund
may bid separately or as part of a group for the purchase of Municipal
Obligations directly from an issuer for its own portfolio to take advantage of
the lower purchase price available, and except to the extent the Fund may be
deemed an underwriter under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, by virtue of
disposing of portfolio securities.
5. Make loans to others, except through the purchase of debt
obligations and the entry into repurchase agreements; however, the Fund may lend
its portfolio securities in an amount not to exceed 33-1/3% of the value of its
total assets. Any loans of portfolio securities will be made according to
guidelines established by the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Fund's
Board.
6. Issue any senior security (as such term is defined in Section 18
(f) of the 1940 Act), except to the extent that the activities permitted in
Investment Restriction Nos. 2, 3 and 10 may be deemed to give rise to a senior
security.
7. Purchase securities on margin, but the Fund may make margin
deposits in connection with transactions in options, forward contracts, futures
contracts, including those relating to indices, and options on futures contracts
or indices.
8. Purchase securities other than Municipal Obligations and Taxable
Investments and those arising out of transactions in futures and options or as
otherwise provided in the Fund's Prospectus.
9. Invest in securities of other investment companies, except to the
extent permitted under the 1940 Act.
10. Pledge, hypothecate, mortgage or otherwise encumber its assets,
except to the extent necessary to secure permitted borrowings and to the extent
related to the deposit of assets in escrow in connection with the purchase of
securities on a when-issued or delayed delivery basis and collateral and initial
or variation margin arrangements with respect to options, forward contracts,
futures contracts, including those relating to indices, and options on futures
contracts or indices.
11. Enter into repurchase agreements providing for settlement in more
than seven days after notice or purchase securities which are illiquid (which
securities could include participation interests (including municipal
lease/purchase agreements) that are not subject to the demand feature described
in the Fund's Prospectus, and floating and variable rate demand obligations as
to which the Fund cannot exercise the demand feature described in the Fund's
Prospectus on less than seven days' notice and as to which there is no secondary
market) if, in the aggregate, more than 15% of its net assets would be so
invested.
For purposes of Investment Restriction No. 1, industrial development
bonds, where the payment of principal and interest is the ultimate
responsibility of companies within the same industry, are grouped together as an
"industry." If a percentage restriction is adhered to at the time of investment,
a later increase or decrease in percentage resulting from a change in values or
assets will not constitute a violation of such restriction.
MANAGEMENT OF THE FUND
The Fund's Board is responsible for the management and supervision of
the Fund. The Board approves all significant agreements between the Fund and
those companies that furnish services to the Fund. These companies are as
follows:
The Dreyfus Corporation......................Investment Adviser
Dreyfus Service Corporation..................Distributor
Dreyfus Transfer, Inc........................Transfer Agent
The Bank of New York.........................Custodian
Board members and officers of the Fund, together with information as
to their principal business occupations during at least the last five years, are
shown below.
BOARD MEMBERS OF THE FUND
JOSEPH S. DiMARTINO, CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD. Since January 1995, Chairman of
the Board of various funds in the Dreyfus Family of Funds. He also is
a director of The Muscular Dystrophy Association, HealthPlan Services
Corporation, a provider of marketing, administrative and risk
management services to health and other benefit programs, Carlyle
Industries, Inc. (formerly, Belding Heminway, Inc.), a button packager
and distributor, Century Business Services, Inc. (formerly,
International Alliance Services Inc.), a provider of various
outsourcing functions for small and medium sized companies, and
QuikCAT.com, Inc., a private company engaged in the development of
high speed movement, routing, storage and encryption of data across
cable, wireless and all other modes of data transport. For more than
five years prior to January 1995, he was President, a director and,
until August 1994, Chief Operating Officer of the Manager and
Executive Vice President and a director of the Distributor. From
August 1994 until December 31, 1994, he was a director of Mellon
Financial Corporation. He is 56 years old and his address is 200 Park
Avenue, New York, New York 10166.
GORDON J. DAVIS, BOARD MEMBER. Since October 1994, senior partner with the
law firm of LeBoeuf, Lamb, Greene & MacRae. From 1983 to September
1994, Mr. Davis was a senior partner with the law firm of Lord Day &
Lord, Barrett Smith. From 1978 to 1983, he was Commissioner of Parks
and Recreation for the City of New York. He also is a Director of
Consolidated Edison, a utility company, and Phoenix Home Life
Insurance Company and a member of various other corporate and
not-for-profit boards. He is 58 years old and his address is 241
Central Park West, New York, New York 10024.
DAVID P. FELDMAN, BOARD MEMBER. Director of several mutual funds in the 59
Wall Street Mutual Funds Group, and of the Jeffrey Company, a private
investment company. Mr. Feldman was employed by AT&T from July 1961 to
his retirement in April 1997, most recently serving as Chairman and
Chief Executive Officer of AT&T Investment Management Corporation. He
is 60 years old and his address is 466 Lexington Avenue, New York, New
York 10017.
LYNN MARTIN, BOARD MEMBER. Professor, J.L. Kellogg Graduate School of
Management, Northwestern University. During the Spring Semester 1993,
she was a Visiting Fellow at the Institute of Politics, Kennedy School
of Government, Harvard University. She also is an advisor to the
international accounting firm of Deloitte & Touche, LLP and chair of
its Council for the Advancement of Women. From January 1991 through
January 1993, Ms. Martin served as Secretary of the United States
Department of Labor. From 1981 to 1991, she served in the United
States House of Representatives as a Congresswoman from the State of
Illinois. She also is a Director of Harcourt General, Inc., SBC
Communications, Inc., Ryder System, Inc., The Proctor & Gamble Co., a
consumer company, and TRW, Inc., an aerospace and automotive equipment
company. She is 60 years old and her address is c/o Deloitte & Touche,
LLP, Two Prudential Plaza, 180 N. Stetson Avenue, Chicago, Illinois
60601.
DANIEL ROSE, BOARD MEMBER. Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Rose
Associates, Inc., a New York based real estate development and
management firm. In July 1994, Mr. Rose received a Presidential
appointment to serve as a Director of the Baltic-American Enterprise
Fund, which will make equity investments and loans, and provide
technical business assistance to new business concerns in the Baltic
states. He also is Chairman of the Housing Committee of the Real
Estate Board of New York, Inc. He is 70 years old and his address is
c/o Rose Associates, Inc., 200 Madison Avenue, New York, New York
10016.
PHILIP L. TOIA, BOARD MEMBER. Retired. Mr. Toia was employed by the Manager
from August 1986 through January 1997, most recently serving as Vice
Chairman, Administration and Operations. He is 67 years old and his
address is 715 Hideaway Circle West, Marco Island, Florida 34145.
SANDER VANOCUR, BOARD MEMBER. Since January 1992, President of Old Owl
Communications, a full-service communications firm. From May 1995 to
June 1996, he was a Professional in Residence at the Freedom Forum in
Arlington, VA; from January 1994 to May 1995, he served as Visiting
Professional Scholar at the Freedom Forum Amendment Center at
Vanderbilt University; and from November 1989 to November 1995, he was
a director of the Damon Runyon-Walter Winchell Cancer Research Fund.
From June 1977 to December 1991, he was a Senior Correspondent of ABC
News and, from October 1986 to December 1991, he was Anchor of the ABC
News program "Business World," a weekly business program on the ABC
television network. He is 72 years old and his address is 2626
Sycamore Canyon Road, Santa Barbara, CA 93108.
ANNE WEXLER, BOARD MEMBER. Chairman of the Wexler Group, consultants
specializing in government relations and public affairs. She also is a
director of Wilshire Mutual Funds, Comcast Corporation, The New
England Electric System, and a member of the Council of Foreign
Relations and the National Park Foundation. She is 70 years old and
her address is c/o The Wexler Group, 1317 F Street, Suite 600, N.W.,
Washington, D.C. 20004.
REX WILDER, BOARD MEMBER. Financial Consultant. He is 79 years old and his
address is 290 Riverside Drive, New York, New York 10025.
The Fund has a standing nominating committee comprised of its Board
members who are not "interested persons" of the Fund, as defined in the 1940
Act. The function of the nominating committee is to select and nominate all
candidates who are not "interested persons" of the Fund for election to the
Fund's Board.
The Fund typically pays its Board members an annual retainer and a per
meeting fee and reimburses them for their expenses. The Chairman of the Board
receives an additional 25% of such compensation. Emeritus Board members are
entitled to receive an annual retainer and a per meeting fee of one-half the
amount paid to them as Board members. The aggregate amount of compensation paid
to each Board member by the Fund and by all funds in the Dreyfus Family of Funds
for which such person was a Board member (the number of which is set forth in
parenthesis next to each Board member's total compensation)* during the year
ended December 31, 1999, was as follows:
<PAGE>
Total
Compensation from
Aggregate Fund and Fund
Name of Board Compensation from Complex Paid to
Member Fund** Board Member
- -------------------- ------------------- -------------------
Joseph S. DiMartino $4,688 $642,177 (189)
Gordon J. Davis $3,750 $89,625 (30)
David P. Feldman $3,750 $118,875 (56)
Lynn Martin $3,750 $40,875 (15)
Eugene McCarthy+ $1,625 $18,813 (15)
Daniel Rose $3,750 $78,625 (31)
Philip L. Toia $3,750 $40,875 (15)
Sander Vanocur $3,750 $78,625 (31)
Anne Wexler $3,500 $59,125 (28)
Rex Wilder $3,500 $40,875 (15)
- ---------------------
* Represents the number of separate portfolios comprising the investment
companies in the Fund Complex, including the Fund, for which the Board
member serves.
** Amount does not include reimbursed expenses for attending Board
meetings, which amounted to $2,250 for all Board members as a group.
+ Board member Emeritus as of March 29, 1996.
OFFICERS OF THE FUND
STEPHEN E. CANTER, PRESIDENT. President, Chief Operating Officer, Chief
Investment Officer and a director of the Manager, and an officer of
other investment companies advised and administered by the Manager.
Mr. Canter also is a director or an Executive Committee Member of the
other investment management subsidiaries of Mellon Financial
Corporation, each of which is an affiliate of the Manager. He is 54
years old.
MARK N. JACOBS, VICE PRESIDENT. Vice President, General Counsel and
Secretary of the Manager, and an officer of other investment companies
advised and administered by the Manager. He is 54 years old.
JOSEPH CONNOLLY, VICE PRESIDENT AND TREASURER. Director - Mutual Fund
Accounting of the Manager, and an officer of other investment
companies advised and administered by the Manager. He is 42 years old.
MICHAEL A. ROSENBERG, SECRETARY. Associate General Counsel of the Manager, and
an officer of other investment companies advised and administered by
the Manager. He is 40 years old.
STEVEN F. NEWMAN, ASSISTANT SECRETARY. Associate General Counsel and
Assistant Secretary of the Manager, and an officer of other investment
companies advised and administered by the Manager. He is 50 years old.
GREGORY S. GRUBER, ASSISTANT TREASURER. Senior Accounting Manager - Municipal
Bond Funds of the Manager, and an officer of other investment
companies advised and administered by the Manager. He is 40 years old.
The address of each officer of the Fund is 200 Park Avenue, New York,
New York 10166.
The Fund's Board members and officers, as a group, owned less than 1%
of the Fund's shares outstanding on April 3, 2000.
MANAGEMENT ARRANGEMENTS
INVESTMENT ADVISER. The Manager is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Mellon
Bank, N.A., which is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Mellon Financial Corporation
("Mellon"). Mellon is a publicly owned multibank holding company incorporated
under Pennsylvania law in 1971 and registered under the Federal Bank Holding
Company Act of 1956, as amended. Mellon provides a comprehensive range of
financial products and services in domestic and selected international markets.
Mellon is among the twenty-five largest bank holding companies in the United
States based on total assets.
The Manager provides management services pursuant to a Management
Agreement (the "Agreement") between the Fund and the Manager. The Agreement is
subject to annual approval by (i) the Fund's Board or (ii) vote of a majority
(as defined in the 1940 Act) of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund,
provided that in either event the continuance also is approved by a majority of
the Board members who are not "interested persons" (as defined in the 1940 Act)
of the Fund or the Manager, by vote cast in person at a meeting called for the
purpose of voting on such approval. The Agreement is terminable without penalty,
on 60 days' notice, by the Fund's Board or by vote of the holders of a majority
of the Fund's shares, or, on not less than 90 days' notice, by the Manager. The
Agreement will terminate automatically in the event of its assignment (as
defined in the 1940 Act).
The following persons are officers and/or directors of the Manager:
Christopher M. Condron, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer;
Stephen E. Canter, President, Chief Operating Officer, Chief Investment Officer
and a director; Thomas F. Eggers, Vice Chairman-Institutional and a director;
Lawrence S. Kash, Vice Chairman; J. David Officer, Vice Chairman and a director;
Ronald P. O'Hanley III, Vice Chairman; William T. Sandalls, Jr., Executive Vice
President; Stephen R. Byers, Senior Vice President; Mark N. Jacobs, Vice
President, General Counsel and Secretary; Diane D. Durnin, Vice President
Product Development; Patrice M. Kozlowski, Vice President-Corporate
Communications; Mary Beth Leibig, Vice President-Human Resources; Ray Van Cott,
Vice President-Information Systems; Theodore A. Schachar, Vice President--Tax;
Wendy Strutt, Vice President; Richard Terres, Vice President; William H.
Maresca, Controller; James Bitetto, Assistant Secretary; Steven F. Newman,
Assistant Secretary; and Mandell L. Berman, Burton C. Borgelt, Steven G.
Elliott, Martin C. McGuinn, Richard W. Sabo and Richard F. Syron, directors.
The Manager manages the Fund's portfolio of investments in accordance
with the stated policies of the Fund, subject to the approval of the Fund's
Board. The Manager is responsible for investment decisions, and provides the
Fund with portfolio managers who are authorized by the Fund's Board to execute
purchases and sales of securities. The Fund's portfolio managers are Joseph P.
Darcy, A. Paul Disdier, Joseph Irace, Colleen Meehan, Richard J. Moynihan, W.
Michael Petty, Jill C. Shaffro, Scott Sprauer, Samuel J. Weinstock and Monica S.
Wieboldt. The Manager also maintains a research department with a professional
staff of portfolio managers and securities analysts who provide research
services for the Fund and for other funds advised by the Manager.
The Manager's code of ethics (the "Code") subjects its employees'
personal securities transactions to various restrictions to ensure that such
trading does not disadvantage any fund advised by the Manager. In that regard,
portfolio managers and other investment personnel of the Manager must preclear
and report their personal securities transactions and holdings, which are
reviewed for compliance with the Code, and are also subject to the oversight of
Mellon's Investment Ethics Committee. Portfolio managers and other investment
personnel of the Manager who comply with the Code's preclearance and disclosure
procedures and the requirements of the Committee, may be permitted to purchase,
sell or hold securities which also may be or are held in fund(s) they manage or
for which they otherwise provide investment advice.
The Manager maintains office facilities on behalf of the Fund, and
furnishes statistical and research data, clerical help, accounting, data
processing, bookkeeping and internal auditing and certain other required
services to the Fund. The Manager may pay the Distributor for shareholder
services from the Manager's own assets, including past profits but not including
the management fee paid by the Fund. The Distributor may use part or all of such
payments to pay securities dealers, banks or other financial institutions in
respect of these services. The Manager also may make such advertising and
promotional expenditures, using its own resources, as it from time to time deems
appropriate.
All expenses incurred in the operation of the Fund are borne by the
Fund, except to the extent specifically assumed by the Manager. The expenses
borne by the Fund include: taxes, interest, brokerage fees and commissions, if
any, fees of Board members who are not officers, directors, employees or holders
of 5% or more of the outstanding voting securities of the Manager, Securities
and Exchange Commission fees, state Blue Sky qualification fees, advisory fees,
charges of custodians, transfer and dividend disbursing agents' fees, certain
insurance premiums, industry association fees, outside auditing and legal
expenses, costs of maintaining the Fund's existence, costs of independent
pricing services, costs attributable to investor services (including, without
limitation, telephone and personnel expenses), costs of shareholders' reports
and meetings, costs of preparing and printing prospectuses and statements of
additional information for regulatory purposes and for distribution to existing
shareholders, and any extraordinary expenses.
As compensation for the Manager's services, the Fund has agreed to pay
the Manager a monthly management fee at the annual rate of 0.60% of the value of
the Fund's average daily net assets. All fees and expenses are accrued daily and
deducted before declaration of dividends to investors. For the fiscal years
ended December 31, 1997, 1998 and 1999, the management fees payable by the Fund
amounted to $2,137,022, $1,978,648 and $1,822,672, respectively.
The Manager has agreed that if in any fiscal year the aggregate
expenses of the Fund, exclusive of taxes, brokerage, interest on borrowings and
(with the prior written consent of the necessary state securities commissions)
extraordinary expenses, but including the management fee, exceed the expense
limitation of any state having jurisdiction over the Fund, the Fund may deduct
from the payment to be made to the Manager under the Agreement, or the Manager
will bear, such excess expense to the extent required by state law. Such
deduction or payment, if any, will be estimated daily, and reconciled and
effected or paid, as the case may be, on a monthly basis.
The aggregate of the fees payable to the Manager is not subject to
reduction as the value of the Fund's net assets increases.
DISTRIBUTOR. The Distributor, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Manager
located at 200 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10166, serves as the Fund's
distributor on a best efforts basis pursuant to an agreement with the Fund which
is renewable annually.
TRANSFER AND DIVIDEND DISBURSING AGENT AND CUSTODIAN. Dreyfus
Transfer, Inc. (the "Transfer Agent"), a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Manager,
P.O. Box 9671, Providence, Rhode Island 02940-9671, is the Fund's transfer and
dividend disbursing agent. Under a transfer agency agreement with the Fund, the
Transfer Agent arranges for the maintenance of shareholder account records for
the Fund, the handling of certain communications between shareholders and the
Fund and the payment of dividends and distributions payable by the Fund. For
these services, the Transfer Agent receives a monthly fee computed on the basis
of the number of shareholder accounts it maintains for the Fund during the
month, and is reimbursed for certain out-of-pocket expenses.
The Bank of New York (the "Custodian"), 100 Church Street, New York,
New York 10286, is the Fund's custodian. The Custodian has no part in
determining the investment policies of the Fund or which securities are to be
purchased or sold by the Fund. Under a custody agreement with the Fund, the
Custodian holds the Fund's securities and keeps all necessary accounts and
records. For its custody services, the Custodian receives a monthly fee based on
the market value of the Fund's assets held in custody and receives certain
securities transactions charges.
HOW TO BUY SHARES
GENERAL. Fund shares are sold without a sales charge. You may be
charged a fee if you effect transactions in Fund shares through a securities
dealer, bank or other financial institution. Share certificates are issued only
upon your written request. It is not recommended that the Fund be used as a
vehicle for Keogh, IRA or other qualified plans. No certificates are issued for
fractional shares. The Fund reserves the right to reject any purchase order.
The minimum initial investment is $2,500, or $1,000 if you are a
client of a securities dealer, bank or other financial institution which
maintains an omnibus account in the Fund and has made an aggregate minimum
initial purchase for its customers of $2,500. Subsequent investments must be at
least $100. The initial investment must be accompanied by the Account
Application. For full-time or part-time employees of the Manager or any of its
affiliates or subsidiaries, directors of the Manager, Board members of a fund
advised by the Manager, including members of the Fund's Board, or the spouse or
minor child of any of the foregoing, the minimum initial investment is $1,000.
For full-time or part-time employees of the Manager or any of its affiliates or
subsidiaries who elect to have a portion of their pay directly deposited into
their Fund accounts, the minimum initial investment is $50. The Fund reserves
the right to vary the initial and subsequent investment minimum requirements at
any time.
Fund shares also are offered without regard to the minimum initial
investment requirements through Dreyfus-AUTOMATIC Asset Builder(R), Dreyfus
Government Direct Deposit Privilege or Dreyfus Payroll Savings Plan pursuant to
the Dreyfus Step Program described under "Shareholder Services." These services
enable you to make regularly scheduled investments and may provide you with a
convenient way to invest for long-term financial goals. You should be aware,
however, that periodic investment plans do not guarantee a profit and will not
protect an investor against loss in a declining market.
Management understands that some securities dealers, banks or other
financial institutions may impose certain conditions on their clients which are
different from those described in the Fund's Prospectus and this Statement of
Additional Information, and, to the extent permitted by applicable regulatory
authority, may charge their clients direct fees.
Shares are sold on a continuous basis at the net asset value per share
next determined after an order in proper form is received by the Transfer Agent
or other entity authorized to receive orders on behalf of the Fund. Net asset
value per share is determined as of the close of trading on the floor of the New
York Stock Exchange (currently 4:00 p.m., New York time) on each day the New
York Stock Exchange is open for business. For purposes of computing net asset
value per share, options and futures contracts will be valued 15 minutes after
the close of trading on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange. Net asset
value per share is computed by dividing the value of the Fund's net assets
(i.e., the value of its assets less liabilities) by the total number of shares
outstanding. The Fund's investments are valued by an independent pricing service
approved by the Fund's Board and are valued at fair value as determined by the
pricing service. The pricing service's procedures are reviewed under the general
supervision of the Fund's Board. For further information regarding the methods
employed in valuing the Fund's investments, see "Determination of Net Asset
Value."
DREYFUS TELETRANSFER PRIVILEGE. You may purchase shares by telephone
if you have checked the appropriate box and supplied the necessary information
on the Account Application or have filed a Shareholder Services Form with the
Transfer Agent. The proceeds will be transferred between the bank account
designated in one of these documents and your Fund account. Only a bank account
maintained in a domestic financial institution which is an Automated Clearing
House ("ACH") member may be so designated.
Dreyfus TELETRANSFER purchase orders may be made at any time. Purchase
orders received by 4:00 p.m., New York time, on any day that the Transfer Agent
and the New York Stock Exchange are open for business will be credited to the
shareholder's Fund account on the next bank business day following such purchase
order. Purchase orders made after 4:00 p.m., New York time, on any day the
Transfer Agent and the New York Stock Exchange are open for business, or orders
made on Saturday, Sunday or any Fund holiday (e.g., when the New York Stock
Exchange is not open for business), will be credited to the shareholder's Fund
account on the second bank business day following such purchase order. To
qualify to use the Dreyfus TELETRANSFER Privilege, the initial payment for
purchase of Fund shares must be drawn on, and redemption proceeds paid to, the
same bank and account as are designated on the Account Application or
Shareholder Services Form on file. If the proceeds of a particular redemption
are to be wired to an account at any other bank, the request must be in writing
and signature-guaranteed. See "How to Redeem Shares--Dreyfus TELETRANSFER
Privilege."
REOPENING AN ACCOUNT. You may reopen an account with a minimum
investment of $100 without filing a new Account Application during the calendar
year the account is closed or during the following calendar year, provided the
information on the old Account Application is still applicable.
SHAREHOLDER SERVICES PLAN
The Fund has adopted a Shareholder Services Plan (the "Plan"),
pursuant to which the Fund reimburses the Distributor an amount not to exceed
the annual rate of 0.25% of the Fund's average daily net assets. The services
provided may include personal services relating to shareholder accounts, such as
answering shareholder inquiries regarding the Fund and providing reports and
other information, and services related to the maintenance of shareholder
accounts.
A quarterly report of the amounts expended under the Plan, and the
purposes for which such expenditures were incurred, must be made to the Board
for its review. In addition, the Plan provides that material amendments of the
Plan must be approved by the Board, and by the Board members who are not
"interested persons" (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the Fund and have no direct
or indirect financial interest in the operation of the Plan, by vote cast in
person at a meeting called for the purpose of considering such amendments. The
Plan is subject to annual approval by such vote of the Board members cast in
person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on the Plan. The Plan is
terminable at any time by vote of a majority of the Board members who are not
"interested persons" and who have no direct or indirect financial interest in
the operation of the Plan.
During the fiscal year ended December 31, 1999, the Fund paid $280,885
pursuant to the Plan.
HOW TO REDEEM SHARES
REDEMPTION FEE. The Fund will deduct a redemption fee equal to 1% of
the net asset value of Fund shares redeemed (including redemptions through the
use of the Fund Exchanges service) less than 30* days following the issuance of
such shares. The redemption fee will be deducted from the redemption proceeds
and retained by the Fund. For the fiscal year ended December 31, 1999, the Fund
retained $140 in redemption fees.
- ------------------
* Shares purchased before June 1, 2000 must be held for at least 15 days to
avoid the redemption fee.
<PAGE>
No redemption fee will be charged on the redemption or exchange of
shares (1) through the Fund's Check Redemption Privilege, Automatic Withdrawal
Plan or Dreyfus Auto-Exchange Privilege, (2) through accounts that are reflected
on the records of the Transfer Agent as omnibus accounts approved by the
Distributor, (3) through accounts established by securities dealers, banks or
other financial institutions approved by the Distributor that utilize the
National Securities Clearing Corporation's networking system, or (4) acquired
through the reinvestment of dividends or distributions. The redemption fee may
be waived, modified or terminated at any time.
CHECKWRITING PRIVILEGE. The Fund provides Redemption Checks ("Checks")
automatically upon opening an account, unless you specifically refuse the
Checkwriting Privilege by checking the applicable "No" box on the Account
Application. The Checkwriting Privilege may be established for an existing
account by a separate signed Shareholder Services Form. Checks will be sent only
to the registered owner(s) of the account and only to the address of record. The
Account Application or Shareholder Services Form must be manually signed by the
registered owner(s). Checks may be made payable to the order of any person in an
amount of $500 or more. When a Check is presented to the Transfer Agent for
payment, the Transfer Agent, as your agent, will cause the Fund to redeem a
sufficient number of shares in your account to cover the amount of the Check.
Dividends are earned until the Check clears. After clearance, a copy of the
Check will be returned to you. You generally will be subject to the same rules
and regulations that apply to checking accounts, although the election of this
Privilege creates only a shareholder-transfer agent relationship with the
Transfer Agent.
You should date your Checks with the current date when you write them.
Please do not postdate your Checks. If you do, the Transfer Agent will honor,
upon presentment, even if presented before the date of the Check, all postdated
Checks which are dated within six months of presentment for payment, if they are
otherwise in good order.
Checks are free, but the Transfer Agent will impose a fee for stopping
payment of a Check upon your request or if the Transfer Agent cannot honor a
Check due to insufficient funds or other valid reason. If the amount of the
Check is greater than the value of the shares in your account, the Check will be
returned marked insufficient funds. Checks should not be used to close an
account.
The Checkwriting Privilege will be terminated immediately, without
notice, with respect to any account which is, or becomes, subject to backup
withholding on redemptions. Any Check written on an account which has become
subject to backup withholding on redemptions will not be honored by the Transfer
Agent.
WIRE REDEMPTION PRIVILEGE. By using this Privilege, you authorize the
Transfer Agent to act on wire, telephone or letter redemption instructions from
any person representing himself or herself to be you and reasonably believed by
the Transfer Agent to be genuine. Ordinarily, the Fund will initiate payment for
shares redeemed pursuant to this Privilege on the next business day after
receipt by the Transfer Agent of a redemption request in proper form. Redemption
proceeds ($1,000 minimum) will be transferred by Federal Reserve wire only to
the commercial bank account specified by you on the Account Application or
Shareholder Services Form, or to a correspondent bank if your bank is not a
member of the Federal Reserve System. Fees ordinarily are imposed by such bank
and borne by the investor. Immediate notification by the correspondent bank to
your bank is necessary to avoid a delay in crediting the funds to your bank
account.
If you have access to telegraphic equipment, you may wire redemption
requests to the Transfer Agent by employing the following transmittal code which
may be used for domestic or overseas transmissions:
TRANSFER AGENT'S
TRANSMITTAL CODE ANSWER BACK SIGN
---------------- -----------------
144295 144295 TSSG PREP
If you do not have direct access to telegraphic equipment, you may
have the wire transmitted by contacting a TRT Cables operator at 1-800-654-7171,
toll free. You should advise the operator that the above transmittal code must
be used and should also inform the operator of the Transfer Agent's answer back
sign.
To change the commercial bank or account designated to receive
redemption proceeds, a written request must be sent to the Transfer Agent. This
request must be signed by each shareholder, with each signature guaranteed as
described below under "Share Certificates; Signatures."
DREYFUS TELETRANSFER PRIVILEGE. You may request by telephone that
redemption proceeds be transferred between your Fund account and your bank
account. Only a bank account maintained in a domestic financial institution
which is an ACH member may be designated. Holders of jointly registered Fund or
bank accounts may redeem through the Dreyfus TELETRANSFER Privilege for transfer
to their bank account not more than $500,000 within any 30-day period. You
should be aware that if you have selected the Dreyfus TELETRANSFER Privilege,
any request for a wire redemption will be effected as a Dreyfus TELETRANSFER
transaction through the ACH system unless more prompt transmittal specifically
is requested. Redemption proceeds will be on deposit in the your account at an
ACH member bank ordinarily two business days after receipt of the redemption
request. See "How to Buy Shares--Dreyfus TELETRANSFER Privilege."
SHARE CERTIFICATES; SIGNATURES. Any certificates representing Fund
shares to be redeemed must be submitted with the redemption request. Written
redemption requests must be signed by each shareholder, including each holder of
a joint account, and each signature must be guaranteed. Signatures on endorsed
certificates submitted for redemption also must be guaranteed. The Transfer
Agent has adopted standards and procedures pursuant to which
signature-guarantees in proper form generally will be accepted from domestic
banks, brokers, dealers, credit unions, national securities exchanges,
registered securities associations, clearing agencies and savings associations,
as well as from participants in the New York Stock Exchange Medallion Signature
Program, the Securities Transfer Agents Medallion Program ("STAMP") and the
Stock Exchanges Medallion Program. Guarantees must be signed by an authorized
signatory of the guarantor and "Signature-Guaranteed" must appear with the
signature. The Transfer Agent may request additional documentation from
corporations, executors, administrators, trustees or guardians and may accept
other suitable verification arrangements from foreign investors, such as
consular verification. For more information with respect to
signature-guarantees, please call one of the telephone numbers listed on the
cover.
REDEMPTION COMMITMENT. The Fund has committed itself to pay in cash
all redemption requests by any shareholder of record, limited in amount during
any 90-day period to the lesser of $250,000 or 1% of the value of the Fund's net
assets at the beginning of such period. Such commitment is irrevocable without
the prior approval of the Securities and Exchange Commission. In the case of
requests for redemption in excess of such amount, the Board reserves the right
to make payments in whole or in part in securities or other assets of the Fund
in case of an emergency or any time a cash distribution would impair the
liquidity of the Fund to the detriment of the existing shareholders. In such
event, the securities would be valued in the same manner as the Fund's portfolio
is valued. If the recipient sold such securities, brokerage charges might be
incurred.
SUSPENSION OF REDEMPTIONS. The right of redemption may be suspended or
the date of payment postponed (a) during any period when the New York Stock
Exchange is closed (other than customary weekend and holiday closings), (b) when
trading in the markets the Fund ordinarily utilizes is restricted, or when an
emergency exists as determined by the Securities and Exchange Commission so that
disposal of the Fund's investments or determination of its net asset value is
not reasonably practicable, or (c) for such other periods as the Securities and
Exchange Commission by order may permit to protect the Fund's shareholders.
SHAREHOLDER SERVICES
FUND EXCHANGES. You may purchase, in exchange for shares of the Fund,
shares of certain other funds managed or administered by the Manager, to the
extent such shares are offered for sale in your state of residence. The Fund
will deduct a redemption fee equal to 1% of the net asset value of Fund shares
exchanged where the exchange is made less than 30 days after the issuance of
such shares. Shares of other funds purchased by exchange will be purchased on
the basis of relative net asset value per share as follows:
A. Exchanges for shares of funds offered without a sales load will
be made without a sales load.
B. Shares of funds purchased without a sales load may be exchanged
for shares of other funds sold with a sales load, and the
applicable sales load will be deducted.
C. Shares of funds purchased with a sales load may be exchanged
without a sales load for shares of other funds sold without a
sales load.
D. Shares of funds purchased with a sales load, shares of funds
acquired by a previous exchange from shares purchased with a
sales load and additional shares acquired through reinvestment of
dividends or distributions of any such funds (collectively
referred to herein as "Purchased Shares") may be exchanged for
shares of other funds sold with a sales load (referred to herein
as "Offered Shares"), but, if the sales load applicable to the
Offered Shares exceeds the maximum sales load that could have
been imposed in connection with the Purchased Shares (at the time
the Purchased Shares were acquired), without giving effect to any
reduced loads, the difference will be deducted.
To accomplish an exchange under item D above, you must notify the
Transfer Agent of your prior ownership of fund shares and your account number.
To request an exchange, you must give exchange instructions to the
Transfer Agent in writing or by telephone. The ability to issue exchange
instructions by telephone is given to all Fund shareholders automatically,
unless you check the applicable "No" box on the Account Application, indicating
that you specifically refuse this Privilege. By using the Telephone Exchange
Privilege, you authorize the Transfer Agent to act on telephonic instructions
(including over The Dreyfus Touch(R) automated telephone system) from any person
representing himself or herself to be you, and reasonably believed by the
Transfer Agent to be genuine. Telephone exchanges may be subject to limitations
as to the amount involved or the number of telephone exchanges permitted. Shares
issued in certificate form are not eligible for telephone exchange. No fees
currently are charged shareholders directly in connection with exchanges,
although the Fund reserves the right, upon not less than 60 days' written
notice, to charge shareholders a nominal administrative fee in accordance with
rules promulgated by the Securities and Exchange Commission.
To establish a personal retirement plan by exchange, shares of the
fund being exchanged must have a value of at least the minimum initial
investment required for the fund into which the exchange is being made.
DREYFUS AUTO-EXCHANGE PRIVILEGE. Dreyfus Auto-Exchange Privilege
permits you to purchase, in exchange for shares of the Fund, shares of another
fund in the Dreyfus Family of Funds of which you are a shareholder. This
Privilege is available only for existing accounts. Shares will be exchanged on
the basis of relative net asset value as described above under "Fund Exchanges."
Enrollment in or modification or cancellation of this Privilege is effective
three business days following notification by the investor. You will be notified
if your account falls below the amount designated to be exchanged under this
Privilege. In this case, your account will fall to zero unless additional
investments are made in excess of the designated amount prior to the next
Auto-Exchange transaction. Shares held under IRA and other retirement plans are
eligible for this Privilege. Exchanges of IRA shares may be made between IRA
accounts from regular accounts to IRA accounts, but not from IRA accounts to
regular accounts. With respect to all other retirement accounts, exchanges may
be made only among those accounts.
Shareholder Services Forms and prospectuses of the other funds may be
obtained by calling 1-800-645-6561. The Fund reserves the right to reject any
exchange request in whole or in part. Shares may be exchanged only between
accounts having identical names and other identifying designations. The Fund
Exchanges service or the Dreyfus Auto-Exchange Privilege may be modified or
terminated at any time upon notice to shareholders.
DREYFUS-AUTOMATIC ASSET BUILDER(R). Dreyfus-AUTOMATIC Asset Builder
permits you to purchase Fund shares (minimum of $100 and maximum of $150,000 per
transaction) at regular intervals selected by you. Fund shares are purchased by
transferring funds from the bank account designated by you.
DREYFUS GOVERNMENT DIRECT DEPOSIT PRIVILEGE. Dreyfus Government Direct
Deposit Privilege enables you to purchase Fund shares (minimum of $100 and
maximum of $50,000 per transaction) by having Federal salary, Social Security,
or certain veterans', military or other payments from the U.S. Government
automatically deposited into your fund account. You may deposit as much of such
payments as you elect.
DREYFUS PAYROLL SAVINGS PLAN. Dreyfus Payroll Savings Plan permits you
to purchase Fund shares (minimum of $100 per transaction) automatically on a
regular basis. Depending upon your employer's direct deposit program, you may
have part or all of your paycheck transferred to your existing Dreyfus account
electronically through the ACH system at each pay period. To establish a Dreyfus
Payroll Savings Plan account, you must file an authorization form with your
employer's payroll department. It is the sole responsibility of your employer to
arrange for transactions under the Dreyfus Payroll Savings Plan.
DREYFUS STEP PROGRAM. Dreyfus Step Program enables you to purchase
Fund shares without regard to the Fund's minimum initial investment requirements
through Dreyfus-AUTOMATIC Asset Builder(R), Dreyfus Government Direct Deposit
Privilege or Dreyfus Payroll Savings Plan. To establish a Dreyfus Step Program
account, you must supply the necessary information on the Account Application
and file the required authorization form(s) with the Transfer Agent. For more
information concerning this Program, or to request the necessary authorization
form(s), please call toll free 1-800-782-6620. You may terminate your
participation in this Program at any time by discontinuing your participation in
Dreyfus-AUTOMATIC Asset Builder, Dreyfus Government Direct Deposit Privilege or
Dreyfus Payroll Savings Plan, as the case may be, as provided under the terms of
such Privilege(s). The Fund may modify or terminate this Program at any time.
DREYFUS DIVIDEND OPTIONS. Dreyfus Dividend Sweep allows you to invest
automatically your dividends or dividends and capital gain distributions, if
any, from the Fund in shares of another fund in the Dreyfus Family of Funds of
which you are a shareholder. Shares of other funds purchased pursuant to this
privilege will be purchased on the basis of relative net asset value per share
as follows:
A. Dividends and distributions paid by a fund may be invested
without imposition of a sales load in shares of other funds
offered without a sales load.
B. Dividends and distributions paid by a fund which does not charge
a sales load may be invested in shares of other funds sold with a
sales load, and the applicable sales load will be deducted.
C. Dividends and distributions paid by a fund that charges a sales
load may be invested in shares of other funds sold with a sales
load (referred to herein as "Offered Shares"), but if the sales
load applicable to the Offered Shares exceeds the maximum sales
load charged by the fund from which dividends or distributions
are being swept (without giving effect to any reduced loads), the
difference will be deducted.
D. Dividends and distributions paid by a fund may be invested in
shares of other funds that impose a contingent deferred sales
charge ("CDSC") and the applicable CDSC, if any, will be imposed
upon redemption of such shares.
Dreyfus Dividend ACH permits you to transfer electronically dividends
or dividends and capital gain distributions, if any, from the Fund to a
designated bank account. Only an account maintained at a domestic financial
institution which is an ACH member may be so designated. Banks may charge a fee
for this service.
AUTOMATIC WITHDRAWAL PLAN. The Automatic Withdrawal Plan permits you
to request withdrawal of a specified dollar amount (minimum of $50) on either a
monthly or quarterly basis if you have a $5,000 minimum account. Withdrawal
payments are the proceeds from sales of Fund shares, not the yield on the
shares. If withdrawal payments exceed reinvested dividends and distributions,
your shares will be reduced and eventually may be depleted. Automatic Withdrawal
may be terminated at any time by you, the Fund or the Transfer Agent. Shares for
which certificates have been issued may not be redeemed through the Automatic
Withdrawal Plan.
DETERMINATION OF NET ASSET VALUE
VALUATION OF PORTFOLIO SECURITIES. The Fund's investments are valued
by an independent pricing service (the "Service") approved by the Fund's Board.
When, in the judgment of the Service, quoted bid prices for investments are
readily available and are representative of the bid side of the market, these
investments are valued at the mean between the quoted bid prices (as obtained by
the Service from dealers in such securities) and asked prices (as calculated by
the Service based upon its evaluation of the market for such securities). Other
investments (which constitute a majority of the portfolio securities) are
carried at fair value as determined by the Service, based on methods which
include consideration of: yields or prices of municipal bonds of comparable
quality, coupon, maturity and type; indications as to values from dealers; and
general market conditions. The Service may employ electronic data processing
techniques and/or a matrix system to determine valuations. The Service's
procedures are reviewed by the Fund's officers under the general supervision of
the Fund's Board. Expenses and fees, including the management fee, are accrued
daily and are taken into account for the purpose of determining the net asset
value of Fund shares.
NEW YORK STOCK EXCHANGE CLOSINGS. The holidays (as observed) on which
the New York Stock Exchange is closed currently are: New Year's Day, Martin
Luther King Jr. Day, Presidents' Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Independence
Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas.
PORTFOLIO TRANSACTIONS
Portfolio securities ordinarily are purchased from and sold to parties
acting as either principal or agent. Newly-issued securities ordinarily are
purchased directly from the issuer or from an underwriter; other purchases and
sales usually are placed with those dealers from which it appears that the best
price or execution will be obtained. Usually no brokerage commissions, as such,
are paid by the Fund for such purchases and sales, although the price paid
usually includes an undisclosed compensation to the dealer acting as agent. The
prices paid to underwriters of newly-issued securities usually include a
concession paid by the issuer to the underwriter, and purchases of after-market
securities from dealers ordinarily are executed at a price between the bid and
asked price. No brokerage commissions have been paid by the Fund to date.
Transactions are allocated to various dealers by the Fund's portfolio
managers in their best judgment. The primary consideration is prompt and
effective execution of orders at the most favorable price. Subject to that
primary consideration, dealers may be selected for research, statistical or
other services to enable the Manager to supplement its own research and analysis
with the views and information of other securities firms and may be selected
based upon their sales of shares of the Fund or other funds advised by the
Manager or its affiliates.
Research services furnished by brokers through which the Fund effects
securities transactions may be used by the Manager in advising other funds it
advises and, conversely, research services furnished to the Manager by brokers
in connection with other funds the Manager advises may be used by the Manager in
advising the Fund. Although it is not possible to place a dollar value on these
services, it is the opinion of the Manager that the receipt and study of such
services should not reduce the overall expenses of its research department.
DIVIDENDS, DISTRIBUTIONS AND TAXES
Management believes that the Fund has qualified for the fiscal year
ended December 31, 1999 as a "regulated investment company" under the Code. The
Fund intends to continue to so qualify if such qualification is in the best
interests of its shareholders. Such qualification relieves the Fund of any
liability for Federal income tax to the extent its earnings are distributed in
accordance with applicable provisions of the Code. If the Fund did not qualify
as a regulated investment company, it would be treated for tax purposes as an
ordinary corporation subject to Federal income tax.
The Fund ordinarily declares dividends from its net investment income
on each day the New York Stock Exchange is open for business. Fund shares begin
earning income dividends on the day following the date of purchase. Dividends
usually are paid on the last business day of each month and are automatically
reinvested in additional Fund shares at net asset value or, at your option, paid
in cash. The Fund's earnings for Saturdays, Sundays and holidays are declared as
dividends on the next business day. If you redeem all shares in your account at
any time during the month, all dividends to which you are entitled will be paid
to you along with the proceeds of the redemption. If you are an omnibus
accountholder and indicate in a partial redemption request that a portion of any
accrued dividends to which such account is entitled belongs to an underlying
accountholder who has redeemed all shares in his or her account, such portion of
the accrued dividends will be paid to you along with the proceeds of the
redemption.
If you elect to receive dividends and distributions in cash, and your
dividend or distribution check is returned to the Fund as undeliverable or
remains uncashed for six months, the Fund reserves the right to reinvest such
dividend or distribution and all future dividends and distributions payable to
you in additional Fund shares at net asset value. No interest will accrue on
amounts represented by uncashed distribution or redemption checks.
Any dividend or distribution paid shortly after an investor's purchase
may have the effect of reducing the aggregate net asset value of the shares
below the cost of his investment. Such a distribution would be a return on
investment in an economic sense although taxable as stated under "Distributions
and Taxes" in the Prospectus. In addition, the Code provides that if a
shareholder holds Fund shares for six months or less and has received an
exempt-interest dividend with respect to such shares, any loss incurred on the
sale of such shares will be disallowed to the extent of the exempt-interest
dividend received.
Ordinarily, gains and losses realized from portfolio transactions will
be treated as capital gains or losses. However, all or a portion of any gains
realized from the sale or other disposition of certain market discount bonds
will be treated as ordinary income. In addition, all or a portion of the gain
realized from engaging in "conversion transactions" (generally including certain
transactions designed to convert ordinary income into capital gain) may be
treated as ordinary income.
Gain or loss, if any, realized by the Fund from certain financial
futures and options transactions will be treated as 60% long-term capital gain
or loss and 40% short-term capital gain or loss. Gain or loss will arise upon
exercise or lapse of such futures and options as well as from closing
transactions. In addition, any such futures or options remaining unexercised at
the end of the fund's taxable year will be treated as sold for their then fair
market value, resulting in additional gain or loss to the Fund as described
above.
Offsetting positions held by the Fund involving certain financial
futures contracts or options transactions may be considered, for tax purposes,
to constitute "straddles." "Straddles" are defined to include "offsetting
positions" in actively traded personal property. To the extent the straddle
rules apply to positions established by the Fund, losses realized by the Fund
may be deferred to the extent of unrealized gain in the offsetting position. In
addition, short-term capital loss on straddle positions may be recharacterized
as long-term capital loss, and long-term capital gains on straddle positions may
be treated as short-term capital gains or ordinary income. Certain of the
straddle positions held by the Fund may constitute "mixed straddles." The Fund
may make one or more elections with respect to the treatment of "mixed
straddles," resulting in different tax consequences. In certain circumstances,
the provisions governing the tax treatment of straddles override or modify
certain of the provisions discussed above.
If the Fund either (1) holds an appreciated financial position with
respect to stock, certain debt obligations, or partnership interests
("appreciated financial position") and then enters into a short sale, futures,
forward, or offsetting notional principal contract (collectively, a "Contract")
respecting the same or substantially identical property or (2) holds an
appreciated financial position that is a Contract and then acquires property
that is the same as, or substantially identical to, the underlying property, the
Fund generally will be taxed as if the appreciated financial position were sold
at its fair market value on the date the Fund enters into the financial position
or acquires the property, respectively.
Investment by the Fund in securities issued at a discount or providing
for deferred interest or for payment of interest in the form of additional
obligations could, under special tax rules, affect the amount, timing and
character of distributions to shareholders. For example, the Fund could be
required to take into account annually a portion of the discount (or deemed
discount) at which such securities were issued and to distribute such portion in
order to maintain its qualification as a regulated investment company. In such
case, the Fund may have to dispose of securities which it might otherwise have
continued to hold in order to generate cash to satisfy these distribution
requirements.
PERFORMANCE INFORMATION
The Fund's current yield for the 30-day period ended December 31, 1999
was 4.27%. Current yield is computed pursuant to a formula which operates as
follows: The amount of the Fund's expenses accrued for the 30-day period (net of
reimbursements) is subtracted from the amount of the dividends and interest
earned (computed in accordance with regulatory requirements) by the Fund during
the period. That result is then divided by the product of: (a) the average daily
number of shares outstanding during the period that were entitled to receive
dividends, and (b) the net asset value per share on the last day of the period
less any undistributed earned income per share reasonably expected to be
declared as a dividend shortly thereafter. The quotient is then added to 1, and
that sum is raised to the 6th power, after which 1 is subtracted. The current
yield is then arrived at by multiplying the result by 2.
Based upon a Federal personal income tax rate of 39.60%, the Fund's
tax equivalent yield for the 30-day period ended December 31, 1999 was 7.07%.
Tax equivalent yield is computed by dividing that portion of the current yield
(calculated as described above) which is tax exempt by 1 minus a stated tax rate
and adding the quotient to that portion, if any, of the yield of the Fund that
is not tax exempt.
The Fund's average annual total return for the 1, 5 and 7.95 year
periods ended December 31, 1999 was (1.16)%, 5.39% and 5.45%, respectively.
Average annual total return is calculated by determining the ending redeemable
value of an investment purchased with a hypothetical $1,000 payment made at the
beginning of the period (assuming the reinvestment of dividends and
distributions), dividing by the amount of the initial investment, taking the
"n"th root of the quotient (where "n" is the number of years in the period) and
subtracting 1 from the result.
The Fund's aggregate total return for the period January 21, 1992
(commencement of operations) through December 31, 1999 was 52.52%. The Fund's
total return figure referenced above reflects the absorption of certain
expenses. Had these expenses not been absorbed, total return would have been
lower. Total return is calculated by subtracting the amount of the Fund's net
asset value per share at the beginning of a stated period from the net asset
value per share at the end of the period (after giving effect to the
reinvestment of dividends and distributions during the period), and dividing the
result by the net asset value per share at the beginning of the period.
From time to time, the Fund may use hypothetical tax equivalent yields
or charts in its advertising. These hypothetical yields or charts will be used
for illustrative purposes only and are not indicative of the Fund's past or
future performance. Comparative performance information may be used from time to
time in advertising or marketing the Fund's shares, including data from Lipper
Analytical Services, Inc., Moody's Bond Survey Bond Index, Lehman Brothers
Municipal Bond Index, Morningstar, Inc. and other industry publications. From
time to time, advertising materials for the Fund may refer to or discuss
then-current or past economic conditions, developments and/or events, actual or
proposed tax legislation, or to statistical or other information concerning
trends relating to investment companies, as compiled by industry associations
such as the Investment Company Institute. Advertising material for the Fund also
may refer to Morningstar ratings and related analyses supporting such ratings.
From time to time, advertising material for the Fund may occasionally
include information about other similar funds and may refer to the Fund as the
first Florida municipal bond fund available to investors with no sales load. In
addition, such material may include a discussion or a comparison of certain
specific attributes of those funds, including, but not limited to, required
minimum and subsequent investments, required minimum balances, sales loads,
portfolio investments and other investment services. From time to time,
advertising material for the Fund may include biographical information relating
to its portfolio managers and may refer to, or include commentary by, a
portfolio manager relating to investment strategy, asset growth, current or past
business, political, economic or financial conditions and other matters of
general interest to investors.
INFORMATION ABOUT THE FUND
Each Fund share has one vote and, when issued and paid for in
accordance with the terms of the offering, is fully paid and non-assessable.
Fund shares are of one class and have equal rights as to dividends and in
liquidation. Shares have no preemptive, subscription or conversion rights and
are freely transferable.
Under Massachusetts law, shareholders, under certain circumstances,
could be held personally liable for the obligations of the Fund. However, the
Fund's Agreement and Declaration of Trust ("Trust Agreement") disclaims
shareholder liability for acts or obligations of the Fund and requires that
notice of such disclaimer be given in each agreement, obligation or instrument
entered into or executed by the Fund or a Trustee. The Trust Agreement provides
for indemnification from the Fund's property for all losses and expenses of any
shareholder held personally liable for the obligations of the Fund. Thus, the
risk of a shareholder's incurring financial loss on account of shareholder
liability is limited to circumstances in which the Fund itself would be unable
to meet its obligations, a possibility which management believes is remote. Upon
payment of any liability incurred by the Fund, the shareholder paying such
liability will be entitled to reimbursement from the general assets of the Fund.
The Fund intends to conduct its operations in such a way so as to avoid, as far
as possible, ultimate liability of the shareholders for liabilities of the Fund.
Unless otherwise required by the 1940 Act, ordinarily it will not be
necessary for the Fund to hold annual meetings of shareholders. As a result,
Fund shareholders may not consider each year the election of Board members or
the appointment of auditors. However, the holders of at least 10% of the shares
outstanding and entitled to vote may require the Fund to hold a special meeting
of shareholders for purposes of removing a Board member from office. Fund
shareholders may remove a Board member by the affirmative vote of two-thirds of
the Fund's outstanding voting shares. In addition, the Board will call a meeting
of shareholders for the purpose of electing Board members if, at any time, less
than a majority of the Board members then holding office have been elected by
shareholders.
The Fund is intended to be a long-term investment vehicle and is not
designed to provide investors with a means of speculating on short-term market
movements. A pattern of frequent purchases and exchanges can be disruptive to
efficient portfolio management and, consequently, can be detrimental to the
Fund's performance and its shareholders. Accordingly, if the Fund's management
determines that an investor is following a market-timing strategy or is
otherwise engaging in excessive trading, the Fund, with or without prior notice,
may temporarily or permanently terminate the availability of Fund Exchanges, or
reject in whole or part any purchase or exchange request, with respect to such
investor's account. Such investors also may be barred from purchasing other
funds in the Dreyfus Family of Funds. Generally, an investor who makes more than
four exchanges out of the Fund during any calendar year or who makes exchanges
that appear to coincide with a market-timing strategy may be deemed to be
engaged in excessive trading. Accounts under common ownership or control will be
considered as one account for purposes of determining a pattern of excessive
trading. In addition, the Fund may refuse or restrict purchase or exchange
requests by any person or group if, in the judgment of the Fund's management,
the Fund would be unable to invest the money effectively in accordance with its
investment objective and policies or could otherwise be adversely affected or if
the Fund receives or anticipates receiving simultaneous orders that may
significantly affect the Fund (e.g., amounts equal to 1% or more of the Fund's
total assets). If an exchange request is refused, the Fund will take no other
action with respect to the Fund shares until it receives further instructions
from the investor. The Fund may delay forwarding redemption proceeds for up to
seven days if the investor redeeming shares is engaged in excessive trading or
if the amount of the redemption request otherwise would be disruptive to
efficient portfolio management or would adversely affect the Fund. The Fund's
policy on excessive trading applies to investors who invest in the Fund directly
or through financial intermediaries, but does not apply to the Dreyfus
Auto-Exchange Privilege, to any automatic investment or withdrawal privilege
described herein, or to participants in employer-sponsored retirement plans.
During times of drastic economic or market conditions, the Fund may
suspend the Fund Exchanges temporarily without notice and treat exchange
requests based on their separate components--redemption orders with a
simultaneous request to purchase the other fund's shares. In such a case, the
redemption request would be processed at the Fund's next determined net asset
value but the purchase order would be effective only at the net asset value next
determined after the fund being purchased receives the proceeds of the
redemption, which may result in the purchase being delayed.
To offset the relatively higher costs of servicing smaller accounts,
the Fund will charge regular accounts with balances below $2,000 an annual fee
of $12. The valuation of accounts and the deductions are expected to take place
during the last four months of each year. The fee will be waived for any
investor whose aggregate Dreyfus mutual fund investments total at least $25,000,
and will not apply to IRA accounts or to accounts participating in automatic
investment programs or opened through a securities dealer, bank or other
financial institution, or to other fiduciary accounts.
The Fund will send annual and semi-annual financial statements to all
its shareholders.
COUNSEL AND INDEPENDENT AUDITORS
Stroock & Stroock & Lavan LLP, 180 Maiden Lane, New York, New York
10038-4982, as counsel for the Fund, has rendered its opinion as to certain
legal matters regarding the due authorization and valid issuance of the shares
being sold pursuant to the Fund's Prospectus.
Ernst & Young LLP, 787 Seventh Avenue, New York, New York 10019,
independent auditors, has been selected as independent auditors of the Fund.
YEAR 2000 ISSUES
The Fund could be adversely affected if the computer systems used by
the Manager and the Fund's other service providers do not properly process and
calculate date-related information from and after January 1, 2000.
The Manager has taken steps designed to avoid year 2000-related
problems in its systems and to monitor the readiness of other service providers.
In addition, issuers of securities in which the Fund invests may be adversely
affected by year 2000-related problems. This could have an impact on the value
of the Fund's investments and its share price.
<PAGE>
APPENDIX A
RISK FACTORS - INVESTING IN
FLORIDA MUNICIPAL OBLIGATIONS
The following information constitutes only a brief summary, does not
purport to be a complete description, and is based on information drawn from
official statements relating to securities offerings of the State of Florida and
various local agencies available as of the date of this Statement of Additional
Information. While the Fund has not independently verified such information, it
has no reason to believe that such information is not correct in all material
respects.
GENERAL - The Florida Constitution and Statutes mandate that the State
budget as a whole, and each separate fund within the State budget, be kept in
balance from currently available revenues each fiscal year. Florida's
Constitution permits issuance of Florida Municipal Obligations pledging the full
faith and credit of the State, with a vote of the electors, to finance or
refinance fixed capital outlay projects authorized by the Legislature provided
that the outstanding principal does not exceed 50% of the total tax revenues of
the State for the two preceding years. Florida's Constitution also provides that
the Legislature shall appropriate monies sufficient to pay debt service on State
bonds pledging the full faith and credit of the State as the same becomes due.
REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES. Financial operations of the State of
Florida covering all receipts and expenditures are maintained through the use of
three funds: General Revenue Fund, Trust Funds and Working Capital Fund. The
General Revenue Fund receives the majority of State tax revenues. The Trust
Funds consist of monies received by the State which under law or trust agreement
are segregated for a purpose authorized by law. Revenues in the General Revenue
Fund which are in excess of the amount needed to meet appropriations may be
transferred to the Working Capital Fund. Beginning in 1993-94, the Florida
Constitution requires that the State establish a Budget Stabilization Fund. This
fund is to contain a balance of at least 1% of the previous year's net General
Revenue collections in 1994-95, 2% in 1995-96, 3% in 1996-97, 4% in 1997-98 and
5% in 1998-99 and thereafter. These monies can be only spent for the purpose of
covering revenue shortfalls and for emergency purposes as defined by general
law. Implementing legislation establishing this fund was enacted during the 1994
Session of the Florida legislature.
In November of 1994, Florida voters approved an amendment to the
Florida Constitution which set forth limitations on revenue collections by the
State. With certain exceptions, State revenues collected for any fiscal year are
limited to State revenues allowed under the amendment for the prior fiscal year
plus an adjustment for growth.
As used in the amendment, "growth" means an amount equal to the
average annual rate of growth in Florida personal income over the most recent
twenty quarters times the State revenues allowed under the amendment for the
prior fiscal year. For the 1996-1997 fiscal year, the State revenues allowed
under the amendment for the prior fiscal year shall equal the State revenues
collected for the 1995-1996 fiscal year. Florida personal income will be
determined by the Legislature, from information available from the United States
Department of Commerce or its successor on the first day of February prior to
the beginning of the fiscal year. State revenues collected for any fiscal year
in excess of this limitation will be transferred to the Budget Stabilization
Fund until the fund reaches the maximum balance specified above, and thereafter
shall be refunded to taxpayers as provided by general law. State revenues
allowed under the amendment for any fiscal year may be increased by a two-thirds
vote of the membership of each house of the Florida Legislature.
For purposes of the amendment "State revenues" means taxes, fees,
licenses, and charges for services imposed by the Legislature on individuals,
businesses, or agencies outside State government. However, "State revenues" does
not include: revenues that are necessary to meet the requirements set forth in
documents authorizing the issuance of bonds by the State; revenues that are used
to provide matching funds for the federal Medicaid program with the exception of
the revenues used to support the Public Medical Assistance Trust Fund or its
successor program and with the exception of State matching funds used to fund
elective expansions made after July 1, 1994; proceeds from the State Lottery
returned as prizes; receipts of the Florida Hurricane Catastrophe Fund; balances
carried forward from prior fiscal years; taxes, licenses, fees and charges for
services imposed by local, regional, or school district governing bodies; or
revenue from taxes, licenses, fees and charges for services required to be
imposed by any amendment or revision to the Constitution after July 1, 1994. An
adjustment to the revenue limitation will be made by general law to reflect the
fiscal impact of transfers of responsibility for the funding of governmental
functions between the State and other levels of government.
The amendment became effective January 1, 1995.
The Florida Constitution and Statutes mandate that the State budget as
a whole, and each separate fund within the State budget, be kept in balance from
currently available revenues each State fiscal year.
Florida ended fiscal years 1996-97 and 1997-98 with General Revenue
plus Working Capital Funds unencumbered reserves of approximately $440.5 million
and $744.0 million, respectively. Estimated fiscal year 1997-98 General Revenue
plus Working Capital Funds available total $22.6 billion. Total effective
appropriations for the 1998-99 fiscal year are estimated at $21.7 billion,
resulting in estimated unencumbered reserves of $900.0 million at the end of the
fiscal year.
In fiscal year 1997-98, the State derived approximately 60% of its
total direct revenues from the General Revenue Fund, Trust Funds and Working
Capital Fund from State taxes. Federal grants and other special revenues
accounted for the remaining revenues. Major sources of tax revenues to the
General Revenue Fund are the sales and use tax, corporate income tax, and
beverage tax, which amounted to 61%, 6% and 2.5%, respectively, of total General
Revenue Fund receipts.
State expenditures are categorized for budget and appropriation
purposes by type of fund and spending unit, which are further subdivided by line
item. In fiscal year 1997-98, expenditures from the General Revenue Fund for
education, health and welfare and public safety amounted to approximately 28%,
35% and 7%, respectively, of total General Revenues.
SALES AND USE TAX. The greatest single source of tax receipts in
Florida is the sales and use tax. The sales tax is 6% of the sales price of
tangible property sold at retail in the State. The use tax is 6% of the cost
price of tangible personal property when the same is not sold but is used, or
stored for use, in the State. The use tax also applies to the use in the State
of tangible personal property purchased outside Florida which would have been
subject to the sales tax if purchased from a Florida dealer. Less than 10% of
the sales tax is designated for local governments and is distributed to the
respective counties in which it is collected for use by such counties and
municipalities therein. In addition to this distribution, local governments may
(by referendum) assess a .5% or 1% discretionary sales surtax within their
county. Proceeds from this local option sales tax are earmarked for funding
local infrastructure programs and acquiring land for public recreation or
conservation or protection of natural resources. In addition, non-consolidated
counties with populations in excess of 800,000 may levy a local option sales tax
to fund indigent health care. This tax rate may not exceed .5% and the combined
levy of the indigent health care surtax and the infrastructure surtax described
above may not exceed 1%. Furthermore, charter counties which adopted a charter
prior to June 1, 1976, and each county with a consolidated county/municipal
government, may (by referendum) assess up to a 1% discretionary sales surtax
within their county. Proceeds from this tax are earmarked for the development,
construction, maintenance and operation of a fixed guideway rapid transit system
or may be remitted to an expressway or transportation authority for use on
country roads and bridges, for a bus system, or to service bonds financing roads
and bridges. The two taxes, sales and use, stand as complements to each other,
and taken together provide a uniform tax upon either the sale at retail or the
use of all tangible personal property irrespective of where it may have been
purchased. This tax also includes a levy on the following: (i) rentals of
tangible personal property, transient lodging and non-residential real property;
(ii) admissions to places of amusements, most sports and recreation events;
(iii) utilities, except those used in homes; and (iv) restaurant meals.
Exemptions include: groceries; medicines; hospital rooms and meals; fuels used
to produce electricity; purchases by religious, charitable and educational
nonprofit institutions; most professional, insurance and personal service
transactions; apartments used as permanent dwellings; the trade-in value of
motor vehicles; and residential utilities.
All receipts of the sales and use tax, with the exception of the tax
on gasoline and special fuels, are credited to either the General Revenue Fund,
the Solid Waste Management Trust Fund, or countries and cities. For the State
fiscal year which ended June 30, 1998, receipts from this source were $13.349
billion, an increase of 10% from fiscal year 1996-97.
FUELS SALE TAX. The second largest source of State tax receipts is the
tax on fuel sales. Preliminary data show collections from this source in the
State fiscal year ended June 30, 1998, were $1.518 billion. However, these
revenues are almost entirely dedicated trust funds for specific purposes and are
not included in the State General Revenue Fund.
State and local taxes on motor fuels (gasoline and special fuel)
include several distinct fuel taxes: (i) the State fuels sales tax levied at a
rate calculated by The State Department of Revenue by adjusting the 1997 base
rate of 6.9 cents per gallon by the percentage change in the CPI for the most
recent 12 month period ending September 30, compared to the base year average
which is the average for the 12 month period ending September 30, 1989. For
Calendar Year 1998 the rate was nine cents per gallon; for Calendar Year 1999
the rate is 9.1 cents per gallon; (ii) the State excise tax of four cents per
gallon of motor fuel, proceeds distributed to local governments; (iii) the State
Comprehensive Enhanced Transportation System (SCETS) tax, which is levied at a
rate in each county equal to two-thirds of the sum of the county's local option
motor fuel taxes; and (iv) local option motor fuel taxes, which may range
between one cent to seven cents per gallon.
ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE TAX. Florida's alcoholic beverage tax is an excise
tax on beer, wine, and liquor. This tax is one of the State's major tax sources,
with revenues totaling $566.2 million in State fiscal year ended June 30, 1998.
Alcoholic beverage receipts declined from the previous year's total. The
revenues collected from this tax are deposited into the State's General Revenue
Fund.
CORPORATE INCOME TAX. Pursuant to an amendment to the State
Constitution, the State Legislature adopted, effective January 1, 1972, the
"Florida Income Tax Code" imposing a tax upon the net income of corporations,
organizations, associations and other artificial entities for the privilege of
conducting business, deriving income or existing within the State. This tax does
not apply to natural persons who engage in a trade or business or profession
under their own or any fictitious name, whether individually as proprietorships
or in partnerships with others, estates of decedents or incompetents, or
testamentary trusts.
The tax is imposed in an amount equal to 5.5% of the taxpayer's net
corporate income for the taxable year, less a $5,000 exemption, as defined in
such Code. Net income is defined by the Code as that share of a taxpayer's
adjusted Federal income for such year which is apportioned to the State of
Florida. Apportionment is by weighted factors of sales (50%), property (25%) and
payroll (25%). All business income is apportioned and non-business income is
allocated to a single jurisdiction, usually the State of commercial domicile.
All receipts of the corporate income tax are credited to the General
Revenue Fund. For the fiscal year ended June 30, 1998, receipts from this source
were $1.395 billion, an increase of 3% from fiscal year 1996-97.
DOCUMENTARY STAMP TAX. Deeds and other documents relating to a realty
are taxed at 70 cents per $100 of consideration, while corporate shares, bonds,
certificates of indebtedness, promissory notes, wage assignments and retail
charge accounts are taxed at 35 cents per $100 of consideration. Documentary
stamp tax collections totaled $1.005 billion during fiscal year 1997-98, posting
a 16% increase from the previous fiscal year. The General Revenue Fund receives
approximately 2% of documentary stamp tax collections.
GROSS RECEIPTS TAX. Effective July 1, 1992, the tax rate was increased
from 2.25% to 2.5% of the gross receipts of electric, natural gas and
telecommunications services. All gross receipts utilities collections are
credited to the Public Education Capital Outlay and Debt Service Trust Fund. In
fiscal year 1997-98, gross receipts utilities tax collections totaled $638.0
million, an increase of 5% over the previous fiscal year.
INTANGIBLE PERSONAL PROPERTY TAX. This tax is levied on two distinct
bases: (i) stocks, bonds, including bonds secured by Florida realty, notes,
government leaseholds, interests in limited partnerships registered with the
SEC, and other miscellaneous intangible personal property not secured by liens
on Florida realty are taxed annually at a rate of 2 mills, (ii) mortgages and
other obligations secured by liens on Florida realty, taxed with a non-recurring
2 mill tax.
Of the tax proceeds, 33.5% is distributed to the Municipal Revenue
Sharing Trust Fund. The remainder is distributed to the General Reserve Fund.
Fiscal year 1997-98 total intangible personal property tax collections
were $1.164 billion, a 16% increase over the prior year.
SEVERANCE TAXES. The severance tax includes the taxation of oil, gas
and sulfur production and a tax on the severance of primarily phosphate rock and
other solid minerals. Collections from severance taxes totaled $61.269 million
during fiscal year 1997-98, down 5% from the previous fiscal year.
LOTTERY. The 1987 Legislature created the Department of the Lottery to
operate the State Lottery and setting forth the allocation of the revenues. Of
the revenues generated by the Lottery, 50% is to be returned to the public as
prizes; at least 38% is to be deposited in the Educational Enhancement Trust
Fund (for public education); and no more than 12% can be spent on the
administrative cost of operating the lottery.
Fiscal year 1997-98 produced ticket sales of $2.057 billion of which
education received approximately $813.11 million.
<PAGE>
APPENDIX B
Description of S&P, Moody's and Fitch ratings:
S&P
MUNICIPAL BOND RATINGS
An S&P municipal bond rating is a current assessment of the
creditworthiness of an obligor with respect to a specific obligation.
The ratings are based on current information furnished by the issuer
or obtained by S&P from other sources it considers reliable, and will include:
(1) likelihood of default-capacity and willingness of the obligor as to the
timely payment of interest and repayment of principal in accordance with the
terms of the obligation; (2) nature and provisions of the obligation; and (3)
protection afforded by, and relative position of, the obligation in the event of
bankruptcy, reorganization or other arrangement under the laws of bankruptcy and
other laws affecting creditors' rights.
AAA
Debt rated AAA has the highest rating assigned by S&P. Capacity to pay
interest and repay principal is extremely strong.
AA
Debt rated AA has a very strong capacity to pay interest and repay
principal and differs from the highest rated issues only in a small degree.
A
Principal and interest payments on bonds in this category are regarded
as safe. This rating describes the third strongest capacity for payment of debt
service. It differs from the two higher ratings because:
General Obligation Bonds -- There is some weakness in the local
economic base, in debt burden, in the balance between revenues and expenditures,
or in quality of management. Under certain adverse circumstances, any one such
weakness might impair the ability of the issuer to meet debt obligations at some
future date.
Revenue Bonds -- Debt service coverage is good, but not exceptional.
Stability of the pledged revenues could show some variations because of
increased competition or economic influences on revenues. Basic security
provisions, while satisfactory, are less stringent. Management performance
appears adequate.
BBB
Of the investment grade, this is the lowest.
General Obligation Bonds -- Under certain adverse conditions, several
of the above factors could contribute to a lesser capacity for payment of debt
service. The difference between "A" and "BBB" rating is that the latter shows
more than one fundamental weakness, or one very substantial fundamental
weakness, whereas the former shows only one deficiency among the factors
considered.
Revenue Bonds -- Debt coverage is only fair. Stability of the pledged
revenues could show substantial variations, with the revenue flow possibly being
subject to erosion over time. Basic security provisions are no more than
adequate. Management performance could be stronger.
BB, B, CCC, CC, C
Debt rated BB, B, CCC, CC and C is regarded as having predominantly
speculative characteristics with respect to capacity to pay interest and repay
principal. BB indicates the least degree of speculation and C the highest degree
of speculation. While such debt will likely have some quality and protective
characteristics, these are outweighed by large uncertainties or major risk
exposures to adverse conditions.
BB
Debt rated BB has less near-term vulnerability to default than other
speculative grade debt. However, it faces major ongoing uncertainties or
exposure to adverse business, financial or economic conditions which could lead
to inadequate capacity to meet timely interest and principal payment.
B
Debt rated B has a greater vulnerability to default but presently has
the capacity to meet interest payments and principal repayments. Adverse
business, financial or economic conditions would likely impair capacity or
willingness to pay interest and repay principal.
CCC
Debt rated CCC has a current identifiable vulnerability to default,
and is dependent upon favorable business, financial and economic conditions to
meet timely payments of principal. In the event of adverse business, financial
or economic conditions, it is not likely to have the capacity to pay interest
and repay principal.
CC
The rating CC is typically applied to debt subordinated to senior debt
which is assigned an actual or implied CCC rating.
C
The rating C is typically applied to debt subordinated to senior debt
which is assigned an actual or implied CCC- debt rating.
D
Bonds rated D are in default, and payment of interest and/or repayment
of principal is in arrears.
Plus (+) or minus (-): The ratings from AA to CCC may be modified by
the addition of a plus or minus sign to show relative standing within the major
ratings categories.
MUNICIPAL NOTE RATINGS
SP-1
The issuers of these municipal notes exhibit very strong or strong
capacity to pay principal and interest. Those issues determined to possess
overwhelming safety characteristics are given a plus sign (+) designation.
SP-2
The issuers of these municipal notes exhibit satisfactory capacity to
pay principal and interest.
COMMERCIAL PAPER RATINGS
An S&P commercial paper rating is a current assessment of the
likelihood of timely payment of debt having an original maturity of no more than
365 days.
A
Issues assigned this rating are regarded as having the greatest
capacity for timely payment. Issues in this category are delineated with the
numbers 1, 2 and 3 to indicate the relative degree of safety.
A-1
This designation indicates that the degree of safety regarding timely
payment is either overwhelming or very strong. Those issues determined to
possess overwhelming safety characteristics are denoted with a plus sign (+)
designation.
A-2
Capacity for timely payment on issues with this designation is strong.
However, the relative degree of safety is not as high as for issues designated
A-1.
Moody's
MUNICIPAL BOND RATINGS
Aaa
Bonds rated Aaa are judged to be of the best quality. They carry the
smallest degree of investment risk and are generally referred to as "gilt edge."
Interest payments are protected by a large or by an exceptionally stable margin
and principal is secure. While the various protective elements are likely to
change, such changes as can be visualized are most unlikely to impair the
fundamentally strong position of such issues.
Aa
Bonds rated Aa are judged to be of high quality by all standards.
Together with the Aaa group they comprise what generally are known as high-grade
bonds. They are rated lower than the best bonds because margins of protection
may not be as large as in Aaa securities or fluctuation of protective elements
may be of greater amplitude or there may be other elements present which make
the long-term risks appear somewhat larger than in Aaa securities.
A
Bonds rated A possess many favorable investment attributes and are to
be considered as upper-medium grade obligations. Factors giving security to
principal and interest are considered adequate, but elements may be present
which suggest a susceptibility to impairment some time in the future.
Baa
Bonds rated Baa are considered as medium grade obligations, i.e., they
are neither highly protected nor poorly secured. Interest payments and principal
security appear adequate for the present but certain protective elements may be
lacking or may be characteristically unreliable over any great length of time.
Such bonds lack outstanding investment characteristics and in fact have
speculative characteristics as well.
Ba
Bonds rated Ba are judged to have speculative elements; their future
cannot be considered as well assured. Often the protection of interest and
principal payments may be very moderate, and therefore not well safeguarded
during both good and bad times over the future. Uncertainty of position
characterizes bonds in this class.
B
Bonds rated B generally lack characteristics of the desirable
investment. Assurance of interest and principal payments or of maintenance of
other terms of the contract over any long period of time may be small.
Caa
Bonds rated Caa are of poor standing. Such issues may be in default or
there may be present elements of danger with respect to principal or interest.
Ca
Bonds rated Ca present obligations which are speculative in a high
degree. Such issues are often in default or have other marked shortcomings.
C
Bonds rated C are the lowest rated class of bonds, and issues so rated
can be regarded as having extremely poor prospects of ever attaining any real
investment standing.
Generally, Moody's provides either a generic rating or a rating with a
numerical modifier of 1 for bonds in each of the generic rating categories Aa,
A, Baa, Ba and B. Moody's also provides numerical modifiers of 2 and 3 in each
of these categories for bond issues in the health care, higher education and
other not-for-profit sectors; the modifier 1 indicates that the issue ranks in
the higher end of its generic rating category; the modifier 2 indicates that the
issue is in the mid-range of the generic category; and the modifier 3 indicates
that the issue is in the low end of the generic category.
MUNICIPAL NOTE RATINGS
Moody's ratings for state and municipal notes and other short-term
loans are designated Moody's Investment Grade (MIG). Such ratings recognize the
differences between short-term credit risk and long-term risk. Factors affecting
the liquidity of the borrower and short-term cyclical elements are critical in
short-term ratings, while other factors of major importance in bond risk,
long-term secular trends for example, may be less important over the short run.
A short-term rating may also be assigned on an issue having a demand
feature. Such ratings will be designated as VMIG or, if the demand feature is
not rated, as NR. Short-term ratings on issues with demand features are
differentiated by the use of the VMIG symbol to reflect such characteristics as
payment upon periodic demand rather than fixed maturity dates and payment
relying on external liquidity. Additionally, investors should be alert to the
fact that the source of payment may be limited to the external liquidity with no
or limited legal recourse to the issuer in the event the demand is not met.
Moody's short-term ratings are designated Moody's Investment Grade as
MIG 1 or VMIG 1 through MIG 4 or VMIG 4. As the name implies, when Moody's
assigns a MIG or VMIG rating, all categories define an investment grade
situation.
MIG 1/VMIG 1
This designation denotes best quality. There is present strong
protection by established cash flows, superior liquidity support or demonstrated
broad-based access to the market for refinancing.
MIG 2/VMIG 2
This designation denotes high quality. Margins of protection are ample
although not so large as in the preceding group.
COMMERCIAL PAPER RATINGS
The rating Prime-1 (P-1) is the highest commercial paper rating
assigned by Moody's. Issuers of P-1 paper must have a superior capacity for
repayment of short-term promissory obligations, and will normally be evidenced
by leading market positions in well established industries, high rates of return
on funds employed, conservative capitalization structures with moderate reliance
on debt and ample asset protection, broad margins in earnings coverage of fixed
financial charges and high internal cash generation, and well established access
to a range of financial markets and assured sources of alternate liquidity.
Issuers (or related supporting institutions) rated Prime-2 (P-2) have
a strong capacity for repayment of short-term promissory obligations. This will
normally be evidenced by many of the characteristics cited above but to a lesser
degree. Earnings trends and coverage ratios, while sound, will be more subject
to variation. Capitalization characteristics, while still appropriate, may be
more affected by external conditions. Ample alternate liquidity is maintained.
Fitch
MUNICIPAL BOND RATINGS
The ratings represent Fitch's assessment of the issuer's ability to
meet the obligations of a specific debt issue or class of debt. The ratings take
into consideration special features of the issue, its relationship to other
obligations of the issuer, the current financial condition and operative
performance of the issuer and of any guarantor, as well as the political and
economic environment that might affect the issuer's future financial strength
and credit quality.
AAA
Bonds rated AAA are considered to be investment grade and of the
highest credit quality. The obligor has an exceptionally strong ability to pay
interest and repay principal, which is unlikely to be affected by reasonably
foreseeable events.
AA
Bonds rated AA are considered to be investment grade and of very high
credit quality. The obligor's ability to pay interest and repay principal is
very strong, although not quite as strong as bonds rated AAA. Because bonds
rated in the AAA and AA categories are not significantly vulnerable to
foreseeable future developments, short-term debt of these issuers is generally
rated F-1+.
A
Bonds rated A are considered to be investment grade and of high credit
quality. The obligor's ability to pay interest and repay principal is considered
to be strong, but may be more vulnerable to adverse changes in economic
conditions and circumstances than bonds with higher ratings.
BBB
Bonds rated BBB are considered to be investment grade and of
satisfactory credit quality. The obligor's ability to pay interest and repay
principal is considered to be adequate. Adverse changes in economic conditions
and circumstances, however, are more likely to have an adverse impact on these
bonds and, therefore, impair timely payment. The likelihood that the ratings of
these bonds will fall below investment grade is higher than for bonds with
higher ratings.
BB
Bonds rated BB are considered speculative. The obligor's ability to
pay interest and repay principal may be affected over time by adverse economic
changes. However, business and financial alternatives can be identified which
could assist the obligor in satisfying its debt service requirements.
B
Bonds rated B are considered highly speculative. While bonds in this
class are currently meeting debt service requirements, the probability of
continued timely payment of principal and interest reflects the obligor's
limited margin of safety and the need for reasonable business and economic
activity throughout the life of the issue.
CCC
Bonds rated CCC have certain identifiable characteristics, which, if
not remedied, may lead to default. The ability to meet obligations requires an
advantageous business and economic environment.
CC
Bonds rated CC are minimally protected. Default payment of interest
and/or principal seems probable over time.
C
Bonds rated C are in imminent default in payment of interest or
principal.
DDD, DD and D
Bonds rated DDD, DD and D are in actual or imminent default of
interest and/or principal payments. Such bonds are extremely speculative and
should be valued on the basis of their ultimate recovery value in liquidation or
reorganization of the obligor. DDD represents the highest potential for recovery
on these bonds and D represents the lowest potential for recovery.
Plus (+) and minus (-) signs are used with a rating symbol to indicate
the relative position of a credit within the rating category. Plus and minus
signs, however, are not used in the AAA category covering 12-36 months or the
DDD, DD or D categories.
SHORT-TERM RATINGS
Fitch's short-term ratings apply to debt obligations that are payable
on demand or have original maturities of up to three years, including commercial
paper, certificates of deposit, medium-term notes, and municipal and investment
notes.
Although the credit analysis is similar to Fitch's bond rating
analysis, the short-term rating places greater emphasis than bond ratings on the
existence of liquidity necessary to meet the issuer's obligations in a timely
manner.
F-1+
EXCEPTIONALLY STRONG CREDIT QUALITY. Issues assigned this rating are
regarded as having the strongest degree of assurance for timely payment.
F-1
VERY STRONG CREDIT QUALITY. Issues assigned this rating reflect an
assurance of timely payment only slightly less in degree than issues rated F-1+.
F-2
GOOD CREDIT QUALITY. Issues carrying this rating have a satisfactory
degree of assurance for timely payments, but the margin of safety is not as
great as the F-1+ and F-1 categories.
<PAGE>
Dreyfus Florida Intermediate Municipal Bond Fund
Investing for income that is exempt from federal income tax
PROSPECTUS May 1, 2000
As with all mutual funds, the Securities and Exchange Commission has not
approved or disapproved these securities or passed upon the adequacy of this
prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
<PAGE>
Contents
THE FUND
- ----------------------------------------------------
2 Goal/Approach
3 Main Risks
4 Past Performance
5 Expenses
6 Management
7 Financial Highlights
YOUR INVESTMENT
- --------------------------------------------------------------------
8 Account Policies
11 Distributions and Taxes
12 Services for Fund Investors
14 Instructions for Regular Accounts
FOR MORE INFORMATION
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Back Cover
What every investor should know about the fund
Information for managing your fund account
Where to learn more about this and other Dreyfus funds
<PAGE>
The Fund
Dreyfus Florida Intermediate Municipal Bond Fund
- ------------------------------------------------
Ticker Symbol: DFLIX
GOAL/APPROACH
The fund seeks as high a level of income exempt from federal income tax as is
consistent with the preservation of capital. To pursue its goal, the fund
normally invests substantially all of its assets in municipal bonds issued by
the state of Florida, its political subdivisions, authorities and corporations,
that provide income exempt from federal income tax and the Florida intangibles
personal property tax. The fund generally maintains a dollar-weighted average
portfolio maturity between three and ten years. While the fund generally intends
to invest only in investment grade securities or the unrated equivalent as
determined by Dreyfus, it does have the ability to invest up to 20% of its net
assets in bonds rated below BBB/Baa.
Municipal bonds are typically of two types:
o GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS, which are secured by the full faith and
credit of the issuer and its taxing power
o REVENUE BONDS, which are payable from the revenues derived from a
specific revenue source, such as charges for water and sewer service or
highway tolls
The fund is non-diversified, which means that a relatively high percentage of
the fund's assets may be invested in a limited number of issuers. Therefore, its
performance may be more vulnerable to changes in the market value of a single
issuer or a group of issuers.
INFORMATION ON THE FUND'S RECENT STRATEGIES AND HOLDINGS CAN BE FOUND IN THE
CURRENT ANNUAL/SEMIANNUAL REPORT (SEE BACK COVER).
Concepts to understand
AVERAGE MATURITY: an average of the stated maturities of the bonds held in the
fund, based on their dollar-weighted proportions in the fund.
INVESTMENT GRADE BONDS: independent rating organizations analyze and evaluate a
bond issuer's credit history and ability to repay debts. Based on their
assessment, they assign letter grades that reflect the issuer's
creditworthiness. AAA or Aaa represents the highest credit rating, AA/Aa the
second highest, and so on down to D, for defaulted debt. Bonds rated BBB or Baa
and above are considered investment grade.
<PAGE>
MAIN RISKS
Prices of bonds tend to move inversely with changes in interest rates. Although
a rise in rates may allow the fund to invest for higher yields, the most
immediate effect is usually a drop in bond prices and, therefore, in the fund's
share price as well. As a result, the value of your investment in the fund could
go up and down, which means that you could lose money.
Other risk factors could have an effect on the fund's performance:
o if an issuer fails to make timely interest or principal payments or if
there is a decline in the credit quality of a bond or a perception of a
decline, the bond's value could fall, potentially lowering the fund's
share price
o Florida's economy and revenues underlying its municipal bonds may
decline
o investing primarily in a single state may make the fund's portfolio
securities more sensitive to risks specific to the state
Although the fund's objective is to generate income exempt from federal income
tax, interest from some of its holdings may be subject to the alternative
minimum tax. In addition, the fund occasionally may invest in taxable bonds.
Other potential risks
The fund may, at times, invest in certain derivatives, such as futures, options
and inverse floaters, which may cause taxable income. Derivatives can be
illiquid and highly sensitive to changes in their underlying security, interest
rate or index, and as a result can be highly volatile. A small investment in
certain derivatives could have a potentially large impact on the fund's
performance.
The Fund
<PAGE>
PAST PERFORMANCE
The bar chart and table below show some of the risks of investing in the fund.
The bar chart shows the changes in the fund's performance from year to year. The
table compares the fund's average annual total return to that of the Lehman
Brothers 10-Year Municipal Bond Index, an unmanaged, non-Florida-specific,
total-return performance benchmark. Of course, past performance is no guarantee
of future results.
--------------------------------------------------------
Year-by-year total return AS OF 12/31 EACH YEAR (%)
[Exhibit A]
BEST QUARTER: Q1 '95 +5.92%
WORST QUARTER: Q1 '94 -4.69%
-----------------------------------------------------
Average annual total return AS OF 12/31/99
Since
inception
1 Year 5 Years (1/21/92)
----------------------------------------------------
FUND -1.16% 5.39% 5.45%
LEHMAN BROTHERS
10-YEAR MUNICIPAL
BOND INDEX -1.25% 7.12% 6.50%*
* FOR COMPARATIVE PURPOSES, THE VALUE OF THE INDEX ON 1/31/92 IS USED AS THE
BEGINNING VALUE ON 1/21/92.
What this fund is --
and isn't
This fund is a mutual fund:
a pooled investment that is professionally managed and gives you the opportunity
to participate in financial markets. It strives to reach its stated goal,
although as with all mutual funds, it cannot offer guaranteed results.
An investment in this fund is not a bank deposit. It is not insured or
guaranteed by the FDIC or any other government agency. It is not a complete
investment program. You could lose money in this fund, but you also have the
potential to make money.
<PAGE>
EXPENSES
As an investor, you pay certain fees and expenses in connection with the fund,
which are described in the table below. Shareholder transaction fees are paid
from your account. Annual fund operating expenses are paid out of fund assets,
so their effect is included in the share price. The fund has no sales charge
(load) or Rule 12b-1 distribution fees.
--------------------------------------------------------
Fee table
SHAREHOLDER TRANSACTION FEES
% OF TRANSACTION AMOUNT
Maximum redemption fee 1.00%
CHARGED ONLY WHEN SELLING SHARES YOU
HAVE OWNED FOR LESS THAN 30 DAYS*
--------------------------------------------------------
ANNUAL FUND OPERATING EXPENSES
% OF AVERAGE DAILY NET ASSETS
Management fees 0.60%
Shareholder services fee 0.09%
Other expenses 0.12%
-------------------------------------------------------
TOTAL 0.81%
* SHARES PURCHASED BEFORE JUNE 1, 2000 MUST BE HELD FOR AT LEAST 15 DAYS TO
AVOID THE REDEMPTION FEE.
--------------------------------------------------------
Expense example
1 Year 3 Years 5 Years 10 Years
-------------------------------------------------------
$83 $259 $450 $1,002
This example shows what you could pay in expenses over
time. It uses the same hypothetical conditions other
funds use in their prospectuses: $10,000 initial
investment, 5% total return each year and no changes in
expenses. The figures shown would be the same whether
you sold your shares at the end of a period or kept
them. Because actual return and expenses will be
different, the example is for comparison only.
Concepts to understand
MANAGEMENT FEE: the fee paid to Dreyfus for managing the fund's portfolio and
assisting in all aspects of the fund's operations.
SHAREHOLDER SERVICES FEE: a fee of up to 0.25% used to reimburse the fund's
distributor for shareholder account service and maintenance.
OTHER EXPENSES: fees paid by the fund for miscellaneous items such as transfer
agency, custody, professional and registration fees.
The Fund
<PAGE>
MANAGEMENT
The fund's investment adviser is The Dreyfus Corporation, 200 Park Avenue, New
York, New York 10166. Founded in 1947, Dreyfus manages more than $127 billion in
over 160 mutual fund portfolios. For the past fiscal year, the fund paid Dreyfus
a management fee at the annual rate of 0.60% of the fund's average daily net
assets. Dreyfus is the primary mutual fund business of Mellon Financial
Corporation, a global financial services company with approximately $2.5
trillion of assets under management, administration or custody, including
approximately $485 billion under management. Mellon provides wealth management,
global investment services and a comprehensive array of banking services for
individuals, businesses and institutions. Mellon is headquartered in Pittsburgh,
Pennsylvania.
The fund, Dreyfus and Dreyfus Service Corporation (the fund's distributor) each
have adopted a code of ethics that permits its personnel, subject to such code,
to invest in securities, including securities that may be purchased or held by
the fund. The Dreyfus code of ethics restricts the personal securities
transactions of its employees, and requires portfolio managers and other
investment personnel to comply with the code's preclearance and disclosure
procedures. Its primary purpose is to ensure that personal trading by Dreyfus
employees does not disadvantage any Dreyfus-managed fund.
Portfolio manager
Monica S. Wieboldt has been the fund's primary portfolio manager since August
1999 and has been employed by Dreyfus since November 1983.
<PAGE>
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
This table describes the fund's performance for the fiscal periods indicated.
"Total return" shows how much your investment in the fund would have increased
(or decreased) during each period, assuming you had reinvested all dividends and
distributions. These figures have been independently audited by Ernst & Young
LLP, whose report, along with the fund's financial statements, is included in
the annual report.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31,
1999 1998 1997 1996 1995
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PER-SHARE DATA ($)
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Net asset value, beginning of period 13.59 13.64 13.45 13.62 12.52
Investment operations:
Investment income -- net .59 .60 .60 .61 .62
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss)
on investments (.74) .06 .23 (.17) 1.10
Total from investment operations (.15) .66 .83 .44 1.72
Distributions:
Dividends from investment
income -- net (.59) (.60) (.60) (.61) (.62)
Dividends from net realized gain
on investments .00(1) (.11) (.04) -- --
Total distributions (.59) (.71) (.64) (.61) (.62)
Net asset value, end of period 12.85 13.59 13.64 13.45 13.62
Total return (%) (1.16) 4.98 6.35 3.35 13.98
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
RATIOS/SUPPLEMENTAL DATA
Ratio of expenses to average net assets (%) .81 .81 .80 .80 .69
Ratio of net investment income
to average net assets (%) 4.42 4.41 4.43 4.53 4.70
Decrease reflected in above
expense ratios due to actions
by Dreyfus (%) -- -- -- -- .08
Portfolio turnover rate (%) 10.61 32.49 19.68 19.14 25.00
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Net assets, end of period ($ x 1,000) 287,162 329,089 351,964 387,899 428,896
(1) AMOUNT REPRESENTS LESS THAN $.01.
</TABLE>
The Fund
<PAGE>
Your Investment
ACCOUNT POLICIES
Buying shares
YOU PAY NO SALES CHARGES to invest in this fund. Your price for fund shares is
the fund's net asset value per share (NAV), which is generally calculated as of
the close of trading on the New York Stock Exchange (usually 4:00 p.m. Eastern
time) every day the exchange is open.
YOUR ORDER WILL BE PRICED at the next NAV calculated after your order is
accepted by the fund's transfer agent or other authorized entity. The fund's
investments are generally valued at fair value by an independent pricing service
approved and supervised by the fund's board. Because the fund seeks tax-exempt
income, it is not recommended for purchase in IRAs or other qualified retirement
plans.
--------------------------------------------------------
Minimum investments
Initial Additional
--------------------------------------------------------
REGULAR ACCOUNTS $2,500 $100
$500 FOR
TELETRANSFER INVESTMENTS
DREYFUS AUTOMATIC $100 $100
INVESTMENT PLANS
All investments must be in U.S. dollars. Third-party
checks cannot be accepted. You may be charged a fee for
any check that does not clear. Maximum TeleTransfer
purchase is $150,000 per day.
Third-party investments
If you invest through a third party (rather than directly with Dreyfus), the
policies and fees may be different than those described here. Banks, brokers,
401(k) plans, financial advisers and financial supermarkets may charge
transaction fees and may set different minimum investments or limitations on
buying or selling shares. Consult a representative of your plan or financial
institution if in doubt.
<PAGE>
Selling shares
YOU MAY SELL (REDEEM) SHARES AT ANY TIME. Your shares will be sold at the next
NAV calculated after your order is accepted by the fund's transfer agent or
other authorized entity. Any certificates representing fund shares being sold
must be returned with your redemption request. Your order will be processed
promptly and you will generally receive the proceeds within a week.
BEFORE SELLING RECENTLY PURCHASED SHARES, please note that:
o if the fund has not yet collected payment for the shares you are
selling, it may delay sending the proceeds for up to eight business
days or until it has collected payment
o if you are selling or exchanging shares you have owned for less than 30
days*, the fund may deduct a 1% redemption fee (not charged on shares
sold through the Checkwriting Privilege, Automatic Withdrawal Plan or
Dreyfus Auto-Exchange Privilege, or on shares acquired through dividend
reinvestment)
* SHARES PURCHASED BEFORE JUNE 1, 2000 MUST BE HELD FOR AT LEAST 15 DAYS TO
AVOID THE REDEMPTION FEE.
--------------------------------------------------------
Limitations on selling shares by phone
Proceeds ent by Minimum Maximum
--------------------------------------------------------
CHECK NO MINIMUM $250,000 PER DAY
WIRE $1,000 $500,000 FOR JOINT ACCOUNTS
EVERY 30 DAYS
TELETRANSFER $500 $500,000 FOR JOINT ACCOUNTS
EVERY 30 DAYS
Written sell orders
Some circumstances require written sell orders along with signature guarantees.
These include:
o amounts of $10,000 or more on accounts whose address has been changed
within the last 30 days
o requests to send the proceeds to a different payee or address
Written sell orders of $100,000 or more must also be signature guaranteed.
A SIGNATURE GUARANTEE helps protect against fraud. You can obtain one from most
banks or securities dealers, but not from a notary public. For joint accounts,
each signature must be guaranteed. Please call us to ensure that your signature
guarantee will be processed correctly.
Your Investment
<PAGE>
ACCOUNT POLICIES (CONTINUED)
General policies
UNLESS YOU DECLINE TELEPHONE PRIVILEGES on your application, you may be
responsible for any fraudulent telephone order as long as Dreyfus takes
reasonable measures to verify the order.
THE FUND RESERVES THE RIGHT TO:
o refuse any purchase or exchange request that could adversely affect the
fund or its operations, including those from any individual or group
who, in the fund's view, is likely to engage in excessive trading
(usually defined as more than four exchanges out of the fund within a
calendar year)
o refuse any purchase or exchange request in excess of 1% of the fund's
total assets
o change or discontinue its exchange privilege, or temporarily suspend
this privilege during unusual market conditions
o change its minimum investment amounts
o delay sending out redemption proceeds for up to seven days (generally
applies only in cases of very large redemptions, excessive trading or
during unusual market conditions)
The fund also reserves the right to make a "redemption in kind" -- payment in
portfolio securities rather than cash -- if the amount you are redeeming is
large enough to affect fund operations (for example, if it represents more than
1% of the fund's assets).
Small account policies
To offset the relatively higher costs of servicing smaller accounts, the fund
charges regular accounts with balances below $2,000 an annual fee of $12. The
fee will be imposed during the fourth quarter of each calendar year.
The fee will be waived for: any investor whose aggregate Dreyfus mutual fund
investments total at least $25,000; IRA accounts; accounts participating in
automatic investment programs; and accounts opened through a financial
institution.
If your account falls below $500, the fund may ask you to increase your balance.
If it is still below $500 after 30 days, the fund may close your account and
send you the proceeds.
<PAGE>
DISTRIBUTIONS AND TAXES
THE FUND USUALLY PAYS ITS SHAREHOLDERS DIVIDENDS from its net investment income
once a month, and distributes any net capital gains it has realized once a year.
Your distributions will be reinvested in the fund unless you instruct the fund
otherwise. There are no fees or sales charges on reinvestments.
THE FUND ANTICIPATES THAT VIRTUALLY ALL OF ITS INCOME DIVIDENDS will be exempt
from federal income tax. However, any dividends and capital gains from taxable
investments are taxable as ordinary income, whether or not you reinvested them.
The tax status of any distribution is the same regardless of how long you have
been in the fund and whether you reinvest your distributions or take them in
cash. In general, distributions are federally taxable as follows:
--------------------------------------------------------
Taxability of distributions
Type of Tax rate for Tax rate for
distribution 15% bracket 28% bracket or above
--------------------------------------------------------
INCOME GENERALLY GENERALLY
DIVIDENDS TAX EXEMPT TAX EXEMPT
SHORT-TERM ORDINARY ORDINARY
CAPITAL GAINS INCOME RATE INCOME RATE
LONG-TERM
CAPITAL GAINS 10% 20%
The tax status of your dividends and distributions will be detailed in your
annual tax statement from the fund.
Because everyone's tax situation is unique, always consult your tax professional
about federal, state and local tax consequences.
Taxes on transactions
Any sale or exchange of fund shares, including through the checkwriting
privilege, may generate a tax liability.
The table at right also can provide a guide for your potential tax liability
when selling or exchanging fund shares. "Short-term capital gains" applies to
fund shares sold or exchanged up to 12 months after buying them. "Long-term
capital gains" applies to shares sold or exchanged after 12 months.
Your Investment
<PAGE>
SERVICES FOR FUND INVESTORS
Automatic services
BUYING OR SELLING SHARES AUTOMATICALLY is easy with the services described
below. With each service, you select a schedule and amount, subject to certain
restrictions. You can set up most of these services with your application or by
calling 1-800-645-6561.
--------------------------------------------------------
For investing
DREYFUS AUTOMATIC For making automatic investments ASSET BUILDER((reg.tm)) from
a designated bank account.
DREYFUS PAYROLL For making automatic investments SAVINGS PLAN through a payroll
deduction.
DREYFUS GOVERNMENT For making automatic investments
DIRECT DEPOSIT from your federal employment,
PRIVILEGE Social Security or other regular
federal government check.
DREYFUS DIVIDEND For automatically reinvesting the
SWEEP dividends and distributions from
one Dreyfus fund into another
(not available for IRAs).
--------------------------------------------------------
For exchanging shares
DREYFUS AUTO- For making regular exchanges
EXCHANGE PRIVILEGE from one Dreyfus fund into
another.
--------------------------------------------------------
For selling shares
DREYFUS AUTOMATIC For making regular withdrawals
WITHDRAWAL PLAN from most Dreyfus
funds.
Dreyfus Financial Centers
Through a nationwide network of Dreyfus Financial Centers, Dreyfus offers a full
array of investment services and products. This includes information on mutual
funds, brokerage services, tax-advantaged products and retirement planning.
Experienced financial consultants can help you make informed choices and provide
you with personalized attention in handling account transactions. The Financial
Centers also offer informative seminars and events. To find the Financial Center
nearest you, call 1-800-499-3327.
<PAGE>
Checkwriting privilege
YOU MAY WRITE REDEMPTION CHECKS against your account in amounts of $500 or more.
These checks are free; however, a fee may be charged if you request a stop
payment or if the transfer agent cannot honor a redemption check due to
insufficient funds or another valid reason. Please do not postdate your checks
or use them to close your account.
Exchange privilege
YOU CAN EXCHANGE SHARES WORTH $500 OR MORE from one Dreyfus fund into another.
You can request your exchange in writing or by phone. Be sure to read the
current prospectus for any fund into which you are exchanging before investing.
Any new account established through an exchange will have the same privileges as
your original account (as long as they are available). There is currently no fee
for exchanges, although you may be charged a sales load when exchanging into any
fund that has one.
Dreyfus TeleTransfer privilege
TO MOVE MONEY BETWEEN YOUR BANK ACCOUNT and your Dreyfus fund account with a
phone call, use the Dreyfus TeleTransfer privilege. You can set up TeleTransfer
on your account by providing bank account information and following the
instructions on your application.
24-hour automated account access
YOU CAN EASILY MANAGE YOUR DREYFUS ACCOUNTS, check your account balances,
transfer money between your Dreyfus funds, get price and yield information and
much more -- when it's convenient for you -- by calling 1-800-645-6561.
Your Investment
<PAGE>
INSTRUCTIONS FOR REGULAR ACCOUNTS
TO OPEN AN ACCOUNT
In Writing
Complete the application.
Mail your application and a check to:
The Dreyfus Family of Funds
P.O. Box 9387, Providence, RI 02940-9387
TO ADD TO AN ACCOUNT
Fill out an investment slip, and write your account number on your check.
Mail the slip and the check to: The Dreyfus Family of Funds P.O. Box 105,
Newark, NJ 07101-0105
By Telephone
WIRE Have your bank send your
investment to The Bank of New York, with these instructions:
* ABA# 021000018
* DDA# 8900202920
* the fund name
* your Social Security or tax ID number
* name(s) of investor(s)
Call us to obtain an account number. Return your application.
WIRE Have your bank send your investment to The Bank of New York, with these
instructions:
* ABA# 021000018
* DDA# 8900202920
* the fund name
* your account number
* name(s) of investor(s)
ELECTRONIC CHECK Same as wire, but insert "1111" before your account number.
TELETRANSFER Request TeleTransfer on your application. Call us to request your
transaction.
Automatically
WITH AN INITIAL INVESTMENT Indicate on your application which automatic
service(s) you want. Return your application with your investment.
WITHOUT ANY INITIAL INVESTMENT Check the Dreyfus Step Program option on your
application. Return your application, then complete the additional materials
when they are sent to you.
ALL SERVICES Call us to request a form to add any automatic investing service
(see "Services for Fund Investors"). Complete and return the forms along with
any other required materials.
Via the Internet
COMPUTER Visit the Dreyfus Web site http://www.dreyfus.com and follow the
instructions to download an account application.
<PAGE>
TO SELL SHARES
Write a redemption check OR write a letter of instruction that includes:
* your name(s) and signature(s)
* your account number
* the fund name
* the dollar amount you want to sell
* how and where to send the proceeds
Obtain a signature guarantee or other documentation, if required (see "Account
Policies -- Selling Shares").
Mail your request to: The Dreyfus Family of Funds P.O. Box 9671, Providence, RI
02940-9671
WIRE Be sure the fund has your bank account information on file. Call us to
request your transaction. Proceeds will be wired to your bank.
TELETRANSFER Be sure the fund has your bank account information on file. Call us
to request your transaction. Proceeds will be sent to your bank by electronic
check.
CHECK Call us to request your transaction. A check will be sent to the address
of record.
DREYFUS AUTOMATIC WITHDRAWAL PLAN Call us to request a form to add the plan.
Complete the form, specifying the amount and frequency of withdrawals you would
like.
Be sure to maintain an account balance of $5,000 or more.
To reach Dreyfus, call toll free in the U.S.
1-800-645-6561
Outside the U.S. 516-794-5452
Make checks payable to:
THE DREYFUS FAMILY OF FUNDS
You also can deliver requests to any Dreyfus Financial Center. Because
processing time may vary, please ask the representative when your account will
be credited or debited.
Concepts to understand
WIRE TRANSFER: for transferring money from one financial institution to another.
Wiring is the fastest way to move money, although your bank may charge a fee to
send or receive wire transfers. Wire redemptions from the fund are subject to a
$1,000 minimum.
ELECTRONIC CHECK: for transferring money out of a bank account. Your transaction
is entered electronically, but may take up to eight business days to clear.
Electronic checks usually are available without a fee at all Automated Clearing
House (ACH) banks.
Your Investment
<PAGE>
NOTES
<PAGE>
<PAGE>
For More Information
Dreyfus Florida Intermediate Municipal Bond Fund
------------------------------------------------
SEC file number: 811-6489
More information on this fund is available free upon
request, including the following:
Annual/Semiannual Report
Describes the fund's performance, lists portfolio
holdings and contains a letter from the fund's manager
discussing recent market conditions, economic trends and
fund strategies that significantly affected the fund's
performance during the last fiscal year.
Statement of Additional Information (SAI)
Provides more details about the fund and its policies. A
current SAI is on file with the Securities and Exchange
Commission (SEC) and is incorporated by reference (is
legally considered part of this prospectus).
To obtain information:
BY TELEPHONE Call 1-800-645-6561
BY MAIL Write to: The Dreyfus Family of Funds 144 Glenn Curtiss Boulevard
Uniondale, NY 11556-0144
BY E-MAIL Send your request to [email protected]
ON THE INTERNET Text-only versions of certain fund documents can be viewed
online or downloaded from:
SEC
http://www.sec.gov
DREYFUS
http://www.dreyfus.com
You can also obtain copies by visiting the SEC's Public Reference Room in
Washington, DC (for information, call 1-202-942-8090) or, after paying a
duplicating fee, by E-mail request to [email protected], or by writing to the
SEC's Public Reference Section, Washington, DC 20549-0102.
(c) 2000 Dreyfus Service Corporation 740P0500
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DREYFUS FLORIDA INTERMEDIATE MUNICIPAL BOND FUND
STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
MAY 1, 2000
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This Statement of Additional Information, which is not a prospectus,
supplements and should be read in conjunction with the current Prospectus of
Dreyfus Florida Intermediate Municipal Bond Fund (the "Fund"), dated May 1,
2000, as it may be revised from time to time. To obtain a copy of the Fund's
Prospectus, please write to the Fund at 144 Glenn Curtiss Boulevard, Uniondale,
New York 11556-0144, or call one of the following numbers:
Call Toll Free 1-800-645-6561
In New York City - Call 1-718-895-1206
Outside the U.S. - Call 516-794-5452
The Fund's most recent Annual Report and Semi-Annual Report to
Shareholders are separate documents supplied with this Statement of Additional
Information, and the financial statements, accompanying notes and report of
independent auditors appearing in the Annual Report are incorporated by
reference into this Statement of Additional Information.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PAGE
Description of the Fund...............................................B-2
Management of the Fund................................................B-16
Management Arrangements...............................................B-20
How to Buy Shares.....................................................B-23
Shareholder Services Plan.............................................B-24
How to Redeem Shares..................................................B-25
Shareholder Services..................................................B-28
Determination of Net Asset Value......................................B-31
Portfolio Transactions................................................B-31
Dividends, Distributions and Taxes....................................B-32
Performance Information...............................................B-34
Information About the Fund............................................B-35
Counsel and Independent Auditors......................................B-37
Year 2000 Issues......................................................B-37
Appendix A............................................................B-38
Appendix B............................................................B-43
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DESCRIPTION OF THE FUND
The Fund is a Massachusetts business trust that commenced operations
on January 21, 1992. The Fund is an open-end management investment company,
known as a municipal bond fund.
The Dreyfus Corporation (the "Manager") serves as the Fund's
investment adviser.
Dreyfus Service Corporation (the "Distributor") is the distributor of
the Fund's shares.
CERTAIN PORTFOLIO SECURITIES
The following information supplements and should be read in
conjunction with the Fund's Prospectus.
MUNICIPAL OBLIGATIONS. The Fund will invest primarily in the debt
securities of the State of Florida, its political subdivisions, authorities and
corporations, the interest from which is, in the opinion of bond counsel to the
issuer, exempt from Federal income tax (collectively, "Florida Municipal
Obligations"). The Fund will seek to invest in securities which are exempt from
the Florida intangible personal property tax. To the extent acceptable Florida
Municipal Obligations are at any time unavailable for investment by the Fund,
the Fund will invest temporarily in other Municipal Obligations. The Fund will
invest at least 80% of the value of its net assets (except when maintaining a
temporary defensive position) in Municipal Obligations. Municipal Obligations
are debt obligations issued by states, territories and possessions of the United
States and the District of Columbia and their political subdivisions, agencies
and instrumentalities, or multistate agencies or authorities, the interest from
which is, in the opinion of bond counsel to the issuer, exempt from Federal
income tax. Municipal Obligations generally include debt obligations issued to
obtain funds for various public purposes as well as certain industrial
development bonds issued by or on behalf of public authorities. Municipal
Obligations are classified as general obligation bonds, revenue bonds and notes.
General obligation bonds are secured by the issuer's pledge of its faith, credit
and taxing power for the payment of principal and interest. Revenue bonds are
payable from the revenue derived from a particular facility or class of
facilities or, in some cases, from the proceeds of a special excise or other
specific revenue source, but not from the general taxing power. Tax exempt
industrial development bonds, in most cases, are revenue bonds that do not carry
the pledge of the credit of the issuing municipality, but generally are
guaranteed by the corporate entity on whose behalf they are issued. Notes are
short-term instruments which are obligations of the issuing municipalities or
agencies and are sold in anticipation of a bond sale, collection of taxes or
receipt of other revenues. Municipal Obligations include municipal
lease/purchase agreements which are similar to installment purchase contracts
for property or equipment issued by municipalities. Municipal Obligations bear
fixed, floating or variable rates of interest, which are determined in some
instances by formulas under which the Municipal Obligation's interest rate will
change directly or inversely to changes in interest rates or an index, or
multiples thereof, in many cases subject to a maximum and minimum. Certain
Municipal Obligations are subject to redemption at a date earlier than their
stated maturity pursuant to call options, which may be separated from the
related Municipal Obligation and purchased and sold separately.
The yields on Municipal Obligations are dependent on a variety of
factors, including general economic and monetary conditions, money market
factors, conditions in the Municipal Obligations market, size of a particular
offering, maturity of the obligation and rating of the issue.
CERTAIN TAX EXEMPT OBLIGATIONS. The Fund may purchase floating and
variable rate demand notes and bonds, which are tax exempt obligations
ordinarily having stated maturities in excess of one year, but which permit the
holder to demand payment of principal at any time or at specified intervals.
Variable rate demand notes include master demand notes which are obligations
that permit the Fund to invest fluctuating amounts, at varying rates of
interest, pursuant to direct arrangements between the Fund, as lender, and the
borrower. These obligations permit daily changes in the amount borrowed. Because
these obligations are direct lending arrangements between the lender and
borrower, it is not contemplated that such instruments generally will be traded,
and there generally is no established secondary market for these obligations,
although they are redeemable at face value, plus accrued interest. Accordingly,
where these obligations are not secured by letters of credit or other credit
support arrangements, the Fund's right to redeem is dependent on the ability of
the borrower to pay principal and interest on demand. Each obligation purchased
by the Fund will meet the quality criteria established for the purchase of
Municipal Obligations.
TAX EXEMPT PARTICIPATION INTERESTS. The Fund may purchase from
financial institutions participation interests in Municipal Obligations (such as
industrial development bonds and municipal lease/purchase agreements). A
participation interest gives the Fund an undivided interest in the Municipal
Obligation in the proportion that the Fund's participation interest bears to the
total principal amount of the Municipal Obligation. These instruments may have
fixed, floating or variable rates of interest. If the participation interest is
unrated, it will be backed by an irrevocable letter of credit or guarantee of a
bank that the Fund's Board has determined meets prescribed quality standards for
banks, or the payment obligation otherwise will be collateralized by U.S.
Government securities. For certain participation interests, the Fund will have
the right to demand payment, on not more than seven days' notice, for all or any
part of the Fund's participation interest in the Municipal Obligation, plus
accrued interest. As to these instruments, the Fund intends to exercise its
right to demand payment only upon a default under the terms of the Municipal
Obligation, as needed to provide liquidity to meet redemptions, or to maintain
or improve the quality of its investment portfolio.
Municipal lease obligations or installment purchase contract
obligations (collectively, "lease obligations") have special risks not
ordinarily associated with Municipal Obligations. Although lease obligations do
not constitute general obligations of the municipality for which the
municipality's taxing power is pledged, a lease obligation ordinarily is backed
by the municipality's covenant to budget for, appropriate and make the payments
due under the lease obligation. However, certain lease obligations contain
"non-appropriation" clauses which provide that the municipality has no
obligation to make lease or installment purchase payments in future years unless
money is appropriated for such purpose on a yearly basis. Although
"non-appropriation" lease obligations are secured by the leased property,
disposition of the property in the event of foreclosure might prove difficult.
The staff of the Securities and Exchange Commission currently considers certain
lease obligations to be illiquid. Determination as to the liquidity of such
securities is made in accordance with guidelines established by the Fund's
Board. Pursuant to such guidelines, the Board has directed the Manager to
monitor carefully the Fund's investment in such securities with particular
regard to: (1) the frequency of trades and quotes for the lease obligation; (2)
the number of dealers willing to purchase or sell the lease obligation and the
number of other potential buyers; (3) the willingness of dealers to undertake to
make a market in the lease obligation; (4) the nature of the marketplace trades,
including the time needed to dispose of the lease obligation, the method of
soliciting offers and the mechanics of transfer; and (5) such other factors
concerning the trading market for the lease obligation as the Manager may deem
relevant. In addition, in evaluating the liquidity and credit quality of a lease
obligation that is unrated, the Fund's Board has directed the Manager to
consider: (a) whether the lease can be canceled; (b) what assurance there is
that the assets represented by the lease can be sold; (c) the strength of the
lessee's general credit (e.g., its debt, administrative, economic, and financial
characteristics); (d) the likelihood that the municipality will discontinue
appropriating funding for the leased property because the property is no longer
deemed essential to the operations of the municipality (e.g., the potential for
an "event of nonappropriation"); (e) the legal recourse in the event of failure
to appropriate; and (f) such other factors concerning credit quality as the
Manager may deem relevant. The Fund will not invest more than 15% of the value
of its net assets in lease obligations that are illiquid and in other illiquid
securities.
TENDER OPTION BONDS. The Fund may purchase tender option bonds. A
tender option bond is a Municipal Obligation (generally held pursuant to a
custodial arrangement) having a relatively long maturity and bearing interest at
a fixed rate substantially higher than prevailing short-term tax exempt rates,
that has been coupled with the agreement of a third party, such as a bank,
broker-dealer or other financial institution, pursuant to which such institution
grants the security holders the option, at periodic intervals, to tender their
securities to the institution and receive the face value thereof. As
consideration for providing the option, the financial institution receives
periodic fees equal to the difference between the Municipal Obligation's fixed
coupon rate and the rate, as determined by a remarketing or similar agent at or
near the commencement of such period, that would cause the securities, coupled
with the tender option, to trade at par on the date of such determination. Thus,
after payment of this fee, the security holder effectively holds a demand
obligation that bears interest at the prevailing short-term tax exempt rate. The
Manager, on behalf of the Fund, will consider on an ongoing basis the
creditworthiness of the issuer of the underlying Municipal Obligation, of any
custodian and of the third party provider of the tender option. In certain
instances and for certain tender option bonds, the option may be terminable in
the event of a default in payment of principal or interest on the underlying
Municipal Obligation and for other reasons.
The Fund will purchase tender option bonds only when it is satisfied
that the custodial and tender option arrangements, including the fee payment
arrangements, will not adversely affect the tax exempt status of the underlying
Municipal Obligations and that payment of any tender fees will not have the
effect of creating taxable income for the Fund. Based on the tender option bond
agreement, the Fund expects to be able to value the tender option bond at par;
however, the value of the instrument will be monitored to assure that it is
valued at fair value.
CUSTODIAL RECEIPTS. The Fund may purchase custodial receipts
representing the right to receive certain future principal and interest payments
on Municipal Obligations which underlie the custodial receipts. A number of
different arrangements are possible. In a typical custodial receipt arrangement,
an issuer or a third party owner of Municipal Obligations deposits such
obligations with a custodian in exchange for two classes of custodial receipts.
The two classes have different characteristics, but, in each case, payments on
the two classes are based on payments received on the underlying Municipal
Obligations. One class has the characteristics of a typical auction rate
security, where at specified intervals its interest rate is adjusted, and
ownership changes, based on an auction mechanism. This class's interest rate
generally is expected to be below the coupon rate of the underlying Municipal
Obligations and generally is at a level comparable to that of a Municipal
Obligation of similar quality and having a maturity equal to the period between
interest rate adjustments. The second class bears interest at a rate that
exceeds the interest rate typically borne by a security of comparable quality
and maturity; this rate also is adjusted, but in this case inversely to changes
in the rate of interest of the first class. In no event will the aggregate
interest paid with respect to the two classes exceed the interest paid by the
underlying Municipal Obligations. The value of the second class and similar
securities should be expected to fluctuate more than the value of a Municipal
Obligation of comparable quality and maturity and their purchase by the Fund
should increase the volatility of its net asset value and, thus, its price per
share. These custodial receipts are sold in private placements. The Fund also
may purchase directly from issuers, and not in a private placement, Municipal
Obligations having characteristics similar to custodial receipts. These
securities may be issued as part of a multi-class offering and the interest rate
on certain classes may be subject to a cap or floor.
STAND-BY COMMITMENTS. The Fund may acquire "stand-by commitments" with
respect to Municipal Obligations held in its portfolio. Under a stand-by
commitment, the Fund obligates a broker, dealer or bank to repurchase, at the
Fund's option, specified securities at a specified price and, in this respect,
stand-by commitments are comparable to put options. The exercise of a stand-by
commitment, therefore, is subject to the ability of the seller to make payment
on demand. The Fund will acquire stand-by commitments solely to facilitate its
portfolio liquidity and does not intend to exercise its rights thereunder for
trading purposes. The Fund may pay for stand-by commitments if such action is
deemed necessary, thus increasing to a degree the cost of the underlying
Municipal Obligation and similarly decreasing such security's yield to
investors. Gains realized in connection with stand-by commitments will be
taxable. The Fund also may acquire call options on specific Municipal
Obligations. The Fund generally would purchase these call options to protect the
Fund from the issuer of the related Municipal Obligation redeeming, or other
holder of the call option from calling away, the Municipal Obligation before
maturity. The sale by the Fund of a call option that it owns on a specific
Municipal Obligation could result in the receipt of taxable income by the Fund.
RATINGS OF MUNICIPAL OBLIGATIONS. The Fund will invest at least 80% of
the value of its net assets in Municipal Obligations which, in the case of
bonds, are rated no lower than Baa by Moody's Investors Service, Inc.
("Moody's") or BBB by Standard & Poor's Ratings Group ("S&P") or Fitch IBCA,
Inc. ("Fitch" and, together with Moody's and S&P, the "Rating Agencies"). The
Fund may invest up to 20% of the value of its net assets in Municipal
Obligations which, in the case of bonds, are rated lower than Baa by Moody's and
BBB by S&P and Fitch and as low as the lowest ratings assigned by the Rating
Agencies. The Fund also may invest in securities which, while not rated, are
determined by the Manager to be of comparable quality to the rated securities in
which the Fund may invest; for purposes of the 80% requirement described in this
paragraph, such unrated securities will be considered to have the rating so
determined.
The average distribution of investments (at value) in Municipal
Obligations (including notes) by ratings for the fiscal year ended December 31,
1999, computed on a monthly basis, was as follows:
PERCENTAGE OF
FITCH or MOODY'S or S&P VALUE
---------- ------- --- -------
AAA Aaa AAA 68.7%
AA Aa AA 19.6
A A A 3.0
BBB Baa BBB 3.7
BB Ba BB .7
F-1+/F-1 VMIG1/MIG1, P-1 SP-1+/SP-1, A-1 1.1
Not Rated Not Rated Not Rated 3.2 *
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100.0%
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* Included in the Not Rated category are securities comprising 3.2% of the
Fund's market value which, while not rated, have been determined by the Manager
to be of comparable quality to securities in the following rating categories:
Aaa/AAA (.5%), Baa/BBB (1.3%), Ba/BB (1.1%) and B/B (.3%).
<PAGE>
Subsequent to its purchase by the Fund, an issue of rated Municipal
Obligations may cease to be rated or its rating may be reduced below the minimum
required for purchase by the Fund. Neither event will require the sale of such
Municipal Obligations by the Fund, but the Manager will consider such event in
determining whether the Fund should continue to hold the Municipal Obligations.
To the extent that the ratings given by the Rating Agencies for Municipal
Obligations may change as a result of changes in such organizations or their
rating systems, the Fund will attempt to use comparable ratings as standards for
its investments in accordance with the investment policies contained in the
Prospectus and this Statement of Additional Information. The ratings of the
Rating Agencies represent their opinions as to the quality of the Municipal
Obligations which they undertake to rate. It should be emphasized, however, that
ratings are relative and subjective and are not absolute standards of quality.
Although these ratings may be an initial criterion for selection of portfolio
investments, the Manager also will evaluate these securities and the
creditworthiness of the issuers of such securities.
ZERO COUPON SECURITIES. The Fund may invest in zero coupon securities
which are debt securities issued or sold at a discount from their face value
which do not entitle the holder to any periodic payment of interest prior to
maturity or a specified redemption date (or cash payment date). The amount of
the discount varies depending on the time remaining until maturity or cash
payment date, prevailing interest rates, liquidity of the security and perceived
credit quality of the issuer. Zero coupon securities also may take the form of
debt securities that have been stripped of their unmatured interest coupons, the
coupons themselves and receipts or certificates representing interest in such
stripped debt obligations and coupons. The market prices of zero coupon
securities generally are more volatile than the market prices of securities that
pay interest periodically and are likely to respond to a greater degree to
changes in interest rates than non-zero coupon securities having similar
maturities and credit qualities.
ILLIQUID SECURITIES. The Fund may invest up to 15% of the value of its
net assets in securities as to which a liquid trading market does not exist,
provided such investments are consistent with the Fund's investment objective.
These securities may include securities that are not readily marketable, such as
securities that are subject to legal or contractual restrictions on resale, and
repurchase agreements providing for settlement in more than seven days after
notice. As to these securities, the Fund is subject to a risk that should the
Fund desire to sell them when a ready buyer is not available at a price that the
Fund deems representative of their value, the value of the Fund's net assets
could be adversely affected.
TAXABLE INVESTMENTS. From time to time, on a temporary basis other
than for temporary defensive purposes (but not to exceed 20% of the value of the
Fund's net assets) or for temporary defensive purposes, the Fund may invest in
taxable short-term investments ("Taxable Investments") consisting of: notes of
issuers having, at the time of purchase, a quality rating within the two highest
grades of a Rating Agency; obligations of the U.S. Government, its agencies or
instrumentalities; commercial paper rated not lower than P-2 by Moody's, A-2 by
S&P or F-2 by Fitch; certificates of deposit of U.S. domestic banks, including
foreign branches of domestic banks, with assets of $1 billion or more; time
deposits; bankers' acceptances and other short-term bank obligations; and
repurchase agreements in respect of any of the foregoing. Dividends paid by the
Fund that are attributable to income earned by the Fund from Taxable Investments
will be taxable to investors. See "Dividends, Distributions and Taxes." Except
for temporary defensive purposes, at no time will more than 20% of the value of
the Fund's net assets be invested in Taxable Investments. When the Fund has
adopted a temporary defensive position, including when acceptable Florida
Municipal Obligations are unavailable for investment by the Fund, in excess of
35% of the Fund's net assets may be invested in securities other than Florida
Municipal Obligations. Under normal market conditions, the Fund anticipates that
not more than 5% of the value of its total assets will be invested in any one
category of Taxable Investments.
INVESTMENT TECHNIQUES
The following information supplements and should be read in
conjunction with the Fund's Prospectus. The Fund's use of certain of the
investment techniques described below may give rise to taxable income.
BORROWING MONEY. The Fund is permitted to borrow to the extent
permitted under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act"),
which permits an investment company to borrow in an amount up to 33-1/3% of the
value of its total assets. The Fund currently intends to borrow money only for
temporary or emergency (not leveraging) purposes, in an amount up to 15% of the
value of its total assets (including the amount borrowed) valued at the lesser
of cost or market, less liabilities (not including the amount borrowed) at the
time the borrowing is made. While such borrowings exceed 5% of the Fund's total
assets, the Fund will not make any additional investments.
SHORT-SELLING. In these transactions, the Fund sells a security it
does not own in anticipation of a decline in the market value of the security.
To complete the transaction, the Fund must borrow the security to make delivery
to the buyer. The Fund is obligated to replace the security borrowed by
purchasing it subsequently at the market price at the time of replacement. The
price at such time may be more or less than the price at which the security was
sold by the Fund, which would result in a loss or gain, respectively.
Securities will not be sold short if, after effect is given to any
such short sale, the total market value of all securities sold short would
exceed 25% of the value of the Fund's net assets. The Fund may not make a short
sale which results in the Fund having sold short in the aggregate more than 5%
of the outstanding securities of any class of an issuer.
The Fund also may make short sales "against the box," in which the
Fund enters into a short sale of a security it owns. At no time will more than
15% of the value of the Fund's net assets be in deposits on short sales against
the box.
Until the Fund closes its short position or replaces the borrowed
security, the Fund will: (a) segregate permissible liquid assets in an amount
that, together with the amount deposited with the broker as collateral, always
equals the current value of the security sold short; or (b) otherwise cover its
short position.
LENDING PORTFOLIO SECURITIES. The Fund may lend securities from its
portfolio to brokers, dealers and other financial institutions needing to borrow
securities to complete certain transactions. The Fund continues to be entitled
to payments in amounts equal to the interest or other distributions payable on
the loaned securities which affords the Fund an opportunity to earn interest on
the amount of the loan and on the loaned securities' collateral. Loans of
portfolio securities may not exceed 33-1/3% of the value of the Fund's total
assets, and the Fund will receive collateral consisting of cash, U.S. Government
securities or irrevocable letters of credit which will be maintained at all
times in an amount equal to at least 100% of the current market value of the
loaned securities. Such loans are terminable by the Fund at any time upon
specified notice. The Fund might experience risk of loss if the institution with
which it has engaged in a portfolio loan transaction breaches its agreement with
the Fund. In connection with its securities lending transactions, the Fund may
return to the borrower or a third party which is unaffiliated with the Fund, and
which is acting as a "placing broker," a part of the interest earned from the
investment of collateral received for securities loaned.
DERIVATIVES. The Fund may invest in, or enter into, derivatives, which
may include futures and options, for a variety of reasons, including to hedge
certain market risks, to provide a substitute for purchasing or selling
particular securities or to increase potential income gain. Derivatives may
provide a cheaper, quicker or more specifically focused way for the Fund to
invest than "traditional" securities would. However, derivatives can be volatile
and involve various types and degrees of risk, depending upon the
characteristics of the particular derivative and the portfolio as a whole.
Derivatives permit the Fund to increase or decrease the level of risk, or change
the character of the risk, to which its portfolio is exposed in much the same
way as the Fund can increase or decrease the level of risk, or change the
character of the risk, of its portfolio by making investments in specific
securities. However, derivatives may entail investment exposures that are
greater than their cost would suggest, meaning that a small investment in
derivatives could have a large potential impact on the Fund's performance.
If the Fund invests in derivatives at inopportune times or judges
market conditions incorrectly, such investments may lower the Fund's return or
result in a loss. The Fund also could experience losses if its derivatives were
poorly correlated with its other investments, or if the Fund were unable to
liquidate its position because of an illiquid secondary market. The market for
many derivatives is, or suddenly can become, illiquid. Changes in liquidity may
result in significant, rapid and unpredictable changes in the prices for
derivatives.
Although the Fund will not be a commodity pool, certain derivatives
subject the Fund to the rules of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission which
limit the extent to which the Fund can invest in such derivatives. The Fund may
invest in futures contracts and options with respect thereto for hedging
purposes without limit. However, the Fund may not invest in such contracts and
options for other purposes if the sum of the amount of initial margin deposits
and premiums paid for unexpired options with respect to such contracts, other
than bona fide hedging purposes, exceeds 5% of the liquidation value of the
Fund's assets, after taking into account unrealized profits and unrealized
losses on such contracts and options; provided, however, that in the case of an
option that is in-the-money at the time of purchase, the in-the-money amount may
be excluded in calculating the 5% limitation.
Derivatives may be purchased on established exchanges or through
privately negotiated transactions referred to as over-the-counter derivatives.
Exchange-traded derivatives generally are guaranteed by the clearing agency
which is the issuer or counterparty to such derivatives. This guarantee usually
is supported by a daily variation margin system operated by the clearing agency
in order to reduce overall credit risk. As a result, unless the clearing agency
defaults, there is relatively little counterparty credit risk associated with
derivatives purchased on an exchange. By contrast, no clearing agency guarantees
over-the-counter derivatives. Therefore, each party to an over-the-counter
derivative bears the risk that the counterparty will default. Accordingly, the
Manager will consider the creditworthiness of counterparties to over-the-counter
derivatives in the same manner as it would review the credit quality of a
security to be purchased by the Fund. Over-the-counter derivatives are less
liquid than exchange-traded derivatives since the other party to the transaction
may be the only investor with sufficient understanding of the derivative to be
interested in bidding for it.
FUTURES TRANSACTIONS--IN GENERAL. The Fund may enter into futures contracts in
U.S. domestic markets, such as the Chicago Board of Trade. Engaging in these
transactions involves risk of loss to the Fund which could adversely affect the
value of the Fund's net assets. Although the Fund intends to purchase or sell
futures contracts only if there is an active market for such contracts, no
assurance can be given that a liquid market will exist for any particular
contract at any particular time. Many futures exchanges and boards of trade
limit the amount of fluctuation permitted in futures contract prices during a
single trading day. Once the daily limit has been reached in a particular
contract, no trades may be made that day at a price beyond that limit or trading
may be suspended for specified periods during the trading day. Futures contract
prices could move to the limit for several consecutive trading days with little
or no trading, thereby preventing prompt liquidation of futures positions and
potentially subjecting the Fund to substantial losses.
Successful use of futures by the Fund also is subject to the Manager's
ability to predict correctly movements in the direction of the relevant market
and, to the extent the transaction is entered into for hedging purposes, to
ascertain the appropriate correlation between the securities being hedged and
the price movements of the futures contract. For example, if the Fund uses
futures to hedge against the possibility of a decline in the market value of
securities held in its portfolio and the prices of such securities instead
increase, the Fund will lose part or all of the benefit of the increased value
of securities which it has hedged because it will have offsetting losses in its
futures positions. Furthermore, if in such circumstances the Fund has
insufficient cash, it may have to sell securities to meet daily variation margin
requirements. The Fund may have to sell such securities at a time when it may be
disadvantageous to do so.
Pursuant to regulations and/or published positions of the Securities
and Exchange Commission, the Fund may be required to segregate permissible
liquid assets to cover its obligations relating to its transactions in
derivatives. To maintain this required cover, the Fund may have to sell
portfolio securities at disadvantageous prices or times since it may not be
possible to liquidate a derivative position at a reasonable price. In addition,
the segregation of such assets will have the effect of limiting the Fund's
ability otherwise to invest those assets.
SPECIFIC FUTURES TRANSACTIONS. The Fund may purchase and sell interest rate
futures contracts. An interest rate future obligates the Fund to purchase or
sell an amount of a specific debt security at a future date at a specific price.
OPTIONS--IN GENERAL. The Fund may invest up to 5% of its assets, represented by
the premium paid, in the purchase of call and put options. The Fund may write
(i.e., sell) covered call and put option contracts to the extent of 20% of the
value of its net assets at the time such option contracts are written. A call
option gives the purchaser of the option the right to buy, and obligates the
writer to sell, the underlying security or securities at the exercise price at
any time during the option period, or at a specific date. Conversely, a put
option gives the purchaser of the option the right to sell, and obligates the
writer to buy, the underlying security or securities at the exercise price at
any time during the option period, or at a specific date.
A covered call option written by the Fund is a call option with
respect to which the Fund owns the underlying security or otherwise covers the
transaction by segregating permissible liquid assets. A put option written by
the Fund is covered when, among other things, the Fund segregates permissible
liquid assets having a value equal to or greater than the exercise price of the
option to fulfill the obligation undertaken. The principal reason for writing
covered call and put options is to realize, through the receipt of premiums, a
greater return than would be realized on the underlying securities alone. The
Fund receives a premium from writing covered call or put options which it
retains whether or not the option is exercised.
There is no assurance that sufficient trading interest to create a
liquid secondary market on a securities exchange will exist for any particular
option or at any particular time, and for some options no such secondary market
may exist. A liquid secondary market in an option may cease to exist for a
variety of reasons. In the past, for example, higher than anticipated trading
activity or order flow, or other unforeseen events, at times have rendered
certain of the clearing facilities inadequate and resulted in the institution of
special procedures, such as trading rotations, restrictions on certain types of
orders or trading halts or suspensions in one or more options. There can be no
assurance that similar events, or events that may otherwise interfere with the
timely execution of customers' orders, will not recur. In such event, it might
not be possible to effect closing transactions in particular options. If, as a
covered call option writer, the Fund is unable to effect a closing purchase
transaction in a secondary market, it will not be able to sell the underlying
security until the option expires or it delivers the underlying security upon
exercise or it otherwise covers its position.
Successful use by the Fund of options will be subject to the Manager's
ability to predict correctly movements in interest rates. To the extent the
Manager's predictions are incorrect, the Fund may incur losses.
FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS. The Fund may take advantage of opportunities in the area of
options and futures contracts and options on futures contracts and any other
derivatives which are not presently contemplated for use by the Fund or which
are not currently available but which may be developed, to the extent such
opportunities are both consistent with the Fund's investment objective and
legally permissible for the Fund. Before entering into such transactions or
making any such investment, the Fund will provide appropriate disclosure in its
Prospectus or Statement of Additional Information.
FORWARD COMMITMENTS. The Fund may purchase Municipal Obligations and
other securities on a forward commitment or when-issued basis, which means that
delivery and payment take place a number of days after the date of the
commitment to purchase. The payment obligation and the interest rate receivable
on a forward commitment or when-issued security are fixed when the Fund enters
into the commitment, but the Fund does not make payment until it receives
delivery from the counterparty. The Fund will commit to purchase such securities
only with the intention of actually acquiring the securities, but the Fund may
sell these securities before the settlement date if it is deemed advisable. The
Fund will segregate permissible liquid assets at least equal at all times to the
amount of the Fund's purchase commitments.
Municipal Obligations and other securities purchased on a forward
commitment or when-issued basis are subject to changes in value (generally
changing in the same way, i.e., appreciating when interest rates decline and
depreciating when interest rates rise) based upon the public's perception of the
creditworthiness of the issuer and changes, real or anticipated, in the level of
interest rates. Securities purchased on a forward commitment or when-issued
basis may expose the Fund to risks because they may experience such fluctuations
prior to their actual delivery. Purchasing securities on a forward commitment or
when-issued basis can involve the additional risk that the yield available in
the market when the delivery takes place actually may be higher than that
obtained in the transaction itself. Purchasing securities on a forward
commitment or when-issued basis when the Fund is fully or almost fully invested
may result in greater potential fluctuation in the value of the Fund's net
assets and its net asset value per share.
INVESTMENT CONSIDERATIONS AND RISKS
INVESTING IN MUNICIPAL OBLIGATIONS. The Fund may invest more than 25%
of the value of its total assets in Municipal Obligations which are related in
such a way that an economic, business or political development or change
affecting one such security also would affect the other securities; for example,
securities the interest upon which is paid from revenues of similar types of
projects. As a result, the Fund may be subject to greater risk as compared to a
fund that does not follow this practice.
Certain municipal lease/purchase obligations in which the Fund may
invest may contain "non-appropriation" clauses which provide that the
municipality has no obligation to make lease payments in future years unless
money is appropriated for such purpose on a yearly basis. Although
"non-appropriation" lease/purchase obligations are secured by the leased
property, disposition of the leased property in the event of foreclosure might
prove difficult. In evaluating the credit quality of a municipal lease/purchase
obligation that is unrated, the Manager will consider, on an ongoing basis, a
number of factors including the likelihood that the issuing municipality will
discontinue appropriating funding for the leased property.
Certain provisions in the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended
(the "Code"), relating to the issuance of Municipal Obligations may reduce the
volume of Municipal Obligations qualifying for Federal tax exemption. One effect
of these provisions could be to increase the cost of the Municipal Obligations
available for purchase by the Fund and thus reduce available yield. Shareholders
should consult their tax advisers concerning the effect of these provisions on
an investment in the Fund. Proposals that may restrict or eliminate the income
tax exemption for interest on Municipal Obligations may be introduced in the
future. If any such proposal were enacted that would reduce the availability of
Municipal Obligations for investment by the Fund so as to adversely affect Fund
shareholders, the Fund would reevaluate its investment objective and policies
and submit possible changes in the Fund's structure to shareholders for their
consideration. If legislation were enacted that would treat a type of Municipal
Obligation as taxable, the Fund would treat such security as a permissible
Taxable Investment within the applicable limits set forth herein.
INVESTING IN FLORIDA MUNICIPAL OBLIGATIONS. Since the Fund is
concentrated in securities issued by Florida or entities within Florida, an
investment in the Fund may involve greater risk than investments in certain
other types of bond funds. You should consider carefully the special risks
inherent in the Fund's investment in Florida Municipal Obligations. You should
review "Appendix A" which more fully sets forth these and other risk factors.
LOWER RATED BONDS. The Fund may invest up to 20% of the value of its
net assets in higher yielding (and, therefore, higher risk) debt securities such
as those rated Ba by Moody's or BB by S&P or Fitch and as low as the lowest
rating assigned by the Rating Agencies (commonly known as junk bonds). They may
be subject to certain risks with respect to the issuing entity and to greater
market fluctuations than certain lower yielding, higher rated Municipal
Obligations. See "Appendix B" for a general description of the Rating Agencies'
ratings of Municipal Obligations. Although ratings may be useful in evaluating
the safety of interest and principal payments, they do not evaluate the market
value risk of these bonds. The Fund will rely on the Manager's judgment,
analysis and experience in evaluating the creditworthiness of an issuer.
You should be aware that the market values of many of these bonds tend
to be more sensitive to economic conditions than are higher rated securities and
will fluctuate over time. These bonds generally are considered by the Rating
Agencies to be, on balance, predominantly speculative with respect to capacity
to pay interest and repay principal in accordance with the terms of the
obligation and generally will involve more credit risk than securities in the
higher rating categories.
Because there is no established retail secondary market for many of
these securities, the Fund anticipates that such securities could be sold only
to a limited number of dealers or institutional investors. To the extent a
secondary trading market for these bonds does exist, it generally is not as
liquid as the secondary market for higher rated securities. The lack of a liquid
secondary market may have an adverse impact on market price and yield and the
Fund's ability to dispose of particular issues when necessary to meet the Fund's
liquidity needs or in response to a specific economic event such as a
deterioration in the creditworthiness of the issuer. The lack of a liquid
secondary market for certain securities also may make it more difficult for the
Fund to obtain accurate market quotations for purposes of valuing the Fund's
portfolio and calculating its net asset value. Adverse publicity and investor
perceptions, whether or not based on fundamental analysis, may decrease the
values and liquidity of these securities. In such cases, judgment may play a
greater role in valuation because less reliable, objective data may be
available.
These bonds may be particularly susceptible to economic downturns. It
is likely that any economic recession would disrupt severely the market for such
securities and may have an adverse impact on the value of such securities, and
could adversely affect the ability of the issuers of such securities to repay
principal and pay interest thereon which would increase the incidence of default
for such securities.
The Fund may acquire these bonds during an initial offering. Such
securities may involve special risks because they are new issues. The Fund has
no arrangement with any person concerning the acquisition of such securities,
and the Manager will review carefully the credit and other characteristics
pertinent to such new issues.
The credit risk factors pertaining to lower rated securities also
apply to lower rated zero coupon bonds and pay-in-kind bonds, in which the Fund
may invest up to 5% of its total net assets. Zero coupon bonds and pay-in-kind
bonds carry an additional risk in that, unlike bonds which pay interest
throughout the period to maturity, the Fund will realize no cash until the cash
payment date unless a portion of such securities are sold and, if the issuer
defaults, the Fund may obtain no return at all on its investment. See
"Dividends, Distributions and Taxes."
SIMULTANEOUS INVESTMENTS. Investment decisions for the Fund are made
independently from those of other investment companies advised by the Manager.
If, however, such other investment companies desire to invest in, or dispose of,
the same securities as the Fund, available investments or opportunities for
sales will be allocated equitably to each investment company. In some cases,
this procedure may adversely affect the size of the position obtained for or
disposed of by the Fund or the price paid or received by the Fund.
INVESTMENT RESTRICTIONS
The Fund's investment objective is a fundamental policy, which cannot
be changed without approval by the holders of a majority (as defined in the 1940
Act) of the Fund's outstanding voting shares. In addition, the Fund has adopted
investment restrictions numbered 1 through 7 as fundamental policies. Investment
restrictions numbered 8 through 11 are not fundamental policies and may be
changed by a vote of a majority of the Fund's Board members at any time. The
Fund may not:
1. Invest more than 25% of its assets in the securities of issuers in
any single industry; provided that there shall be no limitation on the purchase
of Municipal Obligations and, for defensive purposes, securities issued by banks
and obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government, its agencies or
instrumentalities.
2. Borrow money, except to the extent permitted under the 1940 Act
(which currently limits borrowings to no more than 33-1/3% of the value of the
Fund's total assets). For purposes of this investment restriction, the entry
into options, forward contracts, futures contracts, including those relating to
indices, and options on futures contracts or indices shall not constitute
borrowing.
3. Purchase or sell real estate, commodities or commodity contracts,
or oil and gas interests, but this shall not prevent the Fund from investing in
Municipal Obligations secured by real estate or interests therein, or prevent
the Fund from purchasing and selling options, forward contracts, futures
contracts, including those relating to indices, and options on futures contract
or indices.
4. Underwrite the securities of other issuers, except that the Fund
may bid separately or as part of a group for the purchase of Municipal
Obligations directly from an issuer for its own portfolio to take advantage of
the lower purchase price available, and except to the extent the Fund may be
deemed an underwriter under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, by virtue of
disposing of portfolio securities.
5. Make loans to others, except through the purchase of debt
obligations and the entry into repurchase agreements; however, the Fund may lend
its portfolio securities in an amount not to exceed 33-1/3% of the value of its
total assets. Any loans of portfolio securities will be made according to
guidelines established by the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Fund's
Board.
6. Issue any senior security (as such term is defined in Section 18
(f) of the 1940 Act), except to the extent that the activities permitted in
Investment Restriction Nos. 2, 3 and 10 may be deemed to give rise to a senior
security.
7. Purchase securities on margin, but the Fund may make margin
deposits in connection with transactions in options, forward contracts, futures
contracts, including those relating to indices, and options on futures contracts
or indices.
8. Purchase securities other than Municipal Obligations and Taxable
Investments and those arising out of transactions in futures and options or as
otherwise provided in the Fund's Prospectus.
9. Invest in securities of other investment companies, except to the
extent permitted under the 1940 Act.
10. Pledge, hypothecate, mortgage or otherwise encumber its assets,
except to the extent necessary to secure permitted borrowings and to the extent
related to the deposit of assets in escrow in connection with the purchase of
securities on a when-issued or delayed delivery basis and collateral and initial
or variation margin arrangements with respect to options, forward contracts,
futures contracts, including those relating to indices, and options on futures
contracts or indices.
11. Enter into repurchase agreements providing for settlement in more
than seven days after notice or purchase securities which are illiquid (which
securities could include participation interests (including municipal
lease/purchase agreements) that are not subject to the demand feature described
in the Fund's Prospectus, and floating and variable rate demand obligations as
to which the Fund cannot exercise the demand feature described in the Fund's
Prospectus on less than seven days' notice and as to which there is no secondary
market) if, in the aggregate, more than 15% of its net assets would be so
invested.
For purposes of Investment Restriction No. 1, industrial development
bonds, where the payment of principal and interest is the ultimate
responsibility of companies within the same industry, are grouped together as an
"industry." If a percentage restriction is adhered to at the time of investment,
a later increase or decrease in percentage resulting from a change in values or
assets will not constitute a violation of such restriction.
MANAGEMENT OF THE FUND
The Fund's Board is responsible for the management and supervision of
the Fund. The Board approves all significant agreements between the Fund and
those companies that furnish services to the Fund. These companies are as
follows:
The Dreyfus Corporation......................Investment Adviser
Dreyfus Service Corporation..................Distributor
Dreyfus Transfer, Inc........................Transfer Agent
The Bank of New York.........................Custodian
Board members and officers of the Fund, together with information as
to their principal business occupations during at least the last five years, are
shown below.
BOARD MEMBERS OF THE FUND
JOSEPH S. DiMARTINO, CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD. Since January 1995, Chairman of
the Board of various funds in the Dreyfus Family of Funds. He also is
a director of The Muscular Dystrophy Association, HealthPlan Services
Corporation, a provider of marketing, administrative and risk
management services to health and other benefit programs, Carlyle
Industries, Inc. (formerly, Belding Heminway, Inc.), a button packager
and distributor, Century Business Services, Inc. (formerly,
International Alliance Services Inc.), a provider of various
outsourcing functions for small and medium sized companies, and
QuikCAT.com, Inc., a private company engaged in the development of
high speed movement, routing, storage and encryption of data across
cable, wireless and all other modes of data transport. For more than
five years prior to January 1995, he was President, a director and,
until August 1994, Chief Operating Officer of the Manager and
Executive Vice President and a director of the Distributor. From
August 1994 until December 31, 1994, he was a director of Mellon
Financial Corporation. He is 56 years old and his address is 200 Park
Avenue, New York, New York 10166.
GORDON J. DAVIS, BOARD MEMBER. Since October 1994, senior partner with the
law firm of LeBoeuf, Lamb, Greene & MacRae. From 1983 to September
1994, Mr. Davis was a senior partner with the law firm of Lord Day &
Lord, Barrett Smith. From 1978 to 1983, he was Commissioner of Parks
and Recreation for the City of New York. He also is a Director of
Consolidated Edison, a utility company, and Phoenix Home Life
Insurance Company and a member of various other corporate and
not-for-profit boards. He is 58 years old and his address is 241
Central Park West, New York, New York 10024.
DAVID P. FELDMAN, BOARD MEMBER. Director of several mutual funds in the 59
Wall Street Mutual Funds Group, and of the Jeffrey Company, a private
investment company. Mr. Feldman was employed by AT&T from July 1961 to
his retirement in April 1997, most recently serving as Chairman and
Chief Executive Officer of AT&T Investment Management Corporation. He
is 60 years old and his address is 466 Lexington Avenue, New York, New
York 10017.
LYNN MARTIN, BOARD MEMBER. Professor, J.L. Kellogg Graduate School of
Management, Northwestern University. During the Spring Semester 1993,
she was a Visiting Fellow at the Institute of Politics, Kennedy School
of Government, Harvard University. She also is an advisor to the
international accounting firm of Deloitte & Touche, LLP and chair of
its Council for the Advancement of Women. From January 1991 through
January 1993, Ms. Martin served as Secretary of the United States
Department of Labor. From 1981 to 1991, she served in the United
States House of Representatives as a Congresswoman from the State of
Illinois. She also is a Director of Harcourt General, Inc., SBC
Communications, Inc., Ryder System, Inc., The Proctor & Gamble Co., a
consumer company, and TRW, Inc., an aerospace and automotive equipment
company. She is 60 years old and her address is c/o Deloitte & Touche,
LLP, Two Prudential Plaza, 180 N. Stetson Avenue, Chicago, Illinois
60601.
DANIEL ROSE, BOARD MEMBER. Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Rose
Associates, Inc., a New York based real estate development and
management firm. In July 1994, Mr. Rose received a Presidential
appointment to serve as a Director of the Baltic-American Enterprise
Fund, which will make equity investments and loans, and provide
technical business assistance to new business concerns in the Baltic
states. He also is Chairman of the Housing Committee of the Real
Estate Board of New York, Inc. He is 70 years old and his address is
c/o Rose Associates, Inc., 200 Madison Avenue, New York, New York
10016.
PHILIP L. TOIA, BOARD MEMBER. Retired. Mr. Toia was employed by the Manager
from August 1986 through January 1997, most recently serving as Vice
Chairman, Administration and Operations. He is 67 years old and his
address is 715 Hideaway Circle West, Marco Island, Florida 34145.
SANDER VANOCUR, BOARD MEMBER. Since January 1992, President of Old Owl
Communications, a full-service communications firm. From May 1995 to
June 1996, he was a Professional in Residence at the Freedom Forum in
Arlington, VA; from January 1994 to May 1995, he served as Visiting
Professional Scholar at the Freedom Forum Amendment Center at
Vanderbilt University; and from November 1989 to November 1995, he was
a director of the Damon Runyon-Walter Winchell Cancer Research Fund.
From June 1977 to December 1991, he was a Senior Correspondent of ABC
News and, from October 1986 to December 1991, he was Anchor of the ABC
News program "Business World," a weekly business program on the ABC
television network. He is 72 years old and his address is 2626
Sycamore Canyon Road, Santa Barbara, CA 93108.
ANNE WEXLER, BOARD MEMBER. Chairman of the Wexler Group, consultants
specializing in government relations and public affairs. She also is a
director of Wilshire Mutual Funds, Comcast Corporation, The New
England Electric System, and a member of the Council of Foreign
Relations and the National Park Foundation. She is 70 years old and
her address is c/o The Wexler Group, 1317 F Street, Suite 600, N.W.,
Washington, D.C. 20004.
REX WILDER, BOARD MEMBER. Financial Consultant. He is 79 years old and his
address is 290 Riverside Drive, New York, New York 10025.
The Fund has a standing nominating committee comprised of its Board
members who are not "interested persons" of the Fund, as defined in the 1940
Act. The function of the nominating committee is to select and nominate all
candidates who are not "interested persons" of the Fund for election to the
Fund's Board.
The Fund typically pays its Board members an annual retainer and a per
meeting fee and reimburses them for their expenses. The Chairman of the Board
receives an additional 25% of such compensation. Emeritus Board members are
entitled to receive an annual retainer and a per meeting fee of one-half the
amount paid to them as Board members. The aggregate amount of compensation paid
to each Board member by the Fund and by all funds in the Dreyfus Family of Funds
for which such person was a Board member (the number of which is set forth in
parenthesis next to each Board member's total compensation)* during the year
ended December 31, 1999, was as follows:
<PAGE>
Total
Compensation from
Aggregate Fund and Fund
Name of Board Compensation from Complex Paid to
Member Fund** Board Member
- -------------------- ------------------- -------------------
Joseph S. DiMartino $4,688 $642,177 (189)
Gordon J. Davis $3,750 $89,625 (30)
David P. Feldman $3,750 $118,875 (56)
Lynn Martin $3,750 $40,875 (15)
Eugene McCarthy+ $1,625 $18,813 (15)
Daniel Rose $3,750 $78,625 (31)
Philip L. Toia $3,750 $40,875 (15)
Sander Vanocur $3,750 $78,625 (31)
Anne Wexler $3,500 $59,125 (28)
Rex Wilder $3,500 $40,875 (15)
- ---------------------
* Represents the number of separate portfolios comprising the investment
companies in the Fund Complex, including the Fund, for which the Board
member serves.
** Amount does not include reimbursed expenses for attending Board
meetings, which amounted to $2,250 for all Board members as a group.
+ Board member Emeritus as of March 29, 1996.
OFFICERS OF THE FUND
STEPHEN E. CANTER, PRESIDENT. President, Chief Operating Officer, Chief
Investment Officer and a director of the Manager, and an officer of
other investment companies advised and administered by the Manager.
Mr. Canter also is a director or an Executive Committee Member of the
other investment management subsidiaries of Mellon Financial
Corporation, each of which is an affiliate of the Manager. He is 54
years old.
MARK N. JACOBS, VICE PRESIDENT. Vice President, General Counsel and
Secretary of the Manager, and an officer of other investment companies
advised and administered by the Manager. He is 54 years old.
JOSEPH CONNOLLY, VICE PRESIDENT AND TREASURER. Director - Mutual Fund
Accounting of the Manager, and an officer of other investment
companies advised and administered by the Manager. He is 42 years old.
MICHAEL A. ROSENBERG, SECRETARY. Associate General Counsel of the Manager, and
an officer of other investment companies advised and administered by
the Manager. He is 40 years old.
STEVEN F. NEWMAN, ASSISTANT SECRETARY. Associate General Counsel and
Assistant Secretary of the Manager, and an officer of other investment
companies advised and administered by the Manager. He is 50 years old.
GREGORY S. GRUBER, ASSISTANT TREASURER. Senior Accounting Manager - Municipal
Bond Funds of the Manager, and an officer of other investment
companies advised and administered by the Manager. He is 40 years old.
The address of each officer of the Fund is 200 Park Avenue, New York,
New York 10166.
The Fund's Board members and officers, as a group, owned less than 1%
of the Fund's shares outstanding on April 3, 2000.
MANAGEMENT ARRANGEMENTS
INVESTMENT ADVISER. The Manager is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Mellon
Bank, N.A., which is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Mellon Financial Corporation
("Mellon"). Mellon is a publicly owned multibank holding company incorporated
under Pennsylvania law in 1971 and registered under the Federal Bank Holding
Company Act of 1956, as amended. Mellon provides a comprehensive range of
financial products and services in domestic and selected international markets.
Mellon is among the twenty-five largest bank holding companies in the United
States based on total assets.
The Manager provides management services pursuant to a Management
Agreement (the "Agreement") between the Fund and the Manager. The Agreement is
subject to annual approval by (i) the Fund's Board or (ii) vote of a majority
(as defined in the 1940 Act) of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund,
provided that in either event the continuance also is approved by a majority of
the Board members who are not "interested persons" (as defined in the 1940 Act)
of the Fund or the Manager, by vote cast in person at a meeting called for the
purpose of voting on such approval. The Agreement is terminable without penalty,
on 60 days' notice, by the Fund's Board or by vote of the holders of a majority
of the Fund's shares, or, on not less than 90 days' notice, by the Manager. The
Agreement will terminate automatically in the event of its assignment (as
defined in the 1940 Act).
The following persons are officers and/or directors of the Manager:
Christopher M. Condron, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer;
Stephen E. Canter, President, Chief Operating Officer, Chief Investment Officer
and a director; Thomas F. Eggers, Vice Chairman-Institutional and a director;
Lawrence S. Kash, Vice Chairman; J. David Officer, Vice Chairman and a director;
Ronald P. O'Hanley III, Vice Chairman; William T. Sandalls, Jr., Executive Vice
President; Stephen R. Byers, Senior Vice President; Mark N. Jacobs, Vice
President, General Counsel and Secretary; Diane D. Durnin, Vice President
Product Development; Patrice M. Kozlowski, Vice President-Corporate
Communications; Mary Beth Leibig, Vice President-Human Resources; Ray Van Cott,
Vice President-Information Systems; Theodore A. Schachar, Vice President--Tax;
Wendy Strutt, Vice President; Richard Terres, Vice President; William H.
Maresca, Controller; James Bitetto, Assistant Secretary; Steven F. Newman,
Assistant Secretary; and Mandell L. Berman, Burton C. Borgelt, Steven G.
Elliott, Martin C. McGuinn, Richard W. Sabo and Richard F. Syron, directors.
The Manager manages the Fund's portfolio of investments in accordance
with the stated policies of the Fund, subject to the approval of the Fund's
Board. The Manager is responsible for investment decisions, and provides the
Fund with portfolio managers who are authorized by the Fund's Board to execute
purchases and sales of securities. The Fund's portfolio managers are Joseph P.
Darcy, A. Paul Disdier, Joseph Irace, Colleen Meehan, Richard J. Moynihan, W.
Michael Petty, Jill C. Shaffro, Scott Sprauer, Samuel J. Weinstock and Monica S.
Wieboldt. The Manager also maintains a research department with a professional
staff of portfolio managers and securities analysts who provide research
services for the Fund and for other funds advised by the Manager.
The Manager's code of ethics (the "Code") subjects its employees'
personal securities transactions to various restrictions to ensure that such
trading does not disadvantage any fund advised by the Manager. In that regard,
portfolio managers and other investment personnel of the Manager must preclear
and report their personal securities transactions and holdings, which are
reviewed for compliance with the Code, and are also subject to the oversight of
Mellon's Investment Ethics Committee. Portfolio managers and other investment
personnel of the Manager who comply with the Code's preclearance and disclosure
procedures and the requirements of the Committee, may be permitted to purchase,
sell or hold securities which also may be or are held in fund(s) they manage or
for which they otherwise provide investment advice.
The Manager maintains office facilities on behalf of the Fund, and
furnishes statistical and research data, clerical help, accounting, data
processing, bookkeeping and internal auditing and certain other required
services to the Fund. The Manager may pay the Distributor for shareholder
services from the Manager's own assets, including past profits but not including
the management fee paid by the Fund. The Distributor may use part or all of such
payments to pay securities dealers, banks or other financial institutions in
respect of these services. The Manager also may make such advertising and
promotional expenditures, using its own resources, as it from time to time deems
appropriate.
All expenses incurred in the operation of the Fund are borne by the
Fund, except to the extent specifically assumed by the Manager. The expenses
borne by the Fund include: taxes, interest, brokerage fees and commissions, if
any, fees of Board members who are not officers, directors, employees or holders
of 5% or more of the outstanding voting securities of the Manager, Securities
and Exchange Commission fees, state Blue Sky qualification fees, advisory fees,
charges of custodians, transfer and dividend disbursing agents' fees, certain
insurance premiums, industry association fees, outside auditing and legal
expenses, costs of maintaining the Fund's existence, costs of independent
pricing services, costs attributable to investor services (including, without
limitation, telephone and personnel expenses), costs of shareholders' reports
and meetings, costs of preparing and printing prospectuses and statements of
additional information for regulatory purposes and for distribution to existing
shareholders, and any extraordinary expenses.
As compensation for the Manager's services, the Fund has agreed to pay
the Manager a monthly management fee at the annual rate of 0.60% of the value of
the Fund's average daily net assets. All fees and expenses are accrued daily and
deducted before declaration of dividends to investors. For the fiscal years
ended December 31, 1997, 1998 and 1999, the management fees payable by the Fund
amounted to $2,137,022, $1,978,648 and $1,822,672, respectively.
The Manager has agreed that if in any fiscal year the aggregate
expenses of the Fund, exclusive of taxes, brokerage, interest on borrowings and
(with the prior written consent of the necessary state securities commissions)
extraordinary expenses, but including the management fee, exceed the expense
limitation of any state having jurisdiction over the Fund, the Fund may deduct
from the payment to be made to the Manager under the Agreement, or the Manager
will bear, such excess expense to the extent required by state law. Such
deduction or payment, if any, will be estimated daily, and reconciled and
effected or paid, as the case may be, on a monthly basis.
The aggregate of the fees payable to the Manager is not subject to
reduction as the value of the Fund's net assets increases.
DISTRIBUTOR. The Distributor, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Manager
located at 200 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10166, serves as the Fund's
distributor on a best efforts basis pursuant to an agreement with the Fund which
is renewable annually.
TRANSFER AND DIVIDEND DISBURSING AGENT AND CUSTODIAN. Dreyfus
Transfer, Inc. (the "Transfer Agent"), a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Manager,
P.O. Box 9671, Providence, Rhode Island 02940-9671, is the Fund's transfer and
dividend disbursing agent. Under a transfer agency agreement with the Fund, the
Transfer Agent arranges for the maintenance of shareholder account records for
the Fund, the handling of certain communications between shareholders and the
Fund and the payment of dividends and distributions payable by the Fund. For
these services, the Transfer Agent receives a monthly fee computed on the basis
of the number of shareholder accounts it maintains for the Fund during the
month, and is reimbursed for certain out-of-pocket expenses.
The Bank of New York (the "Custodian"), 100 Church Street, New York,
New York 10286, is the Fund's custodian. The Custodian has no part in
determining the investment policies of the Fund or which securities are to be
purchased or sold by the Fund. Under a custody agreement with the Fund, the
Custodian holds the Fund's securities and keeps all necessary accounts and
records. For its custody services, the Custodian receives a monthly fee based on
the market value of the Fund's assets held in custody and receives certain
securities transactions charges.
HOW TO BUY SHARES
GENERAL. Fund shares are sold without a sales charge. You may be
charged a fee if you effect transactions in Fund shares through a securities
dealer, bank or other financial institution. Share certificates are issued only
upon your written request. It is not recommended that the Fund be used as a
vehicle for Keogh, IRA or other qualified plans. No certificates are issued for
fractional shares. The Fund reserves the right to reject any purchase order.
The minimum initial investment is $2,500, or $1,000 if you are a
client of a securities dealer, bank or other financial institution which
maintains an omnibus account in the Fund and has made an aggregate minimum
initial purchase for its customers of $2,500. Subsequent investments must be at
least $100. The initial investment must be accompanied by the Account
Application. For full-time or part-time employees of the Manager or any of its
affiliates or subsidiaries, directors of the Manager, Board members of a fund
advised by the Manager, including members of the Fund's Board, or the spouse or
minor child of any of the foregoing, the minimum initial investment is $1,000.
For full-time or part-time employees of the Manager or any of its affiliates or
subsidiaries who elect to have a portion of their pay directly deposited into
their Fund accounts, the minimum initial investment is $50. The Fund reserves
the right to vary the initial and subsequent investment minimum requirements at
any time.
Fund shares also are offered without regard to the minimum initial
investment requirements through Dreyfus-AUTOMATIC Asset Builder(R), Dreyfus
Government Direct Deposit Privilege or Dreyfus Payroll Savings Plan pursuant to
the Dreyfus Step Program described under "Shareholder Services." These services
enable you to make regularly scheduled investments and may provide you with a
convenient way to invest for long-term financial goals. You should be aware,
however, that periodic investment plans do not guarantee a profit and will not
protect an investor against loss in a declining market.
Management understands that some securities dealers, banks or other
financial institutions may impose certain conditions on their clients which are
different from those described in the Fund's Prospectus and this Statement of
Additional Information, and, to the extent permitted by applicable regulatory
authority, may charge their clients direct fees.
Shares are sold on a continuous basis at the net asset value per share
next determined after an order in proper form is received by the Transfer Agent
or other entity authorized to receive orders on behalf of the Fund. Net asset
value per share is determined as of the close of trading on the floor of the New
York Stock Exchange (currently 4:00 p.m., New York time) on each day the New
York Stock Exchange is open for business. For purposes of computing net asset
value per share, options and futures contracts will be valued 15 minutes after
the close of trading on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange. Net asset
value per share is computed by dividing the value of the Fund's net assets
(i.e., the value of its assets less liabilities) by the total number of shares
outstanding. The Fund's investments are valued by an independent pricing service
approved by the Fund's Board and are valued at fair value as determined by the
pricing service. The pricing service's procedures are reviewed under the general
supervision of the Fund's Board. For further information regarding the methods
employed in valuing the Fund's investments, see "Determination of Net Asset
Value."
DREYFUS TELETRANSFER PRIVILEGE. You may purchase shares by telephone
if you have checked the appropriate box and supplied the necessary information
on the Account Application or have filed a Shareholder Services Form with the
Transfer Agent. The proceeds will be transferred between the bank account
designated in one of these documents and your Fund account. Only a bank account
maintained in a domestic financial institution which is an Automated Clearing
House ("ACH") member may be so designated.
Dreyfus TELETRANSFER purchase orders may be made at any time. Purchase
orders received by 4:00 p.m., New York time, on any day that the Transfer Agent
and the New York Stock Exchange are open for business will be credited to the
shareholder's Fund account on the next bank business day following such purchase
order. Purchase orders made after 4:00 p.m., New York time, on any day the
Transfer Agent and the New York Stock Exchange are open for business, or orders
made on Saturday, Sunday or any Fund holiday (e.g., when the New York Stock
Exchange is not open for business), will be credited to the shareholder's Fund
account on the second bank business day following such purchase order. To
qualify to use the Dreyfus TELETRANSFER Privilege, the initial payment for
purchase of Fund shares must be drawn on, and redemption proceeds paid to, the
same bank and account as are designated on the Account Application or
Shareholder Services Form on file. If the proceeds of a particular redemption
are to be wired to an account at any other bank, the request must be in writing
and signature-guaranteed. See "How to Redeem Shares--Dreyfus TELETRANSFER
Privilege."
REOPENING AN ACCOUNT. You may reopen an account with a minimum
investment of $100 without filing a new Account Application during the calendar
year the account is closed or during the following calendar year, provided the
information on the old Account Application is still applicable.
SHAREHOLDER SERVICES PLAN
The Fund has adopted a Shareholder Services Plan (the "Plan"),
pursuant to which the Fund reimburses the Distributor an amount not to exceed
the annual rate of 0.25% of the Fund's average daily net assets. The services
provided may include personal services relating to shareholder accounts, such as
answering shareholder inquiries regarding the Fund and providing reports and
other information, and services related to the maintenance of shareholder
accounts.
A quarterly report of the amounts expended under the Plan, and the
purposes for which such expenditures were incurred, must be made to the Board
for its review. In addition, the Plan provides that material amendments of the
Plan must be approved by the Board, and by the Board members who are not
"interested persons" (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the Fund and have no direct
or indirect financial interest in the operation of the Plan, by vote cast in
person at a meeting called for the purpose of considering such amendments. The
Plan is subject to annual approval by such vote of the Board members cast in
person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on the Plan. The Plan is
terminable at any time by vote of a majority of the Board members who are not
"interested persons" and who have no direct or indirect financial interest in
the operation of the Plan.
During the fiscal year ended December 31, 1999, the Fund paid $280,885
pursuant to the Plan.
HOW TO REDEEM SHARES
REDEMPTION FEE. The Fund will deduct a redemption fee equal to 1% of
the net asset value of Fund shares redeemed (including redemptions through the
use of the Fund Exchanges service) less than 30* days following the issuance of
such shares. The redemption fee will be deducted from the redemption proceeds
and retained by the Fund. For the fiscal year ended December 31, 1999, the Fund
retained $140 in redemption fees.
- ------------------
* Shares purchased before June 1, 2000 must be held for at least 15 days to
avoid the redemption fee.
<PAGE>
No redemption fee will be charged on the redemption or exchange of
shares (1) through the Fund's Check Redemption Privilege, Automatic Withdrawal
Plan or Dreyfus Auto-Exchange Privilege, (2) through accounts that are reflected
on the records of the Transfer Agent as omnibus accounts approved by the
Distributor, (3) through accounts established by securities dealers, banks or
other financial institutions approved by the Distributor that utilize the
National Securities Clearing Corporation's networking system, or (4) acquired
through the reinvestment of dividends or distributions. The redemption fee may
be waived, modified or terminated at any time.
CHECKWRITING PRIVILEGE. The Fund provides Redemption Checks ("Checks")
automatically upon opening an account, unless you specifically refuse the
Checkwriting Privilege by checking the applicable "No" box on the Account
Application. The Checkwriting Privilege may be established for an existing
account by a separate signed Shareholder Services Form. Checks will be sent only
to the registered owner(s) of the account and only to the address of record. The
Account Application or Shareholder Services Form must be manually signed by the
registered owner(s). Checks may be made payable to the order of any person in an
amount of $500 or more. When a Check is presented to the Transfer Agent for
payment, the Transfer Agent, as your agent, will cause the Fund to redeem a
sufficient number of shares in your account to cover the amount of the Check.
Dividends are earned until the Check clears. After clearance, a copy of the
Check will be returned to you. You generally will be subject to the same rules
and regulations that apply to checking accounts, although the election of this
Privilege creates only a shareholder-transfer agent relationship with the
Transfer Agent.
You should date your Checks with the current date when you write them.
Please do not postdate your Checks. If you do, the Transfer Agent will honor,
upon presentment, even if presented before the date of the Check, all postdated
Checks which are dated within six months of presentment for payment, if they are
otherwise in good order.
Checks are free, but the Transfer Agent will impose a fee for stopping
payment of a Check upon your request or if the Transfer Agent cannot honor a
Check due to insufficient funds or other valid reason. If the amount of the
Check is greater than the value of the shares in your account, the Check will be
returned marked insufficient funds. Checks should not be used to close an
account.
The Checkwriting Privilege will be terminated immediately, without
notice, with respect to any account which is, or becomes, subject to backup
withholding on redemptions. Any Check written on an account which has become
subject to backup withholding on redemptions will not be honored by the Transfer
Agent.
WIRE REDEMPTION PRIVILEGE. By using this Privilege, you authorize the
Transfer Agent to act on wire, telephone or letter redemption instructions from
any person representing himself or herself to be you and reasonably believed by
the Transfer Agent to be genuine. Ordinarily, the Fund will initiate payment for
shares redeemed pursuant to this Privilege on the next business day after
receipt by the Transfer Agent of a redemption request in proper form. Redemption
proceeds ($1,000 minimum) will be transferred by Federal Reserve wire only to
the commercial bank account specified by you on the Account Application or
Shareholder Services Form, or to a correspondent bank if your bank is not a
member of the Federal Reserve System. Fees ordinarily are imposed by such bank
and borne by the investor. Immediate notification by the correspondent bank to
your bank is necessary to avoid a delay in crediting the funds to your bank
account.
If you have access to telegraphic equipment, you may wire redemption
requests to the Transfer Agent by employing the following transmittal code which
may be used for domestic or overseas transmissions:
TRANSFER AGENT'S
TRANSMITTAL CODE ANSWER BACK SIGN
---------------- -----------------
144295 144295 TSSG PREP
If you do not have direct access to telegraphic equipment, you may
have the wire transmitted by contacting a TRT Cables operator at 1-800-654-7171,
toll free. You should advise the operator that the above transmittal code must
be used and should also inform the operator of the Transfer Agent's answer back
sign.
To change the commercial bank or account designated to receive
redemption proceeds, a written request must be sent to the Transfer Agent. This
request must be signed by each shareholder, with each signature guaranteed as
described below under "Share Certificates; Signatures."
DREYFUS TELETRANSFER PRIVILEGE. You may request by telephone that
redemption proceeds be transferred between your Fund account and your bank
account. Only a bank account maintained in a domestic financial institution
which is an ACH member may be designated. Holders of jointly registered Fund or
bank accounts may redeem through the Dreyfus TELETRANSFER Privilege for transfer
to their bank account not more than $500,000 within any 30-day period. You
should be aware that if you have selected the Dreyfus TELETRANSFER Privilege,
any request for a wire redemption will be effected as a Dreyfus TELETRANSFER
transaction through the ACH system unless more prompt transmittal specifically
is requested. Redemption proceeds will be on deposit in the your account at an
ACH member bank ordinarily two business days after receipt of the redemption
request. See "How to Buy Shares--Dreyfus TELETRANSFER Privilege."
SHARE CERTIFICATES; SIGNATURES. Any certificates representing Fund
shares to be redeemed must be submitted with the redemption request. Written
redemption requests must be signed by each shareholder, including each holder of
a joint account, and each signature must be guaranteed. Signatures on endorsed
certificates submitted for redemption also must be guaranteed. The Transfer
Agent has adopted standards and procedures pursuant to which
signature-guarantees in proper form generally will be accepted from domestic
banks, brokers, dealers, credit unions, national securities exchanges,
registered securities associations, clearing agencies and savings associations,
as well as from participants in the New York Stock Exchange Medallion Signature
Program, the Securities Transfer Agents Medallion Program ("STAMP") and the
Stock Exchanges Medallion Program. Guarantees must be signed by an authorized
signatory of the guarantor and "Signature-Guaranteed" must appear with the
signature. The Transfer Agent may request additional documentation from
corporations, executors, administrators, trustees or guardians and may accept
other suitable verification arrangements from foreign investors, such as
consular verification. For more information with respect to
signature-guarantees, please call one of the telephone numbers listed on the
cover.
REDEMPTION COMMITMENT. The Fund has committed itself to pay in cash
all redemption requests by any shareholder of record, limited in amount during
any 90-day period to the lesser of $250,000 or 1% of the value of the Fund's net
assets at the beginning of such period. Such commitment is irrevocable without
the prior approval of the Securities and Exchange Commission. In the case of
requests for redemption in excess of such amount, the Board reserves the right
to make payments in whole or in part in securities or other assets of the Fund
in case of an emergency or any time a cash distribution would impair the
liquidity of the Fund to the detriment of the existing shareholders. In such
event, the securities would be valued in the same manner as the Fund's portfolio
is valued. If the recipient sold such securities, brokerage charges might be
incurred.
SUSPENSION OF REDEMPTIONS. The right of redemption may be suspended or
the date of payment postponed (a) during any period when the New York Stock
Exchange is closed (other than customary weekend and holiday closings), (b) when
trading in the markets the Fund ordinarily utilizes is restricted, or when an
emergency exists as determined by the Securities and Exchange Commission so that
disposal of the Fund's investments or determination of its net asset value is
not reasonably practicable, or (c) for such other periods as the Securities and
Exchange Commission by order may permit to protect the Fund's shareholders.
SHAREHOLDER SERVICES
FUND EXCHANGES. You may purchase, in exchange for shares of the Fund,
shares of certain other funds managed or administered by the Manager, to the
extent such shares are offered for sale in your state of residence. The Fund
will deduct a redemption fee equal to 1% of the net asset value of Fund shares
exchanged where the exchange is made less than 30 days after the issuance of
such shares. Shares of other funds purchased by exchange will be purchased on
the basis of relative net asset value per share as follows:
A. Exchanges for shares of funds offered without a sales load will
be made without a sales load.
B. Shares of funds purchased without a sales load may be exchanged
for shares of other funds sold with a sales load, and the
applicable sales load will be deducted.
C. Shares of funds purchased with a sales load may be exchanged
without a sales load for shares of other funds sold without a
sales load.
D. Shares of funds purchased with a sales load, shares of funds
acquired by a previous exchange from shares purchased with a
sales load and additional shares acquired through reinvestment of
dividends or distributions of any such funds (collectively
referred to herein as "Purchased Shares") may be exchanged for
shares of other funds sold with a sales load (referred to herein
as "Offered Shares"), but, if the sales load applicable to the
Offered Shares exceeds the maximum sales load that could have
been imposed in connection with the Purchased Shares (at the time
the Purchased Shares were acquired), without giving effect to any
reduced loads, the difference will be deducted.
To accomplish an exchange under item D above, you must notify the
Transfer Agent of your prior ownership of fund shares and your account number.
To request an exchange, you must give exchange instructions to the
Transfer Agent in writing or by telephone. The ability to issue exchange
instructions by telephone is given to all Fund shareholders automatically,
unless you check the applicable "No" box on the Account Application, indicating
that you specifically refuse this Privilege. By using the Telephone Exchange
Privilege, you authorize the Transfer Agent to act on telephonic instructions
(including over The Dreyfus Touch(R) automated telephone system) from any person
representing himself or herself to be you, and reasonably believed by the
Transfer Agent to be genuine. Telephone exchanges may be subject to limitations
as to the amount involved or the number of telephone exchanges permitted. Shares
issued in certificate form are not eligible for telephone exchange. No fees
currently are charged shareholders directly in connection with exchanges,
although the Fund reserves the right, upon not less than 60 days' written
notice, to charge shareholders a nominal administrative fee in accordance with
rules promulgated by the Securities and Exchange Commission.
To establish a personal retirement plan by exchange, shares of the
fund being exchanged must have a value of at least the minimum initial
investment required for the fund into which the exchange is being made.
DREYFUS AUTO-EXCHANGE PRIVILEGE. Dreyfus Auto-Exchange Privilege
permits you to purchase, in exchange for shares of the Fund, shares of another
fund in the Dreyfus Family of Funds of which you are a shareholder. This
Privilege is available only for existing accounts. Shares will be exchanged on
the basis of relative net asset value as described above under "Fund Exchanges."
Enrollment in or modification or cancellation of this Privilege is effective
three business days following notification by the investor. You will be notified
if your account falls below the amount designated to be exchanged under this
Privilege. In this case, your account will fall to zero unless additional
investments are made in excess of the designated amount prior to the next
Auto-Exchange transaction. Shares held under IRA and other retirement plans are
eligible for this Privilege. Exchanges of IRA shares may be made between IRA
accounts from regular accounts to IRA accounts, but not from IRA accounts to
regular accounts. With respect to all other retirement accounts, exchanges may
be made only among those accounts.
Shareholder Services Forms and prospectuses of the other funds may be
obtained by calling 1-800-645-6561. The Fund reserves the right to reject any
exchange request in whole or in part. Shares may be exchanged only between
accounts having identical names and other identifying designations. The Fund
Exchanges service or the Dreyfus Auto-Exchange Privilege may be modified or
terminated at any time upon notice to shareholders.
DREYFUS-AUTOMATIC ASSET BUILDER(R). Dreyfus-AUTOMATIC Asset Builder
permits you to purchase Fund shares (minimum of $100 and maximum of $150,000 per
transaction) at regular intervals selected by you. Fund shares are purchased by
transferring funds from the bank account designated by you.
DREYFUS GOVERNMENT DIRECT DEPOSIT PRIVILEGE. Dreyfus Government Direct
Deposit Privilege enables you to purchase Fund shares (minimum of $100 and
maximum of $50,000 per transaction) by having Federal salary, Social Security,
or certain veterans', military or other payments from the U.S. Government
automatically deposited into your fund account. You may deposit as much of such
payments as you elect.
DREYFUS PAYROLL SAVINGS PLAN. Dreyfus Payroll Savings Plan permits you
to purchase Fund shares (minimum of $100 per transaction) automatically on a
regular basis. Depending upon your employer's direct deposit program, you may
have part or all of your paycheck transferred to your existing Dreyfus account
electronically through the ACH system at each pay period. To establish a Dreyfus
Payroll Savings Plan account, you must file an authorization form with your
employer's payroll department. It is the sole responsibility of your employer to
arrange for transactions under the Dreyfus Payroll Savings Plan.
DREYFUS STEP PROGRAM. Dreyfus Step Program enables you to purchase
Fund shares without regard to the Fund's minimum initial investment requirements
through Dreyfus-AUTOMATIC Asset Builder(R), Dreyfus Government Direct Deposit
Privilege or Dreyfus Payroll Savings Plan. To establish a Dreyfus Step Program
account, you must supply the necessary information on the Account Application
and file the required authorization form(s) with the Transfer Agent. For more
information concerning this Program, or to request the necessary authorization
form(s), please call toll free 1-800-782-6620. You may terminate your
participation in this Program at any time by discontinuing your participation in
Dreyfus-AUTOMATIC Asset Builder, Dreyfus Government Direct Deposit Privilege or
Dreyfus Payroll Savings Plan, as the case may be, as provided under the terms of
such Privilege(s). The Fund may modify or terminate this Program at any time.
DREYFUS DIVIDEND OPTIONS. Dreyfus Dividend Sweep allows you to invest
automatically your dividends or dividends and capital gain distributions, if
any, from the Fund in shares of another fund in the Dreyfus Family of Funds of
which you are a shareholder. Shares of other funds purchased pursuant to this
privilege will be purchased on the basis of relative net asset value per share
as follows:
A. Dividends and distributions paid by a fund may be invested
without imposition of a sales load in shares of other funds
offered without a sales load.
B. Dividends and distributions paid by a fund which does not charge
a sales load may be invested in shares of other funds sold with a
sales load, and the applicable sales load will be deducted.
C. Dividends and distributions paid by a fund that charges a sales
load may be invested in shares of other funds sold with a sales
load (referred to herein as "Offered Shares"), but if the sales
load applicable to the Offered Shares exceeds the maximum sales
load charged by the fund from which dividends or distributions
are being swept (without giving effect to any reduced loads), the
difference will be deducted.
D. Dividends and distributions paid by a fund may be invested in
shares of other funds that impose a contingent deferred sales
charge ("CDSC") and the applicable CDSC, if any, will be imposed
upon redemption of such shares.
Dreyfus Dividend ACH permits you to transfer electronically dividends
or dividends and capital gain distributions, if any, from the Fund to a
designated bank account. Only an account maintained at a domestic financial
institution which is an ACH member may be so designated. Banks may charge a fee
for this service.
AUTOMATIC WITHDRAWAL PLAN. The Automatic Withdrawal Plan permits you
to request withdrawal of a specified dollar amount (minimum of $50) on either a
monthly or quarterly basis if you have a $5,000 minimum account. Withdrawal
payments are the proceeds from sales of Fund shares, not the yield on the
shares. If withdrawal payments exceed reinvested dividends and distributions,
your shares will be reduced and eventually may be depleted. Automatic Withdrawal
may be terminated at any time by you, the Fund or the Transfer Agent. Shares for
which certificates have been issued may not be redeemed through the Automatic
Withdrawal Plan.
DETERMINATION OF NET ASSET VALUE
VALUATION OF PORTFOLIO SECURITIES. The Fund's investments are valued
by an independent pricing service (the "Service") approved by the Fund's Board.
When, in the judgment of the Service, quoted bid prices for investments are
readily available and are representative of the bid side of the market, these
investments are valued at the mean between the quoted bid prices (as obtained by
the Service from dealers in such securities) and asked prices (as calculated by
the Service based upon its evaluation of the market for such securities). Other
investments (which constitute a majority of the portfolio securities) are
carried at fair value as determined by the Service, based on methods which
include consideration of: yields or prices of municipal bonds of comparable
quality, coupon, maturity and type; indications as to values from dealers; and
general market conditions. The Service may employ electronic data processing
techniques and/or a matrix system to determine valuations. The Service's
procedures are reviewed by the Fund's officers under the general supervision of
the Fund's Board. Expenses and fees, including the management fee, are accrued
daily and are taken into account for the purpose of determining the net asset
value of Fund shares.
NEW YORK STOCK EXCHANGE CLOSINGS. The holidays (as observed) on which
the New York Stock Exchange is closed currently are: New Year's Day, Martin
Luther King Jr. Day, Presidents' Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Independence
Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas.
PORTFOLIO TRANSACTIONS
Portfolio securities ordinarily are purchased from and sold to parties
acting as either principal or agent. Newly-issued securities ordinarily are
purchased directly from the issuer or from an underwriter; other purchases and
sales usually are placed with those dealers from which it appears that the best
price or execution will be obtained. Usually no brokerage commissions, as such,
are paid by the Fund for such purchases and sales, although the price paid
usually includes an undisclosed compensation to the dealer acting as agent. The
prices paid to underwriters of newly-issued securities usually include a
concession paid by the issuer to the underwriter, and purchases of after-market
securities from dealers ordinarily are executed at a price between the bid and
asked price. No brokerage commissions have been paid by the Fund to date.
Transactions are allocated to various dealers by the Fund's portfolio
managers in their best judgment. The primary consideration is prompt and
effective execution of orders at the most favorable price. Subject to that
primary consideration, dealers may be selected for research, statistical or
other services to enable the Manager to supplement its own research and analysis
with the views and information of other securities firms and may be selected
based upon their sales of shares of the Fund or other funds advised by the
Manager or its affiliates.
Research services furnished by brokers through which the Fund effects
securities transactions may be used by the Manager in advising other funds it
advises and, conversely, research services furnished to the Manager by brokers
in connection with other funds the Manager advises may be used by the Manager in
advising the Fund. Although it is not possible to place a dollar value on these
services, it is the opinion of the Manager that the receipt and study of such
services should not reduce the overall expenses of its research department.
DIVIDENDS, DISTRIBUTIONS AND TAXES
Management believes that the Fund has qualified for the fiscal year
ended December 31, 1999 as a "regulated investment company" under the Code. The
Fund intends to continue to so qualify if such qualification is in the best
interests of its shareholders. Such qualification relieves the Fund of any
liability for Federal income tax to the extent its earnings are distributed in
accordance with applicable provisions of the Code. If the Fund did not qualify
as a regulated investment company, it would be treated for tax purposes as an
ordinary corporation subject to Federal income tax.
The Fund ordinarily declares dividends from its net investment income
on each day the New York Stock Exchange is open for business. Fund shares begin
earning income dividends on the day following the date of purchase. Dividends
usually are paid on the last business day of each month and are automatically
reinvested in additional Fund shares at net asset value or, at your option, paid
in cash. The Fund's earnings for Saturdays, Sundays and holidays are declared as
dividends on the next business day. If you redeem all shares in your account at
any time during the month, all dividends to which you are entitled will be paid
to you along with the proceeds of the redemption. If you are an omnibus
accountholder and indicate in a partial redemption request that a portion of any
accrued dividends to which such account is entitled belongs to an underlying
accountholder who has redeemed all shares in his or her account, such portion of
the accrued dividends will be paid to you along with the proceeds of the
redemption.
If you elect to receive dividends and distributions in cash, and your
dividend or distribution check is returned to the Fund as undeliverable or
remains uncashed for six months, the Fund reserves the right to reinvest such
dividend or distribution and all future dividends and distributions payable to
you in additional Fund shares at net asset value. No interest will accrue on
amounts represented by uncashed distribution or redemption checks.
Any dividend or distribution paid shortly after an investor's purchase
may have the effect of reducing the aggregate net asset value of the shares
below the cost of his investment. Such a distribution would be a return on
investment in an economic sense although taxable as stated under "Distributions
and Taxes" in the Prospectus. In addition, the Code provides that if a
shareholder holds Fund shares for six months or less and has received an
exempt-interest dividend with respect to such shares, any loss incurred on the
sale of such shares will be disallowed to the extent of the exempt-interest
dividend received.
Ordinarily, gains and losses realized from portfolio transactions will
be treated as capital gains or losses. However, all or a portion of any gains
realized from the sale or other disposition of certain market discount bonds
will be treated as ordinary income. In addition, all or a portion of the gain
realized from engaging in "conversion transactions" (generally including certain
transactions designed to convert ordinary income into capital gain) may be
treated as ordinary income.
Gain or loss, if any, realized by the Fund from certain financial
futures and options transactions will be treated as 60% long-term capital gain
or loss and 40% short-term capital gain or loss. Gain or loss will arise upon
exercise or lapse of such futures and options as well as from closing
transactions. In addition, any such futures or options remaining unexercised at
the end of the fund's taxable year will be treated as sold for their then fair
market value, resulting in additional gain or loss to the Fund as described
above.
Offsetting positions held by the Fund involving certain financial
futures contracts or options transactions may be considered, for tax purposes,
to constitute "straddles." "Straddles" are defined to include "offsetting
positions" in actively traded personal property. To the extent the straddle
rules apply to positions established by the Fund, losses realized by the Fund
may be deferred to the extent of unrealized gain in the offsetting position. In
addition, short-term capital loss on straddle positions may be recharacterized
as long-term capital loss, and long-term capital gains on straddle positions may
be treated as short-term capital gains or ordinary income. Certain of the
straddle positions held by the Fund may constitute "mixed straddles." The Fund
may make one or more elections with respect to the treatment of "mixed
straddles," resulting in different tax consequences. In certain circumstances,
the provisions governing the tax treatment of straddles override or modify
certain of the provisions discussed above.
If the Fund either (1) holds an appreciated financial position with
respect to stock, certain debt obligations, or partnership interests
("appreciated financial position") and then enters into a short sale, futures,
forward, or offsetting notional principal contract (collectively, a "Contract")
respecting the same or substantially identical property or (2) holds an
appreciated financial position that is a Contract and then acquires property
that is the same as, or substantially identical to, the underlying property, the
Fund generally will be taxed as if the appreciated financial position were sold
at its fair market value on the date the Fund enters into the financial position
or acquires the property, respectively.
Investment by the Fund in securities issued at a discount or providing
for deferred interest or for payment of interest in the form of additional
obligations could, under special tax rules, affect the amount, timing and
character of distributions to shareholders. For example, the Fund could be
required to take into account annually a portion of the discount (or deemed
discount) at which such securities were issued and to distribute such portion in
order to maintain its qualification as a regulated investment company. In such
case, the Fund may have to dispose of securities which it might otherwise have
continued to hold in order to generate cash to satisfy these distribution
requirements.
PERFORMANCE INFORMATION
The Fund's current yield for the 30-day period ended December 31, 1999
was 4.27%. Current yield is computed pursuant to a formula which operates as
follows: The amount of the Fund's expenses accrued for the 30-day period (net of
reimbursements) is subtracted from the amount of the dividends and interest
earned (computed in accordance with regulatory requirements) by the Fund during
the period. That result is then divided by the product of: (a) the average daily
number of shares outstanding during the period that were entitled to receive
dividends, and (b) the net asset value per share on the last day of the period
less any undistributed earned income per share reasonably expected to be
declared as a dividend shortly thereafter. The quotient is then added to 1, and
that sum is raised to the 6th power, after which 1 is subtracted. The current
yield is then arrived at by multiplying the result by 2.
Based upon a Federal personal income tax rate of 39.60%, the Fund's
tax equivalent yield for the 30-day period ended December 31, 1999 was 7.07%.
Tax equivalent yield is computed by dividing that portion of the current yield
(calculated as described above) which is tax exempt by 1 minus a stated tax rate
and adding the quotient to that portion, if any, of the yield of the Fund that
is not tax exempt.
The Fund's average annual total return for the 1, 5 and 7.95 year
periods ended December 31, 1999 was (1.16)%, 5.39% and 5.45%, respectively.
Average annual total return is calculated by determining the ending redeemable
value of an investment purchased with a hypothetical $1,000 payment made at the
beginning of the period (assuming the reinvestment of dividends and
distributions), dividing by the amount of the initial investment, taking the
"n"th root of the quotient (where "n" is the number of years in the period) and
subtracting 1 from the result.
The Fund's aggregate total return for the period January 21, 1992
(commencement of operations) through December 31, 1999 was 52.52%. The Fund's
total return figure referenced above reflects the absorption of certain
expenses. Had these expenses not been absorbed, total return would have been
lower. Total return is calculated by subtracting the amount of the Fund's net
asset value per share at the beginning of a stated period from the net asset
value per share at the end of the period (after giving effect to the
reinvestment of dividends and distributions during the period), and dividing the
result by the net asset value per share at the beginning of the period.
From time to time, the Fund may use hypothetical tax equivalent yields
or charts in its advertising. These hypothetical yields or charts will be used
for illustrative purposes only and are not indicative of the Fund's past or
future performance. Comparative performance information may be used from time to
time in advertising or marketing the Fund's shares, including data from Lipper
Analytical Services, Inc., Moody's Bond Survey Bond Index, Lehman Brothers
Municipal Bond Index, Morningstar, Inc. and other industry publications. From
time to time, advertising materials for the Fund may refer to or discuss
then-current or past economic conditions, developments and/or events, actual or
proposed tax legislation, or to statistical or other information concerning
trends relating to investment companies, as compiled by industry associations
such as the Investment Company Institute. Advertising material for the Fund also
may refer to Morningstar ratings and related analyses supporting such ratings.
From time to time, advertising material for the Fund may occasionally
include information about other similar funds and may refer to the Fund as the
first Florida municipal bond fund available to investors with no sales load. In
addition, such material may include a discussion or a comparison of certain
specific attributes of those funds, including, but not limited to, required
minimum and subsequent investments, required minimum balances, sales loads,
portfolio investments and other investment services. From time to time,
advertising material for the Fund may include biographical information relating
to its portfolio managers and may refer to, or include commentary by, a
portfolio manager relating to investment strategy, asset growth, current or past
business, political, economic or financial conditions and other matters of
general interest to investors.
INFORMATION ABOUT THE FUND
Each Fund share has one vote and, when issued and paid for in
accordance with the terms of the offering, is fully paid and non-assessable.
Fund shares are of one class and have equal rights as to dividends and in
liquidation. Shares have no preemptive, subscription or conversion rights and
are freely transferable.
Under Massachusetts law, shareholders, under certain circumstances,
could be held personally liable for the obligations of the Fund. However, the
Fund's Agreement and Declaration of Trust ("Trust Agreement") disclaims
shareholder liability for acts or obligations of the Fund and requires that
notice of such disclaimer be given in each agreement, obligation or instrument
entered into or executed by the Fund or a Trustee. The Trust Agreement provides
for indemnification from the Fund's property for all losses and expenses of any
shareholder held personally liable for the obligations of the Fund. Thus, the
risk of a shareholder's incurring financial loss on account of shareholder
liability is limited to circumstances in which the Fund itself would be unable
to meet its obligations, a possibility which management believes is remote. Upon
payment of any liability incurred by the Fund, the shareholder paying such
liability will be entitled to reimbursement from the general assets of the Fund.
The Fund intends to conduct its operations in such a way so as to avoid, as far
as possible, ultimate liability of the shareholders for liabilities of the Fund.
Unless otherwise required by the 1940 Act, ordinarily it will not be
necessary for the Fund to hold annual meetings of shareholders. As a result,
Fund shareholders may not consider each year the election of Board members or
the appointment of auditors. However, the holders of at least 10% of the shares
outstanding and entitled to vote may require the Fund to hold a special meeting
of shareholders for purposes of removing a Board member from office. Fund
shareholders may remove a Board member by the affirmative vote of two-thirds of
the Fund's outstanding voting shares. In addition, the Board will call a meeting
of shareholders for the purpose of electing Board members if, at any time, less
than a majority of the Board members then holding office have been elected by
shareholders.
The Fund is intended to be a long-term investment vehicle and is not
designed to provide investors with a means of speculating on short-term market
movements. A pattern of frequent purchases and exchanges can be disruptive to
efficient portfolio management and, consequently, can be detrimental to the
Fund's performance and its shareholders. Accordingly, if the Fund's management
determines that an investor is following a market-timing strategy or is
otherwise engaging in excessive trading, the Fund, with or without prior notice,
may temporarily or permanently terminate the availability of Fund Exchanges, or
reject in whole or part any purchase or exchange request, with respect to such
investor's account. Such investors also may be barred from purchasing other
funds in the Dreyfus Family of Funds. Generally, an investor who makes more than
four exchanges out of the Fund during any calendar year or who makes exchanges
that appear to coincide with a market-timing strategy may be deemed to be
engaged in excessive trading. Accounts under common ownership or control will be
considered as one account for purposes of determining a pattern of excessive
trading. In addition, the Fund may refuse or restrict purchase or exchange
requests by any person or group if, in the judgment of the Fund's management,
the Fund would be unable to invest the money effectively in accordance with its
investment objective and policies or could otherwise be adversely affected or if
the Fund receives or anticipates receiving simultaneous orders that may
significantly affect the Fund (e.g., amounts equal to 1% or more of the Fund's
total assets). If an exchange request is refused, the Fund will take no other
action with respect to the Fund shares until it receives further instructions
from the investor. The Fund may delay forwarding redemption proceeds for up to
seven days if the investor redeeming shares is engaged in excessive trading or
if the amount of the redemption request otherwise would be disruptive to
efficient portfolio management or would adversely affect the Fund. The Fund's
policy on excessive trading applies to investors who invest in the Fund directly
or through financial intermediaries, but does not apply to the Dreyfus
Auto-Exchange Privilege, to any automatic investment or withdrawal privilege
described herein, or to participants in employer-sponsored retirement plans.
During times of drastic economic or market conditions, the Fund may
suspend the Fund Exchanges temporarily without notice and treat exchange
requests based on their separate components--redemption orders with a
simultaneous request to purchase the other fund's shares. In such a case, the
redemption request would be processed at the Fund's next determined net asset
value but the purchase order would be effective only at the net asset value next
determined after the fund being purchased receives the proceeds of the
redemption, which may result in the purchase being delayed.
To offset the relatively higher costs of servicing smaller accounts,
the Fund will charge regular accounts with balances below $2,000 an annual fee
of $12. The valuation of accounts and the deductions are expected to take place
during the last four months of each year. The fee will be waived for any
investor whose aggregate Dreyfus mutual fund investments total at least $25,000,
and will not apply to IRA accounts or to accounts participating in automatic
investment programs or opened through a securities dealer, bank or other
financial institution, or to other fiduciary accounts.
The Fund will send annual and semi-annual financial statements to all
its shareholders.
COUNSEL AND INDEPENDENT AUDITORS
Stroock & Stroock & Lavan LLP, 180 Maiden Lane, New York, New York
10038-4982, as counsel for the Fund, has rendered its opinion as to certain
legal matters regarding the due authorization and valid issuance of the shares
being sold pursuant to the Fund's Prospectus.
Ernst & Young LLP, 787 Seventh Avenue, New York, New York 10019,
independent auditors, has been selected as independent auditors of the Fund.
YEAR 2000 ISSUES
The Fund could be adversely affected if the computer systems used by
the Manager and the Fund's other service providers do not properly process and
calculate date-related information from and after January 1, 2000.
The Manager has taken steps designed to avoid year 2000-related
problems in its systems and to monitor the readiness of other service providers.
In addition, issuers of securities in which the Fund invests may be adversely
affected by year 2000-related problems. This could have an impact on the value
of the Fund's investments and its share price.
<PAGE>
APPENDIX A
RISK FACTORS - INVESTING IN
FLORIDA MUNICIPAL OBLIGATIONS
The following information constitutes only a brief summary, does not
purport to be a complete description, and is based on information drawn from
official statements relating to securities offerings of the State of Florida and
various local agencies available as of the date of this Statement of Additional
Information. While the Fund has not independently verified such information, it
has no reason to believe that such information is not correct in all material
respects.
GENERAL - The Florida Constitution and Statutes mandate that the State
budget as a whole, and each separate fund within the State budget, be kept in
balance from currently available revenues each fiscal year. Florida's
Constitution permits issuance of Florida Municipal Obligations pledging the full
faith and credit of the State, with a vote of the electors, to finance or
refinance fixed capital outlay projects authorized by the Legislature provided
that the outstanding principal does not exceed 50% of the total tax revenues of
the State for the two preceding years. Florida's Constitution also provides that
the Legislature shall appropriate monies sufficient to pay debt service on State
bonds pledging the full faith and credit of the State as the same becomes due.
REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES. Financial operations of the State of
Florida covering all receipts and expenditures are maintained through the use of
three funds: General Revenue Fund, Trust Funds and Working Capital Fund. The
General Revenue Fund receives the majority of State tax revenues. The Trust
Funds consist of monies received by the State which under law or trust agreement
are segregated for a purpose authorized by law. Revenues in the General Revenue
Fund which are in excess of the amount needed to meet appropriations may be
transferred to the Working Capital Fund. Beginning in 1993-94, the Florida
Constitution requires that the State establish a Budget Stabilization Fund. This
fund is to contain a balance of at least 1% of the previous year's net General
Revenue collections in 1994-95, 2% in 1995-96, 3% in 1996-97, 4% in 1997-98 and
5% in 1998-99 and thereafter. These monies can be only spent for the purpose of
covering revenue shortfalls and for emergency purposes as defined by general
law. Implementing legislation establishing this fund was enacted during the 1994
Session of the Florida legislature.
In November of 1994, Florida voters approved an amendment to the
Florida Constitution which set forth limitations on revenue collections by the
State. With certain exceptions, State revenues collected for any fiscal year are
limited to State revenues allowed under the amendment for the prior fiscal year
plus an adjustment for growth.
As used in the amendment, "growth" means an amount equal to the
average annual rate of growth in Florida personal income over the most recent
twenty quarters times the State revenues allowed under the amendment for the
prior fiscal year. For the 1996-1997 fiscal year, the State revenues allowed
under the amendment for the prior fiscal year shall equal the State revenues
collected for the 1995-1996 fiscal year. Florida personal income will be
determined by the Legislature, from information available from the United States
Department of Commerce or its successor on the first day of February prior to
the beginning of the fiscal year. State revenues collected for any fiscal year
in excess of this limitation will be transferred to the Budget Stabilization
Fund until the fund reaches the maximum balance specified above, and thereafter
shall be refunded to taxpayers as provided by general law. State revenues
allowed under the amendment for any fiscal year may be increased by a two-thirds
vote of the membership of each house of the Florida Legislature.
For purposes of the amendment "State revenues" means taxes, fees,
licenses, and charges for services imposed by the Legislature on individuals,
businesses, or agencies outside State government. However, "State revenues" does
not include: revenues that are necessary to meet the requirements set forth in
documents authorizing the issuance of bonds by the State; revenues that are used
to provide matching funds for the federal Medicaid program with the exception of
the revenues used to support the Public Medical Assistance Trust Fund or its
successor program and with the exception of State matching funds used to fund
elective expansions made after July 1, 1994; proceeds from the State Lottery
returned as prizes; receipts of the Florida Hurricane Catastrophe Fund; balances
carried forward from prior fiscal years; taxes, licenses, fees and charges for
services imposed by local, regional, or school district governing bodies; or
revenue from taxes, licenses, fees and charges for services required to be
imposed by any amendment or revision to the Constitution after July 1, 1994. An
adjustment to the revenue limitation will be made by general law to reflect the
fiscal impact of transfers of responsibility for the funding of governmental
functions between the State and other levels of government.
The amendment became effective January 1, 1995.
The Florida Constitution and Statutes mandate that the State budget as
a whole, and each separate fund within the State budget, be kept in balance from
currently available revenues each State fiscal year.
Florida ended fiscal years 1996-97 and 1997-98 with General Revenue
plus Working Capital Funds unencumbered reserves of approximately $440.5 million
and $744.0 million, respectively. Estimated fiscal year 1997-98 General Revenue
plus Working Capital Funds available total $22.6 billion. Total effective
appropriations for the 1998-99 fiscal year are estimated at $21.7 billion,
resulting in estimated unencumbered reserves of $900.0 million at the end of the
fiscal year.
In fiscal year 1997-98, the State derived approximately 60% of its
total direct revenues from the General Revenue Fund, Trust Funds and Working
Capital Fund from State taxes. Federal grants and other special revenues
accounted for the remaining revenues. Major sources of tax revenues to the
General Revenue Fund are the sales and use tax, corporate income tax, and
beverage tax, which amounted to 61%, 6% and 2.5%, respectively, of total General
Revenue Fund receipts.
State expenditures are categorized for budget and appropriation
purposes by type of fund and spending unit, which are further subdivided by line
item. In fiscal year 1997-98, expenditures from the General Revenue Fund for
education, health and welfare and public safety amounted to approximately 28%,
35% and 7%, respectively, of total General Revenues.
SALES AND USE TAX. The greatest single source of tax receipts in
Florida is the sales and use tax. The sales tax is 6% of the sales price of
tangible property sold at retail in the State. The use tax is 6% of the cost
price of tangible personal property when the same is not sold but is used, or
stored for use, in the State. The use tax also applies to the use in the State
of tangible personal property purchased outside Florida which would have been
subject to the sales tax if purchased from a Florida dealer. Less than 10% of
the sales tax is designated for local governments and is distributed to the
respective counties in which it is collected for use by such counties and
municipalities therein. In addition to this distribution, local governments may
(by referendum) assess a .5% or 1% discretionary sales surtax within their
county. Proceeds from this local option sales tax are earmarked for funding
local infrastructure programs and acquiring land for public recreation or
conservation or protection of natural resources. In addition, non-consolidated
counties with populations in excess of 800,000 may levy a local option sales tax
to fund indigent health care. This tax rate may not exceed .5% and the combined
levy of the indigent health care surtax and the infrastructure surtax described
above may not exceed 1%. Furthermore, charter counties which adopted a charter
prior to June 1, 1976, and each county with a consolidated county/municipal
government, may (by referendum) assess up to a 1% discretionary sales surtax
within their county. Proceeds from this tax are earmarked for the development,
construction, maintenance and operation of a fixed guideway rapid transit system
or may be remitted to an expressway or transportation authority for use on
country roads and bridges, for a bus system, or to service bonds financing roads
and bridges. The two taxes, sales and use, stand as complements to each other,
and taken together provide a uniform tax upon either the sale at retail or the
use of all tangible personal property irrespective of where it may have been
purchased. This tax also includes a levy on the following: (i) rentals of
tangible personal property, transient lodging and non-residential real property;
(ii) admissions to places of amusements, most sports and recreation events;
(iii) utilities, except those used in homes; and (iv) restaurant meals.
Exemptions include: groceries; medicines; hospital rooms and meals; fuels used
to produce electricity; purchases by religious, charitable and educational
nonprofit institutions; most professional, insurance and personal service
transactions; apartments used as permanent dwellings; the trade-in value of
motor vehicles; and residential utilities.
All receipts of the sales and use tax, with the exception of the tax
on gasoline and special fuels, are credited to either the General Revenue Fund,
the Solid Waste Management Trust Fund, or countries and cities. For the State
fiscal year which ended June 30, 1998, receipts from this source were $13.349
billion, an increase of 10% from fiscal year 1996-97.
FUELS SALE TAX. The second largest source of State tax receipts is the
tax on fuel sales. Preliminary data show collections from this source in the
State fiscal year ended June 30, 1998, were $1.518 billion. However, these
revenues are almost entirely dedicated trust funds for specific purposes and are
not included in the State General Revenue Fund.
State and local taxes on motor fuels (gasoline and special fuel)
include several distinct fuel taxes: (i) the State fuels sales tax levied at a
rate calculated by The State Department of Revenue by adjusting the 1997 base
rate of 6.9 cents per gallon by the percentage change in the CPI for the most
recent 12 month period ending September 30, compared to the base year average
which is the average for the 12 month period ending September 30, 1989. For
Calendar Year 1998 the rate was nine cents per gallon; for Calendar Year 1999
the rate is 9.1 cents per gallon; (ii) the State excise tax of four cents per
gallon of motor fuel, proceeds distributed to local governments; (iii) the State
Comprehensive Enhanced Transportation System (SCETS) tax, which is levied at a
rate in each county equal to two-thirds of the sum of the county's local option
motor fuel taxes; and (iv) local option motor fuel taxes, which may range
between one cent to seven cents per gallon.
ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE TAX. Florida's alcoholic beverage tax is an excise
tax on beer, wine, and liquor. This tax is one of the State's major tax sources,
with revenues totaling $566.2 million in State fiscal year ended June 30, 1998.
Alcoholic beverage receipts declined from the previous year's total. The
revenues collected from this tax are deposited into the State's General Revenue
Fund.
CORPORATE INCOME TAX. Pursuant to an amendment to the State
Constitution, the State Legislature adopted, effective January 1, 1972, the
"Florida Income Tax Code" imposing a tax upon the net income of corporations,
organizations, associations and other artificial entities for the privilege of
conducting business, deriving income or existing within the State. This tax does
not apply to natural persons who engage in a trade or business or profession
under their own or any fictitious name, whether individually as proprietorships
or in partnerships with others, estates of decedents or incompetents, or
testamentary trusts.
The tax is imposed in an amount equal to 5.5% of the taxpayer's net
corporate income for the taxable year, less a $5,000 exemption, as defined in
such Code. Net income is defined by the Code as that share of a taxpayer's
adjusted Federal income for such year which is apportioned to the State of
Florida. Apportionment is by weighted factors of sales (50%), property (25%) and
payroll (25%). All business income is apportioned and non-business income is
allocated to a single jurisdiction, usually the State of commercial domicile.
All receipts of the corporate income tax are credited to the General
Revenue Fund. For the fiscal year ended June 30, 1998, receipts from this source
were $1.395 billion, an increase of 3% from fiscal year 1996-97.
DOCUMENTARY STAMP TAX. Deeds and other documents relating to a realty
are taxed at 70 cents per $100 of consideration, while corporate shares, bonds,
certificates of indebtedness, promissory notes, wage assignments and retail
charge accounts are taxed at 35 cents per $100 of consideration. Documentary
stamp tax collections totaled $1.005 billion during fiscal year 1997-98, posting
a 16% increase from the previous fiscal year. The General Revenue Fund receives
approximately 2% of documentary stamp tax collections.
GROSS RECEIPTS TAX. Effective July 1, 1992, the tax rate was increased
from 2.25% to 2.5% of the gross receipts of electric, natural gas and
telecommunications services. All gross receipts utilities collections are
credited to the Public Education Capital Outlay and Debt Service Trust Fund. In
fiscal year 1997-98, gross receipts utilities tax collections totaled $638.0
million, an increase of 5% over the previous fiscal year.
INTANGIBLE PERSONAL PROPERTY TAX. This tax is levied on two distinct
bases: (i) stocks, bonds, including bonds secured by Florida realty, notes,
government leaseholds, interests in limited partnerships registered with the
SEC, and other miscellaneous intangible personal property not secured by liens
on Florida realty are taxed annually at a rate of 2 mills, (ii) mortgages and
other obligations secured by liens on Florida realty, taxed with a non-recurring
2 mill tax.
Of the tax proceeds, 33.5% is distributed to the Municipal Revenue
Sharing Trust Fund. The remainder is distributed to the General Reserve Fund.
Fiscal year 1997-98 total intangible personal property tax collections
were $1.164 billion, a 16% increase over the prior year.
SEVERANCE TAXES. The severance tax includes the taxation of oil, gas
and sulfur production and a tax on the severance of primarily phosphate rock and
other solid minerals. Collections from severance taxes totaled $61.269 million
during fiscal year 1997-98, down 5% from the previous fiscal year.
LOTTERY. The 1987 Legislature created the Department of the Lottery to
operate the State Lottery and setting forth the allocation of the revenues. Of
the revenues generated by the Lottery, 50% is to be returned to the public as
prizes; at least 38% is to be deposited in the Educational Enhancement Trust
Fund (for public education); and no more than 12% can be spent on the
administrative cost of operating the lottery.
Fiscal year 1997-98 produced ticket sales of $2.057 billion of which
education received approximately $813.11 million.
<PAGE>
APPENDIX B
Description of S&P, Moody's and Fitch ratings:
S&P
MUNICIPAL BOND RATINGS
An S&P municipal bond rating is a current assessment of the
creditworthiness of an obligor with respect to a specific obligation.
The ratings are based on current information furnished by the issuer
or obtained by S&P from other sources it considers reliable, and will include:
(1) likelihood of default-capacity and willingness of the obligor as to the
timely payment of interest and repayment of principal in accordance with the
terms of the obligation; (2) nature and provisions of the obligation; and (3)
protection afforded by, and relative position of, the obligation in the event of
bankruptcy, reorganization or other arrangement under the laws of bankruptcy and
other laws affecting creditors' rights.
AAA
Debt rated AAA has the highest rating assigned by S&P. Capacity to pay
interest and repay principal is extremely strong.
AA
Debt rated AA has a very strong capacity to pay interest and repay
principal and differs from the highest rated issues only in a small degree.
A
Principal and interest payments on bonds in this category are regarded
as safe. This rating describes the third strongest capacity for payment of debt
service. It differs from the two higher ratings because:
General Obligation Bonds -- There is some weakness in the local
economic base, in debt burden, in the balance between revenues and expenditures,
or in quality of management. Under certain adverse circumstances, any one such
weakness might impair the ability of the issuer to meet debt obligations at some
future date.
Revenue Bonds -- Debt service coverage is good, but not exceptional.
Stability of the pledged revenues could show some variations because of
increased competition or economic influences on revenues. Basic security
provisions, while satisfactory, are less stringent. Management performance
appears adequate.
BBB
Of the investment grade, this is the lowest.
General Obligation Bonds -- Under certain adverse conditions, several
of the above factors could contribute to a lesser capacity for payment of debt
service. The difference between "A" and "BBB" rating is that the latter shows
more than one fundamental weakness, or one very substantial fundamental
weakness, whereas the former shows only one deficiency among the factors
considered.
Revenue Bonds -- Debt coverage is only fair. Stability of the pledged
revenues could show substantial variations, with the revenue flow possibly being
subject to erosion over time. Basic security provisions are no more than
adequate. Management performance could be stronger.
BB, B, CCC, CC, C
Debt rated BB, B, CCC, CC and C is regarded as having predominantly
speculative characteristics with respect to capacity to pay interest and repay
principal. BB indicates the least degree of speculation and C the highest degree
of speculation. While such debt will likely have some quality and protective
characteristics, these are outweighed by large uncertainties or major risk
exposures to adverse conditions.
BB
Debt rated BB has less near-term vulnerability to default than other
speculative grade debt. However, it faces major ongoing uncertainties or
exposure to adverse business, financial or economic conditions which could lead
to inadequate capacity to meet timely interest and principal payment.
B
Debt rated B has a greater vulnerability to default but presently has
the capacity to meet interest payments and principal repayments. Adverse
business, financial or economic conditions would likely impair capacity or
willingness to pay interest and repay principal.
CCC
Debt rated CCC has a current identifiable vulnerability to default,
and is dependent upon favorable business, financial and economic conditions to
meet timely payments of principal. In the event of adverse business, financial
or economic conditions, it is not likely to have the capacity to pay interest
and repay principal.
CC
The rating CC is typically applied to debt subordinated to senior debt
which is assigned an actual or implied CCC rating.
C
The rating C is typically applied to debt subordinated to senior debt
which is assigned an actual or implied CCC- debt rating.
D
Bonds rated D are in default, and payment of interest and/or repayment
of principal is in arrears.
Plus (+) or minus (-): The ratings from AA to CCC may be modified by
the addition of a plus or minus sign to show relative standing within the major
ratings categories.
MUNICIPAL NOTE RATINGS
SP-1
The issuers of these municipal notes exhibit very strong or strong
capacity to pay principal and interest. Those issues determined to possess
overwhelming safety characteristics are given a plus sign (+) designation.
SP-2
The issuers of these municipal notes exhibit satisfactory capacity to
pay principal and interest.
COMMERCIAL PAPER RATINGS
An S&P commercial paper rating is a current assessment of the
likelihood of timely payment of debt having an original maturity of no more than
365 days.
A
Issues assigned this rating are regarded as having the greatest
capacity for timely payment. Issues in this category are delineated with the
numbers 1, 2 and 3 to indicate the relative degree of safety.
A-1
This designation indicates that the degree of safety regarding timely
payment is either overwhelming or very strong. Those issues determined to
possess overwhelming safety characteristics are denoted with a plus sign (+)
designation.
A-2
Capacity for timely payment on issues with this designation is strong.
However, the relative degree of safety is not as high as for issues designated
A-1.
Moody's
MUNICIPAL BOND RATINGS
Aaa
Bonds rated Aaa are judged to be of the best quality. They carry the
smallest degree of investment risk and are generally referred to as "gilt edge."
Interest payments are protected by a large or by an exceptionally stable margin
and principal is secure. While the various protective elements are likely to
change, such changes as can be visualized are most unlikely to impair the
fundamentally strong position of such issues.
Aa
Bonds rated Aa are judged to be of high quality by all standards.
Together with the Aaa group they comprise what generally are known as high-grade
bonds. They are rated lower than the best bonds because margins of protection
may not be as large as in Aaa securities or fluctuation of protective elements
may be of greater amplitude or there may be other elements present which make
the long-term risks appear somewhat larger than in Aaa securities.
A
Bonds rated A possess many favorable investment attributes and are to
be considered as upper-medium grade obligations. Factors giving security to
principal and interest are considered adequate, but elements may be present
which suggest a susceptibility to impairment some time in the future.
Baa
Bonds rated Baa are considered as medium grade obligations, i.e., they
are neither highly protected nor poorly secured. Interest payments and principal
security appear adequate for the present but certain protective elements may be
lacking or may be characteristically unreliable over any great length of time.
Such bonds lack outstanding investment characteristics and in fact have
speculative characteristics as well.
Ba
Bonds rated Ba are judged to have speculative elements; their future
cannot be considered as well assured. Often the protection of interest and
principal payments may be very moderate, and therefore not well safeguarded
during both good and bad times over the future. Uncertainty of position
characterizes bonds in this class.
B
Bonds rated B generally lack characteristics of the desirable
investment. Assurance of interest and principal payments or of maintenance of
other terms of the contract over any long period of time may be small.
Caa
Bonds rated Caa are of poor standing. Such issues may be in default or
there may be present elements of danger with respect to principal or interest.
Ca
Bonds rated Ca present obligations which are speculative in a high
degree. Such issues are often in default or have other marked shortcomings.
C
Bonds rated C are the lowest rated class of bonds, and issues so rated
can be regarded as having extremely poor prospects of ever attaining any real
investment standing.
Generally, Moody's provides either a generic rating or a rating with a
numerical modifier of 1 for bonds in each of the generic rating categories Aa,
A, Baa, Ba and B. Moody's also provides numerical modifiers of 2 and 3 in each
of these categories for bond issues in the health care, higher education and
other not-for-profit sectors; the modifier 1 indicates that the issue ranks in
the higher end of its generic rating category; the modifier 2 indicates that the
issue is in the mid-range of the generic category; and the modifier 3 indicates
that the issue is in the low end of the generic category.
MUNICIPAL NOTE RATINGS
Moody's ratings for state and municipal notes and other short-term
loans are designated Moody's Investment Grade (MIG). Such ratings recognize the
differences between short-term credit risk and long-term risk. Factors affecting
the liquidity of the borrower and short-term cyclical elements are critical in
short-term ratings, while other factors of major importance in bond risk,
long-term secular trends for example, may be less important over the short run.
A short-term rating may also be assigned on an issue having a demand
feature. Such ratings will be designated as VMIG or, if the demand feature is
not rated, as NR. Short-term ratings on issues with demand features are
differentiated by the use of the VMIG symbol to reflect such characteristics as
payment upon periodic demand rather than fixed maturity dates and payment
relying on external liquidity. Additionally, investors should be alert to the
fact that the source of payment may be limited to the external liquidity with no
or limited legal recourse to the issuer in the event the demand is not met.
Moody's short-term ratings are designated Moody's Investment Grade as
MIG 1 or VMIG 1 through MIG 4 or VMIG 4. As the name implies, when Moody's
assigns a MIG or VMIG rating, all categories define an investment grade
situation.
MIG 1/VMIG 1
This designation denotes best quality. There is present strong
protection by established cash flows, superior liquidity support or demonstrated
broad-based access to the market for refinancing.
MIG 2/VMIG 2
This designation denotes high quality. Margins of protection are ample
although not so large as in the preceding group.
COMMERCIAL PAPER RATINGS
The rating Prime-1 (P-1) is the highest commercial paper rating
assigned by Moody's. Issuers of P-1 paper must have a superior capacity for
repayment of short-term promissory obligations, and will normally be evidenced
by leading market positions in well established industries, high rates of return
on funds employed, conservative capitalization structures with moderate reliance
on debt and ample asset protection, broad margins in earnings coverage of fixed
financial charges and high internal cash generation, and well established access
to a range of financial markets and assured sources of alternate liquidity.
Issuers (or related supporting institutions) rated Prime-2 (P-2) have
a strong capacity for repayment of short-term promissory obligations. This will
normally be evidenced by many of the characteristics cited above but to a lesser
degree. Earnings trends and coverage ratios, while sound, will be more subject
to variation. Capitalization characteristics, while still appropriate, may be
more affected by external conditions. Ample alternate liquidity is maintained.
Fitch
MUNICIPAL BOND RATINGS
The ratings represent Fitch's assessment of the issuer's ability to
meet the obligations of a specific debt issue or class of debt. The ratings take
into consideration special features of the issue, its relationship to other
obligations of the issuer, the current financial condition and operative
performance of the issuer and of any guarantor, as well as the political and
economic environment that might affect the issuer's future financial strength
and credit quality.
AAA
Bonds rated AAA are considered to be investment grade and of the
highest credit quality. The obligor has an exceptionally strong ability to pay
interest and repay principal, which is unlikely to be affected by reasonably
foreseeable events.
AA
Bonds rated AA are considered to be investment grade and of very high
credit quality. The obligor's ability to pay interest and repay principal is
very strong, although not quite as strong as bonds rated AAA. Because bonds
rated in the AAA and AA categories are not significantly vulnerable to
foreseeable future developments, short-term debt of these issuers is generally
rated F-1+.
A
Bonds rated A are considered to be investment grade and of high credit
quality. The obligor's ability to pay interest and repay principal is considered
to be strong, but may be more vulnerable to adverse changes in economic
conditions and circumstances than bonds with higher ratings.
BBB
Bonds rated BBB are considered to be investment grade and of
satisfactory credit quality. The obligor's ability to pay interest and repay
principal is considered to be adequate. Adverse changes in economic conditions
and circumstances, however, are more likely to have an adverse impact on these
bonds and, therefore, impair timely payment. The likelihood that the ratings of
these bonds will fall below investment grade is higher than for bonds with
higher ratings.
BB
Bonds rated BB are considered speculative. The obligor's ability to
pay interest and repay principal may be affected over time by adverse economic
changes. However, business and financial alternatives can be identified which
could assist the obligor in satisfying its debt service requirements.
B
Bonds rated B are considered highly speculative. While bonds in this
class are currently meeting debt service requirements, the probability of
continued timely payment of principal and interest reflects the obligor's
limited margin of safety and the need for reasonable business and economic
activity throughout the life of the issue.
CCC
Bonds rated CCC have certain identifiable characteristics, which, if
not remedied, may lead to default. The ability to meet obligations requires an
advantageous business and economic environment.
CC
Bonds rated CC are minimally protected. Default payment of interest
and/or principal seems probable over time.
C
Bonds rated C are in imminent default in payment of interest or
principal.
DDD, DD and D
Bonds rated DDD, DD and D are in actual or imminent default of
interest and/or principal payments. Such bonds are extremely speculative and
should be valued on the basis of their ultimate recovery value in liquidation or
reorganization of the obligor. DDD represents the highest potential for recovery
on these bonds and D represents the lowest potential for recovery.
Plus (+) and minus (-) signs are used with a rating symbol to indicate
the relative position of a credit within the rating category. Plus and minus
signs, however, are not used in the AAA category covering 12-36 months or the
DDD, DD or D categories.
SHORT-TERM RATINGS
Fitch's short-term ratings apply to debt obligations that are payable
on demand or have original maturities of up to three years, including commercial
paper, certificates of deposit, medium-term notes, and municipal and investment
notes.
Although the credit analysis is similar to Fitch's bond rating
analysis, the short-term rating places greater emphasis than bond ratings on the
existence of liquidity necessary to meet the issuer's obligations in a timely
manner.
F-1+
EXCEPTIONALLY STRONG CREDIT QUALITY. Issues assigned this rating are
regarded as having the strongest degree of assurance for timely payment.
F-1
VERY STRONG CREDIT QUALITY. Issues assigned this rating reflect an
assurance of timely payment only slightly less in degree than issues rated F-1+.
F-2
GOOD CREDIT QUALITY. Issues carrying this rating have a satisfactory
degree of assurance for timely payments, but the margin of safety is not as
great as the F-1+ and F-1 categories.
<PAGE>
J30-025-740-004 C-1
DREYFUS FLORIDA INTERMEDIATE MUNICIPAL BOND FUND
PART C. OTHER INFORMATION
--------------------------------
Item 23. Exhibits
- ------- ----------
(a) Registrant's Declaration of Trust and Articles of Amendment
are incorporated by reference to Exhibit (1) of Pre-Effective
Amendment No. 1 to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A,
filed on December 5, 1991,and Exhibit (1)(b) of Post-Effective
Amendment No. 4 to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A,
filed on March 2, 1995.
(b) Registrant's By-Laws, as amended.
(d) Management Agreement is incorporated by reference to Exhibit
(5) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 4 to the Registration
Statement on Form N-1A, filed on March 2, 1995.
(e) Revised Distribution Agreement.
(g) Custody Agreement is incorporated by reference to Exhibit 8(a)
of Post-Effective Amendment No. 4 to the Registration
Statement on Form N-1A, filed on March 2, 1995. Sub-Custodian
Agreements are incorporated by reference to Exhibit 8(b) of
Post-Effective Amendment No. 4 to the Registration Statement
on Form N-1A, filed on March 2, 1995.
(i) Opinion and consent of Registrant's counsel is incorporated
by reference to Exhibit (10) of Post-Effective Amendment No.
4 to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A, filed on March
2, 1995
(j) Consent of Independent Auditors.
(p) Code of Ethics adopted by the Registrant.
<PAGE>
Item 23. Exhibits. - List (continued)
- ------- -----------------------------------------------------
Other Exhibits
--------------
(a) Powers of Attorney.
(b) Certificate of Secretary.
Item 24. Persons Controlled by or under Common Control with Registrant.
- ------- -------------------------------------------------------------
Not Applicable
Item 25. Indemnification
- ------- ---------------
The Statement as to the general effect of any contract,
arrangements or statute under which a Board member, officer,
underwriter or affiliated person of the Registrant is insured
or indemnified in any manner against any liability which may
be incurred in such capacity, other than insurance provided by
any Board member, officer, affiliated person or underwriter
for their own protection, is incorporated by reference to Item
27 of Part C of Post-Effective Amendment No. 11 to the
Registration Statement on From N-1A, filed on April 23, 1998.
Reference is also made to the Distribution Agreement attached
as Exhibit 23(e).
Item 26. Business and Other Connections of Investment Adviser.
- ------- ----------------------------------------------------
The Dreyfus Corporation ("Dreyfus") and subsidiary companies
comprise a financial service organization whose business
consists primarily of providing investment management services
as the investment adviser and manager for sponsored investment
companies registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940
and as an investment adviser to institutional and individual
accounts. Dreyfus also serves as sub-investment adviser to
and/or administrator of other investment companies. Dreyfus
Service Corporation, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Dreyfus,
serves primarily as a registered broker-dealer and distributor
of other investment companies advised and administered by
Dreyfus. Dreyfus Investment Advisors, Inc., another
wholly-owned subsidiary, provides investment management
services to various pension plans, institutions and
individuals.
<PAGE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
<S> <C> <C> <C>
ITEM 26. Business and Other Connections of Investment Adviser (continued)
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Officers and Directors of Investment Adviser
Name and Position
With Dreyfus Other Businesses Position Held Dates
CHRISTOPHER M. CONDRON Franklin Portfolio Associates, Director 1/97 - Present
Chairman of the Board and LLC*
Chief Executive Officer
TBCAM Holdings, Inc.* Director 10/97 - Present
President 10/97 - 6/98
Chairman 10/97 - 6/98
The Boston Company Director 1/98 - Present
Asset Management, LLC* Chairman 1/98 - 6/98
President 1/98 - 6/98
The Boston Company President 9/95 - 1/98
Asset Management, Inc.* Chairman 4/95 - 1/98
Director 4/95 - 1/98
Franklin Portfolio Holdings, Inc.* Director 1/97 - Present
Certus Asset Advisors Corp.** Director 6/95 - Present
Mellon Capital Management Director 5/95 - Present
Corporation***
Mellon Bond Associates, LLP+ Executive Committee 1/98 - Present
Member
Mellon Bond Associates+ Trustee 5/95 - 1/98
Mellon Equity Associates, LLP+ Executive Committee 1/98 - Present
Member
Mellon Equity Associates+ Trustee 5/95 - 1/98
Boston Safe Advisors, Inc.* Director 5/95 - Present
President 5/95 - Present
Mellon Bank, N.A. + Director 1/99 - Present
Chief Operating Officer 3/98 - Present
President 3/98 - Present
Vice Chairman 11/94 - 3/98
Mellon Financial Corporation+ Chief Operating Officer 1/99 - Present
President 1/99 - Present
Director 1/98 - Present
Vice Chairman 11/94 - 1/99
Founders Asset Management, Chairman 12/97 - Present
LLC**** Director 12/97 - Present
The Boston Company, Inc.* Vice Chairman 1/94 - Present
Director 5/93 - Present
Laurel Capital Advisors, LLP+ Executive Committee 1/98 - 8/98
Member
Laurel Capital Advisors+ Trustee 10/93 - 1/98
Boston Safe Deposit and Trust Director 5/93 - Present
Company*
The Boston Company Financial President 6/89 - 1/97
Strategies, Inc. * Director 6/89 - 1/97
MANDELL L. BERMAN Self-Employed Real Estate Consultant, 11/74 - Present
Director 29100 Northwestern Highway Residential Builder and
Suite 370 Private Investor
Southfield, MI 48034
BURTON C. BORGELT DeVlieg Bullard, Inc. Director 1/93 - Present
Director 1 Gorham Island
Westport, CT 06880
Mellon Financial Corporation+ Director 6/91 - Present
Mellon Bank, N.A. + Director 6/91 - Present
Dentsply International, Inc. Director 2/81 - Present
570 West College Avenue
York, PA
Quill Corporation Director 3/93 - Present
Lincolnshire, IL
STEPHEN R. BYERS Dreyfus Service Corporation++ Senior Vice President 3/00 - Present
Director of Investments
Gruntal & Co., LLC Executive Vice President 5/97 - 11/99
New York, NY Partner 5/97 - 11/99
Executive Committee 5/97 - 11/99
Member
Board of Directors 5/97 - 11/99
Member
Treasurer 5/97 - 11/99
Chief Financial Officer 5/97 - 6/99
STEPHEN E. CANTER Dreyfus Investment Chairman of the Board 1/97 - Present
President, Chief Operating Advisors, Inc.++ Director 5/95 - Present
Officer, Chief Investment President 5/95 - Present
Officer, and Director
Newton Management Limited Director 2/99 - Present
London, England
Mellon Bond Associates, LLP+ Executive Committee 1/99 - Present
Member
Mellon Equity Associates, LLP+ Executive Committee 1/99 - Present
Member
Franklin Portfolio Associates, Director 2/99 - Present
LLC*
Franklin Portfolio Holdings, Inc.* Director 2/99 - Present
The Boston Company Asset Director 2/99 - Present
Management, LLC*
TBCAM Holdings, Inc.* Director 2/99 - Present
Mellon Capital Management Director 1/99 - Present
Corporation***
Founders Asset Management, Member, Board of 12/97 - Present
LLC**** Managers
Acting Chief Executive 7/98 - 12/98
Officer
The Dreyfus Trust Company+++ Director 6/95 - Present
Chairman 1/99 - Present
President 1/99 - Present
Chief Executive Officer 1/99 - Present
THOMAS F. EGGERS Dreyfus Service Corporation++ Chief Executive Officer 3/00 - Present
Vice Chairman - Institutional and Chairman of the
And Director Board
Executive Vice President 4/96 - 3/00
Director 9/96 - Present
Founders Asset Management, Member, Board of 2/99 - Present
LLC**** Managers
Dreyfus Investment Advisors, Inc. Director 1/00 - Present
Dreyfus Service Organization, Director 3/99 - Present
Inc.++
Dreyfus Insurance Agency of Director 3/99 - Present
Massachusetts, Inc. +++
Dreyfus Brokerage Services, Inc. Director 11/97 - 6/98
401 North Maple Avenue
Beverly Hills, CA.
STEVEN G. ELLIOTT Mellon Financial Corporation+ Senior Vice Chairman 1/99 - Present
Director Chief Financial Officer 1/90 - Present
Vice Chairman 6/92 - 1/99
Treasurer 1/90 - 5/98
Mellon Bank, N.A.+ Senior Vice Chairman 3/98 - Present
Vice Chairman 6/92 - 3/98
Chief Financial Officer 1/90 - Present
Mellon EFT Services Corporation Director 10/98 - Present
Mellon Bank Center, 8th Floor
1735 Market Street
Philadelphia, PA 19103
Mellon Financial Services Director 1/96 - Present
Corporation #1 Vice President 1/96 - Present
Mellon Bank Center, 8th Floor
1735 Market Street
Philadelphia, PA 19103
Boston Group Holdings, Inc.* Vice President 5/93 - Present
APT Holdings Corporation Treasurer 12/87 - Present
Pike Creek Operations Center
4500 New Linden Hill Road
Wilmington, DE 19808
Allomon Corporation Director 12/87 - Present
Two Mellon Bank Center
Pittsburgh, PA 15259
Collection Services Corporation Controller 10/90 - 2/99
500 Grant Street Director 9/88 - 2/99
Pittsburgh, PA 15258 Vice President 9/88 - 2/99
Treasurer 9/88 - 2/99
Mellon Financial Company+ Principal Exec. Officer 1/88 - Present
Chief Executive Officer 8/87 - Present
Director 8/87 - Present
President 8/87 - Present
Mellon Overseas Investments Director 4/88 - Present
Corporation+
Mellon Financial Services Treasurer 12/87 - Present
Corporation # 5+
Mellon Financial Markets, Inc.+ Director 1/99 - Present
Mellon Financial Services Director 1/99 - Present
Corporation #17
Fort Lee, NJ
Mellon Mortgage Company Director 1/99 - Present
Houston, TX
Mellon Ventures, Inc. + Director 1/99 - Present
LAWRENCE S. KASH Dreyfus Investment Director 4/97 - 12/99
Vice Chairman Advisors, Inc.++
Dreyfus Brokerage Services, Inc. Chairman 11/97 - 2/99
401 North Maple Ave. Chief Executive Officer 11/97 - 2/98
Beverly Hills, CA
Dreyfus Service Corporation++ Director 1/95 - 2/99
President 9/96 - 3/99
Dreyfus Precious Metals, Inc.+++ Director 3/96 - 12/98
President 10/96 - 12/98
Dreyfus Service Director 12/94 - 3/99
Organization, Inc.++ President 1/97 - 3/99
Seven Six Seven Agency, Inc. ++ Director 1/97 - 4/99
Dreyfus Insurance Agency of Chairman 5/97 - 3/99
Massachusetts, Inc.++++ President 5/97 - 3/99
Director 5/97 - 3/99
The Dreyfus Trust Company+++ Chairman 1/97 - 1/99
President 2/97 - 1/99
Chief Executive Officer 2/97 - 1/99
Director 12/94 - Present
The Dreyfus Consumer Credit Chairman 5/97 - 6/99
Corporation++ President 5/97 - 6/99
Director 12/94 - 6/99
Founders Asset Management, Member, Board of 12/97 - 12/99
LLC**** Managers
The Boston Company Advisors, Chairman 12/95 - 1/99
Inc. Chief Executive Officer 12/95 - 1/99
Wilmington, DE President 12/95 - 1/99
The Boston Company, Inc.* Director 5/93 - 1/99
President 5/93 - 1/99
Mellon Bank, N.A.+ Executive Vice President 6/92 - Present
Laurel Capital Advisors, LLP+ Chairman 1/98 - 8/98
Executive Committee 1/98 - 8/98
Member
Chief Executive Officer 1/98 - 8/98
President 1/98 - 8/98
Laurel Capital Advisors, Inc. + Trustee 12/91 - 1/98
Chairman 9/93 - 1/98
President and CEO 12/91 - 1/98
Boston Group Holdings, Inc.* Director 5/93 - Present
President 5/93 - Present
Boston Safe Deposit & Trust Co.+ Director 6/93 - 1/99
Executive Vice President 6/93 - 4/98
MARTIN G. MCGUINN Mellon Financial Corporation+ Chairman 1/99 - Present
Director Chief Executive Officer 1/99 - Present
Director 1/98 - Present
Vice Chairman 1/90 - 1/99
Mellon Bank, N. A. + Chairman 3/98 - Present
Chief Executive Officer 3/98 - Present
Director 1/98 - Present
Vice Chairman 1/90 - 3/98
Mellon Leasing Corporation+ Vice Chairman 12/96 - Present
Mellon Bank (DE) National Director 4/89 - 12/98
Association
Wilmington, DE
Mellon Bank (MD) National Director 1/96 - 4/98
Association
Rockville, Maryland
J. DAVID OFFICER Dreyfus Service Corporation++ President 3/00 - Present
Vice Chairman Executive Vice President 5/98 - 3/00
And Director Director 3/99 - Present
Dreyfus Service Organization, Director 3/99 - Present
Inc.++
Dreyfus Insurance Agency of Director 5/98 - Present
Massachusetts, Inc.++++
Dreyfus Brokerage Services, Inc. Chairman 3/99 - Present
401 North Maple Avenue
Beverly Hills, CA
Seven Six Seven Agency, Inc.++ Director 10/98 - Present
Mellon Residential Funding Corp. + Director 4/97 - Present
Mellon Trust of Florida, N.A. Director 8/97 - Present
2875 Northeast 191st Street
North Miami Beach, FL 33180
Mellon Bank, NA+ Executive Vice President 7/96 - Present
The Boston Company, Inc.* Vice Chairman 1/97 - Present
Director 7/96 - Present
Mellon Preferred Capital Director 11/96 - 1/99
Corporation*
RECO, Inc.* President 11/96 - Present
Director 11/96 - Present
The Boston Company Financial President 8/96 - 6/99
Services, Inc.* Director 8/96 - 6/99
Boston Safe Deposit and Trust Director 7/96 - Present
Company* President 7/96 - 1/99
Mellon Trust of New York Director 6/96 - Present
1301 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10019
Mellon Trust of California Director 6/96 - Present
400 South Hope Street
Suite 400
Los Angeles, CA 90071
Mellon United National Bank Director 3/98 - Present
1399 SW 1st Ave., Suite 400
Miami, Florida
Boston Group Holdings, Inc.* Director 12/97 - Present
Dreyfus Financial Services Corp. + Director 9/96 - Present
Dreyfus Investment Services Director 4/96 - Present
Corporation+
RICHARD W. SABO Founders Asset Management President 12/98 - Present
Director LLC**** Chief Executive Officer 12/98 - Present
Prudential Securities Senior Vice President 07/91 - 11/98
New York, NY Regional Director 07/91 - 11/98
RICHARD F. SYRON Thermo Electron President 6/99 - Present
Director 81 Wyman Street Chief Executive Officer 6/99 - Present
Waltham, MA 02454-9046
American Stock Exchange Chairman 4/94 - 6/99
86 Trinity Place Chief Executive Officer 4/94 - 6/99
New York, NY 10006
RONALD P. O'HANLEY Franklin Portfolio Holdings, Inc.* Director 3/97 - Present
Vice Chairman
Franklin Portfolio Associates, Director 3/97 - Present
LLC*
Boston Safe Deposit and Trust Executive Committee 1/99 - Present
Company* Member
Director 1/99 - Present
The Boston Company, Inc.* Executive Committee 1/99 - Present
Member 1/99 - Present
Director
Buck Consultants, Inc.++ Director 7/97 - Present
Newton Asset Management LTD Executive Committee 10/98 - Present
(UK) Member
London, England Director 10/98 - Present
Mellon Asset Management Non-Resident Director 11/98 - Present
(Japan) Co., LTD
Tokyo, Japan
TBCAM Holdings, Inc.* Director 10/97 - Present
The Boston Company Asset Director 1/98 - Present
Management, LLC*
Boston Safe Advisors, Inc.* Chairman 6/97 - Present
Director 2/97 - Present
Pareto Partners Partner Representative 5/97 - Present
271 Regent Street
London, England W1R 8PP
Mellon Capital Management Director 2/97 -Present
Corporation***
Certus Asset Advisors Corp.** Director 2/97 - Present
Mellon Bond Associates; LLP+ Trustee 1/98 - Present
Chairman 1/98 - Present
Mellon Equity Associates; LLP+ Trustee 1/98 - Present
Chairman 1/98 - Present
Mellon-France Corporation+ Director 3/97 - Present
Laurel Capital Advisors+ Trustee 3/97 - Present
MARK N. JACOBS Dreyfus Investment Director 4/97 - Present
General Counsel, Advisors, Inc.++ Secretary 10/77 - 7/98
Vice President, and
Secretary The Dreyfus Trust Company+++ Director 3/96 - Present
The TruePenny Corporation++ President 10/98 - Present
Director 3/96 - Present
Dreyfus Service Director 3/97 - 3/99
Organization, Inc.++
WILLIAM H. MARESCA The Dreyfus Trust Company+++ Chief Financial Officer 3/99 - Present
Controller Treasurer 9/98 - Present
Director 3/97 - Present
Dreyfus Service Corporation++ Chief Financial Officer 12/98 - Present
Dreyfus Consumer Credit Corp. ++ Treasurer 10/98 - Present
Dreyfus Investment Treasurer 10/98 - Present
Advisors, Inc. ++
Dreyfus-Lincoln, Inc. Vice President 10/98 - Present
4500 New Linden Hill Road
Wilmington, DE 19808
The TruePenny Corporation++ Vice President 10/98 - Present
Dreyfus Precious Metals, Inc. +++ Treasurer 10/98 - 12/98
The Trotwood Corporation++ Vice President 10/98 - Present
Trotwood Hunters Corporation++ Vice President 10/98 - Present
Trotwood Hunters Site A Corp. ++ Vice President 10/98 - Present
Dreyfus Transfer, Inc. Chief Financial Officer 5/98 - Present
One American Express Plaza,
Providence, RI 02903
Dreyfus Service Treasurer 3/99 - Present
Organization, Inc.++ Assistant Treasurer 3/93 - 3/99
Dreyfus Insurance Agency of Assistant Treasurer 5/98 - Present
Massachusetts, Inc.++++
WILLIAM T. SANDALLS, JR. Dreyfus Transfer, Inc. Chairman 2/97 - Present
Executive Vice President One American Express Plaza,
Providence, RI 02903
Dreyfus Service Corporation++ Director 1/96 - Present
Executive Vice President 2/97 - Present
Chief Financial Officer 2/97 - 12/98
Dreyfus Investment Director 1/96 - Present
Advisors, Inc.++ Treasurer 1/96 - 10/98
Dreyfus-Lincoln, Inc. Director 12/96 - Present
4500 New Linden Hill Road President 1/97 - Present
Wilmington, DE 19808
Seven Six Seven Agency, Inc.++ Director 1/96 - 10/98
Treasurer 10/96 - 10/98
The Dreyfus Consumer Director 1/96 - Present
Credit Corp.++ Vice President 1/96 - Present
Treasurer 1/97 - 10/98
The Dreyfus Trust Company +++ Director 1/96 - Present
Dreyfus Service Organization, Treasurer 10/96 - 3/99
Inc.++
Dreyfus Insurance Agency of Director 5/97 - 3/99
Massachusetts, Inc.++++ Treasurer 5/97 - 3/99
Executive Vice President 5/97 - 3/99
DIANE P. DURNIN Dreyfus Service Corporation++ Senior Vice President - 5/95 - 3/99
Vice President - Product Marketing and Advertising
Development Division
PATRICE M. KOZLOWSKI NONE
Vice President - Corporate
Communications
MARY BETH LEIBIG NONE
Vice President -
Human Resources
THEODORE A. SCHACHAR Dreyfus Service Corporation++ Vice President -Tax 10/96 - Present
Vice President - Tax
The Dreyfus Consumer Credit Chairman 6/99 - Present
Corporation ++ President 6/99 - Present
Dreyfus Investment Advisors, Vice President - Tax 10/96 - Present
Inc.++
Dreyfus Precious Metals, Inc. +++ Vice President - Tax 10/96 - 12/98
Dreyfus Service Organization, Vice President - Tax 10/96 - Present
Inc.++
WENDY STRUTT None
Vice President
RICHARD TERRES None
Vice President
RAYMOND J. VAN COTT Mellon Financial Corporation+ Vice President 7/98 - Present
Vice-President -
Information Systems
Computer Sciences Corporation Vice President 1/96 - 7/98
El Segundo, CA
JAMES BITETTO The TruePenny Corporation++ Secretary 9/98 - Present
ASSISTANT SECRETARY
Dreyfus Service Corporation++ Assistant Secretary 8/98 - Present
Dreyfus Investment Assistant Secretary 7/98 - Present
Advisors, Inc.++
Dreyfus Service Assistant Secretary 7/98 - Present
Organization, Inc.++
STEVEN F. NEWMAN Dreyfus Transfer, Inc. Vice President 2/97 - Present
Assistant Secretary One American Express Plaza Director 2/97 - Present
Providence, RI 02903 Secretary 2/97 - Present
Dreyfus Service Secretary 7/98 - Present
Organization, Inc.++ Assistant Secretary 5/98 - 7/98
* The address of the business so indicated is One Boston Place, Boston, Massachusetts, 02108.
** The address of the business so indicated is One Bush Street, Suite 450, San Francisco, California 94104.
*** The address of the business so indicated is 595 Market Street, Suite 3000, San Francisco, California 94105.
**** The address of the business so indicated is 2930 East Third Avenue, Denver, Colorado 80206.
+ The address of the business so indicated is One Mellon Bank Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15258.
++ The address of the business so indicated is 200 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10166.
+++ The address of the business so indicated is 144 Glenn Curtiss Boulevard, Uniondale, New York 11556-0144.
++++ The address of the business so indicated is 53 State Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02109.
</TABLE>
<PAGE>
Item 27. Principal Underwriters
- -------- ----------------------
(a) Other investment companies for which Registrant's principal
underwriter (exclusive distributor) acts as principal underwriter or exclusive
distributor:
1) Dreyfus A Bonds Plus, Inc.
2) Dreyfus Appreciation Fund, Inc.
3) Dreyfus Balanced Fund, Inc.
4) Dreyfus BASIC GNMA Fund
5) Dreyfus BASIC Money Market Fund, Inc.
6) Dreyfus BASIC Municipal Fund, Inc.
7) Dreyfus BASIC U.S. Government Money Market Fund
8) Dreyfus California Intermediate Municipal Bond Fund
9) Dreyfus California Tax Exempt Bond Fund, Inc.
10) Dreyfus California Tax Exempt Money Market Fund
11) Dreyfus Cash Management
12) Dreyfus Cash Management Plus, Inc.
13) Dreyfus Connecticut Intermediate Municipal Bond Fund
14) Dreyfus Connecticut Municipal Money Market Fund, Inc.
15) Dreyfus Florida Intermediate Municipal Bond Fund
16) Dreyfus Florida Municipal Money Market Fund
17) Dreyfus Founders Funds, Inc.
18) The Dreyfus Fund Incorporated
19) Dreyfus Global Bond Fund, Inc.
20) Dreyfus Global Growth Fund
21) Dreyfus GNMA Fund, Inc.
22) Dreyfus Government Cash Management Funds
23) Dreyfus Growth and Income Fund, Inc.
24) Dreyfus Growth and Value Funds, Inc.
25) Dreyfus Growth Opportunity Fund, Inc.
26) Dreyfus Debt and Equity Funds
27) Dreyfus Index Funds, Inc.
28) Dreyfus Institutional Money Market Fund
29) Dreyfus Institutional Preferred Money Market Fund
30) Dreyfus Institutional Short Term Treasury Fund
31) Dreyfus Insured Municipal Bond Fund, Inc.
32) Dreyfus Intermediate Municipal Bond Fund, Inc.
33) Dreyfus International Funds, Inc.
34) Dreyfus Investment Grade Bond Funds, Inc.
35) Dreyfus Investment Portfolios
36) The Dreyfus/Laurel Funds, Inc.
37) The Dreyfus/Laurel Funds Trust
38) The Dreyfus/Laurel Tax-Free Municipal Funds
39) Dreyfus LifeTime Portfolios, Inc.
40) Dreyfus Liquid Assets, Inc.
41) Dreyfus Massachusetts Intermediate Municipal Bond Fund
42) Dreyfus Massachusetts Municipal Money Market Fund
43) Dreyfus Massachusetts Tax Exempt Bond Fund
44) Dreyfus MidCap Index Fund
45) Dreyfus Money Market Instruments, Inc.
46) Dreyfus Municipal Bond Fund, Inc.
47) Dreyfus Municipal Cash Management Plus
48) Dreyfus Municipal Money Market Fund, Inc.
49) Dreyfus New Jersey Intermediate Municipal Bond Fund
50) Dreyfus New Jersey Municipal Bond Fund, Inc.
51) Dreyfus New Jersey Municipal Money Market Fund, Inc.
52) Dreyfus New Leaders Fund, Inc.
53) Dreyfus New York Municipal Cash Management
54) Dreyfus New York Tax Exempt Bond Fund, Inc.
55) Dreyfus New York Tax Exempt Intermediate Bond Fund
56) Dreyfus New York Tax Exempt Money Market Fund
57) Dreyfus U.S. Treasury Intermediate Term Fund
58) Dreyfus U.S. Treasury Long Term Fund
59) Dreyfus 100% U.S. Treasury Money Market Fund
60) Dreyfus U.S. Treasury Short Term Fund
61) Dreyfus Pennsylvania Intermediate Municipal Bond Fund
62) Dreyfus Pennsylvania Municipal Money Market Fund
63) Dreyfus Premier California Municipal Bond Fund
64) Dreyfus Premier Equity Funds, Inc.
65) Dreyfus Premier International Funds, Inc.
66) Dreyfus Premier GNMA Fund
67) Dreyfus Premier Worldwide Growth Fund, Inc.
68) Dreyfus Premier Municipal Bond Fund
69) Dreyfus Premier New York Municipal Bond Fund
70) Dreyfus Premier State Municipal Bond Fund
71) Dreyfus Premier Value Equity Funds
72) Dreyfus Short-Intermediate Government Fund
73) Dreyfus Short-Intermediate Municipal Bond Fund
74) The Dreyfus Socially Responsible Growth Fund, Inc.
75) Dreyfus Stock Index Fund
76) Dreyfus Tax Exempt Cash Management
77) The Dreyfus Premier Third Century Fund, Inc.
78) Dreyfus Treasury Cash Management
79) Dreyfus Treasury Prime Cash Management
80) Dreyfus Variable Investment Fund
81) Dreyfus Worldwide Dollar Money Market Fund, Inc.
82) General California Municipal Bond Fund, Inc.
83) General California Municipal Money Market Fund
84) General Government Securities Money Market Funds, Inc.
85) General Money Market Fund, Inc.
86) General Municipal Bond Fund, Inc.
87) General Municipal Money Market Funds, Inc.
88) General New York Municipal Bond Fund, Inc.
89) General New York Municipal Money Market Fund
<PAGE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
<S> <C> <C>
(b)
Positions and
Name and principal Offices with
Business address Positions and offices with the Distributor Registrant
- ---------------- ------------------------------------------ ----------
Thomas F. Eggers * Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board None
J. David Officer * President and Director None
Stephen Burke * Executive Vice President None
Charles Cardona * Executive Vice President None
Anthony DeVivio ** Executive Vice President None
David K. Mossman ** Executive Vice President None
Jeffrey N. Nachman *** Executive Vice President and Chief Operations Officer None
William T. Sandalls, Jr. * Executive Vice President and Director None
Wilson Santos ** Executive Vice President and Director of Client None
Services
William H. Maresca * Chief Financial Officer None
Ken Bradle ** Senior Vice President None
Stephen R. Byers * Senior Vice President None
Frank J. Coates * Senior Vice President None
Joseph Connolly * Senior Vice President Vice President
and Treasurer
William Glenn * Senior Vice President None
Michael Millard ** Senior Vice President None
Mary Jean Mulligan ** Senior Vice President None
Bradley Skapyak * Senior Vice President None
Jane Knight * Chief Legal Officer and Secretary None
Stephen Storen * Chief Compliance Officer None
Jeffrey Cannizzaro * Vice President - Compliance None
Maria Georgopoulos * Vice President - Facilities Management None
William Germenis Vice President - Compliance None
Walter T. Harris * Vice President None
Janice Hayles * Vice President None
Hal Marshall * Vice President - Compliance None
Paul Molloy * Vice President None
Theodore A. Schachar * Vice President - Tax None
James Windels * Vice President None
James Bitetto * Assistant Secretary None
* Principal business address is 200 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10166.
** Principal business address is 144 Glenn Curtiss Blvd., Uniondale, NY 11556-0144.
*** Principal business address is 401 North Maple Avenue, Beverly Hills, CA 90210.
</TABLE>
Item 28. Location of Accounts and Records
- ------- --------------------------------
1. Mellon Bank, N.A.
One Mellon Bank Center
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15258
2. Dreyfus Transfer, Inc.
P.O. Box 9671
Providence, Rhode Island 02940-9671
3. The Dreyfus Corporation
200 Park Avenue
New York, New York 10166
Item 29. Management Services
- ------- -------------------
Not Applicable
Item 30. Undertakings
- ------- ------------
None
<PAGE>
J57 025-740-004
SIGNATURES
-----------
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933 and the
Investment Company Act of 1940, the Registrant certifies that it meets all of
the requirements for effectiveness of this Amendment to the Registration
Statement pursuant to Rule 485(b) under the Securities Act of 1933 and has duly
caused this Amendment to the Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf
by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of New York, and
State of New York on the 26th day of April, 2000.
DREYFUS FLORIDA INTERMEDIATE MUNICIPAL BOND FUND
BY: /s/ Stephen E. Canter*
-------------------------
STEPHEN E. CANTER, PRESIDENT
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this
Amendment to the Registration Statement has been signed below by the following
persons in the capacities and on the date indicated.
Signatures Title Date
/s/ Stephen E. Canter* President (Principal 04/26/00
- ------------------------- Executive Officer)
Stephen E. Canter
/s/ Joseph Connolly* Treasurer (Principal Financial 04/26/00
- ------------------------- and Accounting Officer)
Joseph Connolly
/s/ Joseph S. DiMartino* Chairman of the Board 04/26/00
- -------------------------
Joseph S. DiMartino
/s/ Gordon J. Davis* Trustee 04/26/00
- -------------------------
Gordon J. Davis
/s/ David P. Feldman* Trustee 04/26/00
- -------------------------
David P. Feldman
/s/ Lynn Martin* Trustee 04/26/00
- -------------------------
Lynn Martin
/s/ Daniel Rose* Trustee 04/26/00
- -------------------------
Daniel Rose
/s/ Philip L. Toia* Trustee 04/26/00
- -------------------------
Philip L. Toia
/s/ Sander Vanocur* Trustee 04/26/00
- -------------------------
Sander Vanocur
/s/ Anne Wexler* Trustee 04/26/00
- -------------------------
Anne Wexler
/s/ Rex Wilder* Trustee 04/26/00
- -------------------------
Rex Wilder
*BY: /s/ Michael A. Rosenberg
-------------------------
Michael A. Rosenberg
Attorney-in-Fact
<PAGE>
INDEX OF EXHIBITS
(b) Registrant's By-Laws, as amended.
(e) Revised Distribution Agreement.
(j) Consent of Independent Auditors.
(p) Code of Ethics adopted by the Registrant.
OTHER EXHIBITS
(a) Powers of Attorney.
(b) Certificate of Secretary.
Exhibit (b)
BY-LAWS
OF
DREYFUS FLORIDA INTERMEDIATE MUNICIPAL BOND FUND
ARTICLE 1
Agreement and Declaration of Trust and Principal Office
1.1. AGREEMENT AND DECLARATION OF TRUST. These By-Laws shall be
subject to the Agreement and Declaration of Trust, as from time to time in
effect (the "Declaration of Trust"), of the above-captioned Massachusetts
business trust established by the Declaration of Trust (the "Trust").
1.2. PRINCIPAL OFFICE OF THE TRUST. The principal office of the Trust
shall be located in New York, New York. Its resident agent in Massachusetts
shall be CT Corporation System, 2 Oliver Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02109, or
such other person as the Trustees from time to time may select.
ARTICLE 2
Meetings of Trustees
2.1. REGULAR MEETINGS. Regular meetings of the Trustees may be held
without call or notice at such places and at such times as the Trustees from
time to time may determine, provided that notice of the first regular meeting
following any such determination shall be given to absent Trustees.
2.2. SPECIAL MEETINGS. Special meetings of the Trustees may be held at
any time and at any place designated in the call of the meeting when called by
the President or the Treasurer or by two or more Trustees, sufficient notice
thereof being given to each Trustee by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary
or by the officer or the Trustees calling the meeting.
2.3. NOTICE OF SPECIAL MEETINGS. It shall be sufficient notice to a
Trustee of a special meeting to send notice by mail at least forty-eight hours
or by telegram at least twenty-four hours before the meeting addressed to the
Trustee at his or her usual or last known business or residence address or to
give notice to him or her in person or by telephone at least twenty-four hours
before the meeting. Notice of a meeting need not be given to any Trustee if a
written waiver of notice, executed by him or her before or after the meeting, is
filed with the records of the meeting, or to any Trustee who attends the meeting
without protesting prior thereto or at its commencement the lack of notice to
him or her. Neither notice of a meeting nor a waiver of a notice need specify
the purposes of the meeting.
2.4. NOTICE OF CERTAIN ACTIONS BY CONSENT. If in accordance with the
provisions of the Declaration of Trust any action is taken by the Trustees by a
written consent of less than all of the Trustees, then prompt notice of any such
action shall be furnished to each Trustee who did not execute such written
consent, provided that the effectiveness of such action shall not be impaired by
any delay or failure to furnish such notice.
ARTICLE 3
Officers
3.1. ENUMERATION; QUALIFICATION. The officers of the Trust shall be a
President, a Treasurer, a Secretary, and such other officers, if any, as the
Trustees from time to time may in their discretion elect. The Trust also may
have such agents as the Trustees from time to time may in their discretion
appoint. An officer may be but need not be a Trustee or shareholder. Any two or
more offices may be held by the same person.
3.2. ELECTION. The President, the Treasurer and the Secretary shall be
elected by the Trustees upon the occurrence of any vacancy in any such office.
Other officers, if any, may be elected or appointed by the Trustees at any time.
Vacancies in any such other office may be filled at any time.
3.3. TENURE. The President, Treasurer and Secretary shall hold office
in each case until he or she sooner dies, resigns, is removed or becomes
disqualified. Each other officer shall hold office and each agent shall retain
authority at the pleasure of the Trustees.
3.4. POWERS. Subject to the other provisions of these By-Laws, each
officer shall have, in addition to the duties and powers herein and in the
Declaration of Trust set forth, such duties and powers as commonly are incident
to the office occupied by him or her as if the Trust were organized as a
Massachusetts business corporation or such other duties and powers as the
Trustees may from time to time designate.
3.5. PRESIDENT. Unless the Trustees otherwise provide, the President
shall preside at all meetings of the shareholders and of the Trustees. Unless
the Trustees otherwise provide, the President shall be the chief executive
officer.
3.6. TREASURER. The Treasurer shall be the chief financial and
accounting officer of the Trust, and, subject to the provisions of the
Declaration of Trust and to any arrangement made by the Trustees with a
custodian, investment adviser or manager, or transfer, shareholder servicing or
similar agent, shall be in charge of the valuable papers, books of account and
accounting records of the Trust, and shall have such other duties and powers as
may be designated from time to time by the Trustees or by the President.
3.7. SECRETARY. The Secretary shall record all proceedings of the
shareholders and the Trustees in books to be kept therefor, which books or a
copy thereof shall be kept at the principal office of the Trust. In the absence
of the Secretary from any meeting of the shareholders or Trustees, an Assistant
Secretary, or if there be none or if he or she is absent, a temporary Secretary
chosen at such meeting shall record the proceedings thereof in the aforesaid
books.
3.8. RESIGNATIONS AND REMOVALS. Any Trustee or officer may resign at
any time by written instrument signed by him or her and delivered to the
President or Secretary or to a meeting of the Trustees. Such resignation shall
be effective upon receipt unless specified to be effective at some other time.
The Trustees may remove any officer elected by them with or without cause.
Except to the extent expressly provided in a written agreement with the Trust,
no Trustee or officer resigning and no officer removed shall have any right to
any compensation for any period following his or her resignation or removal, or
any right to damages on account of such removal.
ARTICLE 4
Committees
4.1. APPOINTMENT. The Trustees may appoint from their number an
executive committee and other committees. Except as the Trustees otherwise may
determine, any such committee may make rules for conduct of its business.
4.2. QUORUM; VOTING. A majority of the members of any Committee of the
Trustees shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business, and any
action of such a Committee may be taken at a meeting by a vote of a majority of
the members present (a quorum being present).
ARTICLE 5
Reports
The Trustees and officers shall render reports at the time and in the
manner required by the Declaration of Trust or any applicable law. Officers and
Committees shall render such additional reports as they may deem desirable or as
may from time to time be required by the Trustees.
ARTICLE 6
Fiscal Year
The fiscal year of the Trust shall be fixed, and shall be subject to
change, by the Board of Trustees.
ARTICLE 7
Seal
The seal of the Trust shall consist of a flat-faced die with the word
"Massachusetts," together with the name of the Trust and the year of its
organization cut or engraved thereon but, unless otherwise required by the
Trustees, the seal shall not be necessary to be placed on, and in its absence
shall not impair the validity of, any document, instrument or other paper
executed and delivered by or on behalf of the Trust.
ARTICLE 8
Execution of Papers
Except as the Trustees generally or in particular cases may authorize
the execution thereof in some other manner, all deeds, leases, contracts, notes
and other obligations made by the Trustees shall be signed by the President, any
Vice President, or by the Treasurer and need not bear the seal of the Trust.
ARTICLE 9
Issuance of Share Certificates
9.1. SALE OF SHARES. Except as otherwise determined by the Trustees,
the Trust will issue and sell for cash or securities from time to time, full and
fractional shares of its shares of beneficial interest, such shares to be issued
and sold at a price of not less than net asset value per share, as from time to
time determined in accordance with the Declaration of Trust and these By-Laws
and, in the case of fractional shares, at a proportionate reduction in such
price. In the case of shares sold for securities, such securities shall be
valued in accordance with the provisions for determining value of assets of the
Trust as stated in the Declaration of Trust and these By-Laws. The officers of
the Trust are severally authorized to take all such actions as may be necessary
or desirable to carry out this Section 9.1.
9.2. SHARE CERTIFICATES. In lieu of issuing certificates for shares,
the Trustees or the transfer agent either may issue receipts therefor or may
keep accounts upon the books of the Trust for the record holders of such shares,
who shall in either case, for all purposes hereunder, be deemed to be the
holders of certificates for such shares as if they had accepted such
certificates and shall be held to have expressly assented and agreed to the
terms hereof.
The Trustees at any time may authorize the issuance of share
certificates. In that event, each shareholder shall be entitled to a certificate
stating the number of shares owned by him or her, in such form as shall be
prescribed from time to time by the Trustees. Such certificate shall be signed
by the President or Vice President and by the Treasurer or Assistant Treasurer.
Such signatures may be facsimile if the certificate is signed by a transfer
agent, or by a registrar, other than a Trustee, officer or employee of the
Trust. In case any officer who has signed or whose facsimile signature has been
placed on such certificate shall cease to be such officer before such
certificate is issued, it may be issued by the Trust with the same effect as if
he or she were such officer at the time of its issue.
9.3. LOSS OF CERTIFICATES. The Trust, or if any transfer agent is
appointed for the Trust, the transfer agent with the approval of any two
officers of the Trust, is authorized to issue and countersign replacement
certificates for the shares of the Trust which have been lost, stolen or
destroyed subject to the deposit of a bond or other indemnity in such form and
with such security, if any, as the Trustees may require.
9.4. DISCONTINUANCE OF ISSUANCE OF CERTIFICATES. The Trustees at any
time may discontinue the issuance of share certificates and by written notice to
each shareholder, may require the surrender of share certificates to the Trust
for cancellation. Such surrender and cancellation shall not affect the ownership
of shares in the Trust.
ARTICLE 10
Indemnification
10.1. TRUSTEES, OFFICERS, ETC. The Trust shall indemnify each of its
Trustees and officers (including persons who serve at the Trust's request as
directors, officers or trustees of another organization in which the Trust has
any interest as a shareholder, creditor or otherwise) (hereinafter referred to
as a "Covered Person") against all liabilities and expenses, including but not
limited to amounts paid in satisfaction of judgments, in compromise or as fines
and penalties, and counsel fees reasonably incurred by any Covered Person in
connection with the defense or disposition of any action, suit or other
proceeding, whether civil or criminal, before any court or administrative or
legislative body, in which such Covered Person may be or may have been involved
as a party or otherwise or with which such person may be or may have been
threatened, while in office or thereafter, by reason of being or having been
such a Trustee or officer, except with respect to any matter as to which such
Covered Person shall have been finally adjudicated in a decision on the merits
in any such action, suit or other proceeding not to have acted in good faith in
the reasonable belief that such Covered Person's action was in the best
interests of the Trust and except that no Covered Person shall be indemnified
against any liability to the Trust or its Shareholders to which such Covered
Person would otherwise be subject by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith,
gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of
such Covered Person's office. Expenses, including counsel fees so incurred by
any such Covered Person (but excluding amounts paid in satisfaction of
judgments, in compromise or as fines or penalties), may be paid from time to
time by the Trust in advance of the final disposition or any such action, suit
or proceeding upon receipt of an undertaking by or on behalf of such Covered
Person to repay amounts so paid to the Trust if it is ultimately determined that
indemnification of such expenses is not authorized under this Article, PROVIDED
THAT (a) such Covered Person shall provide security for his or her undertaking,
(b) the Trust shall be insured against losses arising by reason of such Covered
Person's failure to fulfill his or her undertaking, or (c) a majority of the
Trustees who are disinterested persons and who are not Interested Persons (as
that term is defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940) (provided that a
majority of such Trustees then in office act on the matter), or independent
legal counsel in a written opinion, shall determine, based on a review of
readily available facts (but not a full trial-type inquiry), that there is
reason to believe such Covered Person ultimately will be entitled to
indemnification.
10.2. COMPROMISE PAYMENT. As to any matter disposed of (whether by a
compromise payment, pursuant to a consent decree or otherwise) without an
adjudication in a decision on the merits by a court, or by any other body before
which the proceeding was brought, that such Covered Person either (a) did not
act in good faith in the reasonable belief that such Covered Person's action was
in the best interests of the Trust or (b) is liable to the Trust or its
Shareholders by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or
reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of such Covered
Person's office, indemnification shall be provided if (a) approved as in the
best interest of the Trust, after notice that it involves such indemnification,
by at least a majority of the Trustees who are disinterested persons and are not
Interested Persons (provided that a majority of such Trustees then in office act
on the matter), upon a determination, based upon a review of readily available
facts (but not a full trial-type inquiry) that such Covered Person acted in good
faith in the reasonable belief that such Covered Person's action was in the best
interests of the Trust and is not liable to the Trust or its Shareholders by
reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard
of the duties involved in the conduct of such Covered Person's office, or (b)
there has been obtained an opinion in writing of independent legal counsel,
based upon a review of readily available facts (but not a full trial-type
inquiry) to the effect that such Covered Person appears to have acted in good
faith in the reasonable belief that such Covered Person's action was in the best
interests of the Trust and that such indemnification would not protect such
Covered Person against any liability to the Trust to which such Covered Person
would otherwise be subject by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross
negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of his
office. Any approval pursuant to this Section shall not prevent the recovery
from any Covered Person of any amount paid to such Covered Person in accordance
with this Section as indemnification if such Covered Person is subsequently
adjudicated by a court of competent jurisdiction not to have acted in good faith
in the reasonable belief that such Covered Person's action was in the best
interests of the Trust or to have been liable to the Trust or its shareholders
by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless
disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of such Covered Person's office.
10.3. INDEMNIFICATION NOT EXCLUSIVE. The right of indemnification
hereby provided shall not be exclusive of or affect any other rights to which
any such Covered Person may be entitled. As used in this Article 10, the term
"Covered Person" shall include such person's heirs, executors and
administrators, and a "disinterested person" is a person against whom none of
the actions, suits or other proceedings in question or another action, suit, or
other proceeding on the same or similar grounds is then or has been pending.
Nothing contained in this Article shall affect any rights to indemnification to
which personnel of the Trust, other than Trustees and officers, and other
persons may be entitled by contract or otherwise under law, nor the power of the
Trust to purchase and maintain liability insurance on behalf of such person.
10.4. LIMITATION. Notwithstanding any provisions in the Declaration of
Trust and these By-Laws pertaining to indemnification, all such provisions are
limited by the following undertaking set forth in the rules promulgated by the
Securities and Exchange Commission:
In the event that a claim for
indemnification is asserted by a Trustee, officer
or controlling person of the Trust in connection
with the registered securities of the Trust, the
Trust will not make such indemnification unless
(i) the Trust has submitted, before a court or
other body, the question of whether the person to
be indemnified was liable by reason of willful
misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence, or
reckless disregard of duties, and has obtained a
final decision on the merits that such person was
not liable by reason of such conduct or (ii) in
the absence of such decision, the Trust shall have
obtained a reasonable determination, based upon a
review of the facts, that such person was not
liable by virtue of such conduct, by (a) the vote
of a majority of Trustees who are neither
interested persons as such term is defined in the
Investment Company Act of 1940, nor parties to the
proceeding or (b) an independent legal counsel in
a written opinion.
The Trust will not advance attorneys'
fees or other expenses incurred by the person to
be indemnified unless (i) the Trust shall have
received an undertaking by or on behalf of such
person to repay the advance unless it is
ultimately determined that such person is entitled
to indemnification and (ii) one of the following
conditions shall have occurred: (x) such person
shall provide security for his undertaking, (y)
the Trust shall be insured against losses arising
by reason of any lawful advances or (z) a majority
of the disinterested, non-party Trustees of the
Trust, or an independent legal counsel in a
written opinion, shall have determined that based
on a review of readily available facts there is
reason to believe that such person ultimately will
be found entitled to indemnification.
ARTICLE 11
Shareholders
11.1. MEETINGS. A meeting of the shareholders shall be called by the
Secretary whenever ordered by the Trustees, or requested in writing by the
holder or holders of at least 10% of the outstanding shares entitled to vote at
such meeting. If the meeting is a meeting of the shareholders of one or more
series or class of shares, but not a meeting of all shareholders of the Trust,
then only the shareholders of such one or more series or classes shall be
entitled to notice of and to vote at the meeting. If the Secretary, when so
ordered or requested, refuses or neglects for more than five days to call such
meeting, the Trustees, or the shareholders so requesting may, in the name of the
Secretary, call the meeting by giving notice thereof in the manner required when
notice is given by the Secretary.
11.2. ACCESS TO SHAREHOLDER LIST. Shareholders of record may apply to
the Trustees for assistance in communicating with other shareholders for the
purpose of calling a meeting in order to vote upon the question of removal of a
Trustee. When ten or more shareholders of record who have been such for at least
six months preceding the date of application and who hold in the aggregate
shares having a net asset value of at least $25,000 or at least 1% of the
outstanding shares, whichever is less, so apply, the Trustees shall within five
business days either:
(i) afford to such applicants access to a list of names and
addresses of all shareholders as recorded on the books of the Trust; or
(ii) inform such applicants of the approximate number of
shareholders of record and the approximate cost of mailing material to them and,
within a reasonable time thereafter, mail materials submitted by the applicants
to all such shareholders of record. The Trustees shall not be obligated to mail
materials which they believe to be misleading or in violation of applicable law.
11.3. RECORD DATES. For the purpose of determining the shareholders of
any series or class who are entitled to vote or act at any meeting or any
adjournment thereof, or who are entitled to receive payment of any dividend or
of any other distribution, the Trustees from time to time may fix a time, which
shall be not more than 90 days before the date of any meeting of shareholders or
the date of payment of any dividend or of any other distribution, as the record
date for determining the shareholders of such series or class having the right
to notice of and to vote at such meeting and any adjournment thereof or the
right to receive such dividend or distribution, and in such case only
shareholders of record on such record date shall have such right notwithstanding
any transfer of shares on the books of the Trust after the record date; or
without fixing such record date the Trustees may for any such purposes close the
register or transfer books for all or part of such period.
11.4. PLACE OF MEETINGS. All meetings of the shareholders shall be
held at the principal office of the Trust or at such other place within the
United States as shall be designated by the Trustees or the President of the
Trust.
11.5. NOTICE OF MEETINGS. A written notice of each meeting of
shareholders, stating the place, date and hour and the purposes of the meeting,
shall be given at least ten days before the meeting to each shareholder entitled
to vote thereat by leaving such notice with him or at his residence or usual
place of business or by mailing it, postage prepaid, and addressed to such
shareholder at his address as it appears in the records of the Trust. Such
notice shall be given by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary or by an
officer designated by the Trustees. No notice of any meeting of shareholders
need be given to a shareholder if a written waiver of notice, executed before or
after the meeting by such shareholder or his attorney thereunto duly authorized,
is filed with the records of the meeting.
11.6. BALLOTS. No ballot shall be required for any election unless
requested by a shareholder present or represented at the meeting and entitled to
vote in the election.
11.7. PROXIES. Shareholders entitled to vote may vote either in person
or by proxy in writing dated not more than six months before the meeting named
therein, which proxies shall be filed with the Secretary or other person
responsible to record the proceedings of the meeting before being voted. Unless
otherwise specifically limited by their terms, such proxies shall entitle the
holders thereof to vote at any adjournment of such meeting but shall not be
valid after the final adjournment of such meeting. The placing of a
shareholder's name on a proxy pursuant to telephonic or electronically
transmitted instructions obtained pursuant to procedures reasonably designed to
verify that such instructions have been authorized by such shareholder shall
constitute execution of such proxy by or on behalf of such shareholder.
ARTICLE 12
Amendments to the By-Laws
These By-Laws may be amended or repealed, in whole or in part, by a
majority of the Trustees then in office at any meeting of the Trustees, or by
one or more writings signed by such a majority.
Dated: December 3, 1991
Amended: December 31, 1999
Exhibit (e)
DISTRIBUTION AGREEMENT
DREYFUS FLORIDA INTERMEDIATE MUNICIPAL BOND FUND
200 Park Avenue
New York, New York 10166
March 22, 2000
Dreyfus Service Corporation
200 Park Avenue
New York, New York 10166
Ladies and Gentlemen:
This is to confirm that, in consideration of the agreements
hereinafter contained, the above-named investment company (the "Fund") has
agreed that you shall be, for the period of this agreement, the distributor of
(a) shares of each Series of the Fund set forth on Exhibit A hereto, as such
Exhibit may be revised from time to time (each, a "Series") or (b) if no Series
are set forth on such Exhibit, shares of the Fund. For purposes of this
agreement the term "Shares" shall mean the authorized shares of the relevant
Series, if any, and otherwise shall mean the Fund's authorized shares.
1. Services as Distributor
1.1 You will act as agent for the distribution of Shares covered by,
and in accordance with, the registration statement and prospectus then in effect
under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and will transmit promptly any
orders received by you for purchase or redemption of Shares to the Transfer and
Dividend Disbursing Agent for the Fund of which the Fund has notified you in
writing.
1.2 You agree to use your best efforts to solicit orders for the sale
of Shares. It is contemplated that you will enter into sales or servicing
agreements with securities dealers, financial institutions and other industry
professionals, such as investment advisers, accountants and estate planning
firms, and in so doing you will act only on your own behalf as principal.
1.3 You shall act as distributor of Shares in compliance with all
applicable laws, rules and regulations, including, without limitation, all rules
and regulations made or adopted pursuant to the Investment Company Act of 1940,
as amended, by the Securities and Exchange Commission or any securities
association registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
1.4 Whenever in their judgment such action is warranted by market,
economic or political conditions, or by abnormal circumstances of any kind, the
Fund's officers may decline to accept any orders for, or make any sales of, any
Shares until such time as they deem it advisable to accept such orders and to
make such sales and the Fund shall advise you promptly of such determination.
1.5 The Fund agrees to pay all costs and expenses in connection with
the registration of Shares under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and all
expenses in connection with maintaining facilities for the issue and transfer of
Shares and for supplying information, prices and other data to be furnished by
the Fund hereunder, and all expenses in connection with the preparation and
printing of the Fund's prospectuses and statements of additional information for
regulatory purposes and for distribution to shareholders; provided, however,
that nothing contained herein shall be deemed to require the Fund to pay any of
the costs of advertising the sale of Shares.
1.6 The Fund agrees to execute any and all documents and to furnish
any and all information and otherwise to take all actions which may be
reasonably necessary in the discretion of the Fund's officers in connection with
the qualification of Shares for sale in such states as you may designate to the
Fund and the Fund may approve, and the Fund agrees to pay all expenses which may
be incurred in connection with such qualification. You shall pay all expenses
connected with your own qualification as a dealer under state or Federal laws
and, except as otherwise specifically provided in this agreement, all other
expenses incurred by you in connection with the sale of Shares as contemplated
in this agreement.
1.7 The Fund shall furnish you from time to time, for use in
connection with the sale of Shares, such information with respect to the Fund or
any relevant Series and the Shares as you may reasonably request, all of which
shall be signed by one or more of the Fund's duly authorized officers; and the
Fund warrants that the statements contained in any such information, when so
signed by the Fund's officers, shall be true and correct. The Fund also shall
furnish you upon request with: (a) semi-annual reports and annual audited
reports of the Fund's books and accounts made by independent public accountants
regularly retained by the Fund, (b) quarterly earnings statements prepared by
the Fund, (c) a monthly itemized list of the securities in the Fund's or, if
applicable, each Series' portfolio, (d) monthly balance sheets as soon as
practicable after the end of each month, and (e) from time to time such
additional information regarding the Fund's financial condition as you may
reasonably request.
1.8 The Fund represents to you that all registration statements and
prospectuses filed by the Fund with the Securities and Exchange Commission under
the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and under the Investment Company Act of
1940, as amended, with respect to the Shares have been carefully prepared in
conformity with the requirements of said Acts and rules and regulations of the
Securities and Exchange Commission thereunder. As used in this agreement the
terms "registration statement" and "prospectus" shall mean any registration
statement and prospectus, including the statement of additional information
incorporated by reference therein, filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission and any amendments and supplements thereto which at any time shall
have been filed with said Commission. The Fund represents and warrants to you
that any registration statement and prospectus, when such registration statement
becomes effective, will contain all statements required to be stated therein in
conformity with said Acts and the rules and regulations of said Commission; that
all statements of fact contained in any such registration statement and
prospectus will be true and correct when such registration statement becomes
effective; and that neither any registration statement nor any prospectus when
such registration statement becomes effective will include an untrue statement
of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated
therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading. The Fund may
but shall not be obligated to propose from time to time such amendment or
amendments to any registration statement and such supplement or supplements to
any prospectus as, in the light of future developments, may, in the opinion of
the Fund's counsel, be necessary or advisable. If the Fund shall not propose
such amendment or amendments and/or supplement or supplements within fifteen
days after receipt by the Fund of a written request from you to do so, you may,
at your option, terminate this agreement or decline to make offers of the Fund's
securities until such amendments are made. The Fund shall not file any amendment
to any registration statement or supplement to any prospectus without giving you
reasonable notice thereof in advance; provided, however, that nothing contained
in this agreement shall in any way limit the Fund's right to file at any time
such amendments to any registration statement and/or supplements to any
prospectus, of whatever character, as the Fund may deem advisable, such right
being in all respects absolute and unconditional.
1.9 The Fund authorizes you to use any prospectus in the form
furnished to you from time to time, in connection with the sale of Shares. The
Fund agrees to indemnify, defend and hold you, your several officers and
directors, and any person who controls you within the meaning of Section 15 of
the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, free and harmless from and against any
and all claims, demands, liabilities and expenses (including the cost of
investigating or defending such claims, demands or liabilities and any counsel
fees incurred in connection therewith) which you, your officers and directors,
or any such controlling person, may incur under the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended, or under common law or otherwise, arising out of or based upon any
untrue statement, or alleged untrue statement, of a material fact contained in
any registration statement or any prospectus or arising out of or based upon any
omission, or alleged omission, to state a material fact required to be stated in
either any registration statement or any prospectus or necessary to make the
statements in either thereof not misleading; provided, however, that the Fund's
agreement to indemnify you, your officers or directors, and any such controlling
person shall not be deemed to cover any claims, demands, liabilities or expenses
arising out of any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or
alleged omission made in any registration statement or prospectus in reliance
upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Fund by you
specifically for use in the preparation thereof. The Fund's agreement to
indemnify you, your officers and directors, and any such controlling person, as
aforesaid, is expressly conditioned upon the Fund's being notified of any action
brought against you, your officers or directors, or any such controlling person,
such notification to be given by letter or by telegram addressed to the Fund at
its address set forth above within ten days after the summons or other first
legal process shall have been served. The failure so to notify the Fund of any
such action shall not relieve the Fund from any liability which the Fund may
have to the person against whom such action is brought by reason of any such
untrue, or alleged untrue, statement or omission, or alleged omission, otherwise
than on account of the Fund's indemnity agreement contained in this paragraph
1.9. The Fund will be entitled to assume the defense of any suit brought to
enforce any such claim, demand or liability, but, in such case, such defense
shall be conducted by counsel of good standing chosen by the Fund and approved
by you. In the event the Fund elects to assume the defense of any such suit and
retain counsel of good standing approved by you, the defendant or defendants in
such suit shall bear the fees and expenses of any additional counsel retained by
any of them; but in case the Fund does not elect to assume the defense of any
such suit, or in case you do not approve of counsel chosen by the Fund, the Fund
will reimburse you, your officers and directors, or the controlling person or
persons named as defendant or defendants in such suit, for the fees and expenses
of any counsel retained by you or them. The Fund's indemnification agreement
contained in this paragraph 1.9 and the Fund's representations and warranties in
this agreement shall remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of
any investigation made by or on behalf of you, your officers and directors, or
any controlling person, and shall survive the delivery of any Shares. This
agreement of indemnity will inure exclusively to your benefit, to the benefit of
your several officers and directors, and their respective estates, and to the
benefit of any controlling persons and their successors. The Fund agrees
promptly to notify you of the commencement of any litigation or proceedings
against the Fund or any of its officers or Board members in connection with the
issue and sale of Shares.
1.10 You agree to indemnify, defend and hold the Fund, its several
officers and Board members, and any person who controls the Fund within the
meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, free and
harmless from and against any and all claims, demands, liabilities and expenses
(including the cost of investigating or defending such claims, demands or
liabilities and any counsel fees incurred in connection therewith) which the
Fund, its officers or Board members, or any such controlling person, may incur
under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or under common law or otherwise,
but only to the extent that such liability or expense incurred by the Fund, its
officers or Board members, or such controlling person resulting from such claims
or demands, shall arise out of or be based upon any untrue, or alleged untrue,
statement of a material fact contained in information furnished in writing by
you to the Fund specifically for use in the Fund's registration statement and
used in the answers to any of the items of the registration statement or in the
corresponding statements made in the prospectus, or shall arise out of or be
based upon any omission, or alleged omission, to state a material fact in
connection with such information furnished in writing by you to the Fund and
required to be stated in such answers or necessary to make such information not
misleading. Your agreement to indemnify the Fund, its officers and Board
members, and any such controlling person, as aforesaid, is expressly conditioned
upon your being notified of any action brought against the Fund, its officers or
Board members, or any such controlling person, such notification to be given by
letter or telegram addressed to you at your address set forth above within ten
days after the summons or other first legal process shall have been served. You
shall have the right to control the defense of such action, with counsel of your
own choosing, satisfactory to the Fund, if such action is based solely upon such
alleged misstatement or omission on your part, and in any other event the Fund,
its officers or Board members, or such controlling person shall each have the
right to participate in the defense or preparation of the defense of any such
action. The failure so to notify you of any such action shall not relieve you
from any liability which you may have to the Fund, its officers or Board
members, or to such controlling person by reason of any such untrue, or alleged
untrue, statement or omission, or alleged omission, otherwise than on account of
your indemnity agreement contained in this paragraph 1.10. This agreement of
indemnity will inure exclusively to the Fund's benefit, to the benefit of the
Fund's officers and Board members, and their respective estates, and to the
benefit of any controlling persons and their successors.
You agree promptly to notify the Fund of the commencement of any
litigation or proceedings against you or any of your officers or directors in
connection with the issue and sale of Shares.
1.11 No Shares shall be offered by either you or the Fund under any of
the provisions of this agreement and no orders for the purchase or sale of such
Shares hereunder shall be accepted by the Fund if and so long as the
effectiveness of the registration statement then in effect or any necessary
amendments thereto shall be suspended under any of the provisions of the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or if and so long as a current prospectus as
required by Section 10 of said Act, as amended, is not on file with the
Securities and Exchange Commission; provided, however, that nothing contained in
this paragraph 1.11 shall in any way restrict or have an application to or
bearing upon the Fund's obligation to repurchase any Shares from any shareholder
in accordance with the provisions of the Fund's prospectus or charter documents.
1.12 The Fund agrees to advise you immediately in writing:
(a) of any request by the Securities and Exchange Commission
for amendments to the registration statement or prospectus then in
effect or for additional information;
(b) in the event of the issuance by the Securities and
Exchange Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of
the registration statement or prospectus then in effect or the
initiation of any proceeding for that purpose;
(c) of the happening of any event which makes untrue any
statement of a material fact made in the registration statement or
prospectus then in effect or which requires the making of a change in
such registration statement or prospectus in order to make the
statements therein not misleading; and
(d) of all actions of the Securities and Exchange Commission
with respect to any amendments to any registration statement or
prospectus which may from time to time be filed with the Securities
and Exchange Commission.
2. Offering Price
Shares of any class of the Fund offered for sale by you shall be
offered for sale at a price per share (the "offering price") approximately equal
to (a) their net asset value (determined in the manner set forth in the Fund's
charter documents) plus (b) a sales charge, if any and except to those persons
set forth in the then-current prospectus, which shall be the percentage of the
offering price of such Shares as set forth in the Fund's then-current
prospectus. The offering price, if not an exact multiple of one cent, shall be
adjusted to the nearest cent. In addition, Shares of any class of the Fund
offered for sale by you may be subject to a contingent deferred sales charge as
set forth in the Fund's then-current prospectus. You shall be entitled to
receive any sales charge or contingent deferred sales charge in respect of the
Shares. Any payments to dealers shall be governed by a separate agreement
between you and such dealer and the Fund's then-current prospectus.
3. Term
This agreement shall continue until the date (the "Reapproval Date")
set forth on Exhibit A hereto (and, if the Fund has Series, a separate
Reapproval Date shall be specified on Exhibit A for each Series), and thereafter
shall continue automatically for successive annual periods ending on the day
(the "Reapproval Day") of each year set forth on Exhibit A hereto, provided such
continuance is specifically approved at least annually by (i) the Fund's Board
or (ii) vote of a majority (as defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940) of
the Shares of the Fund or the relevant Series, as the case may be, provided that
in either event its continuance also is approved by a majority of the Board
members who are not "interested persons" (as defined in said Act) of any party
to this agreement, by vote cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of
voting on such approval. This agreement is terminable without penalty, on 60
days' notice, (a) by vote of holders of a majority of the Fund's or, as to any
relevant Series, such Series' outstanding voting securities, or (b) by the
Fund's Board as to the Fund or the relevant Series, as the case may be, or (c)
by you. This agreement also will terminate automatically, as to the Fund or
relevant Series, as the case may be, in the event of its assignment (as defined
in said Act).
4. Miscellaneous
4.1 The Fund recognizes that from time to time your directors,
officers, and employees may serve as trustees, directors, partners, officers,
and employees of other business trusts, corporations, partnerships, or other
entities (including other investment companies) and that such other entities may
include the name "Dreyfus" as part of their name, and that your corporation or
its affiliates may enter into distribution or other agreements with such other
entities. If you cease to act as the distributor of the Fund's shares or if The
Dreyfus Corporation ceases to act as the Fund's investment adviser, the Fund
agrees that, at the request of The Dreyfus Corporation, the Fund will take all
necessary action to change the name of the Fund to a name not including
"Dreyfus" in any form or combination of words.
4.2 This agreement has been executed on behalf of the Fund by the
undersigned officer of the Fund in his or her capacity as an officer of the
Fund. The obligations of this agreement shall only be binding upon the assets
and property of the Fund and shall not be binding upon any Board member, officer
or shareholder of the Fund individually.
<PAGE>
Please confirm that the foregoing is in accordance with your
understanding and indicate your acceptance hereof by signing below, whereupon it
shall become a binding agreement between us.
Very truly yours,
DREYFUS FLORIDA INTERMEDIATE
MUNICIPAL BOND FUND
By:
-----------------------------
Accepted:
DREYFUS SERVICE CORPORATION
By:
----------------------------
<PAGE>
EXHIBIT A
REAPPROVAL DATE REAPPROVAL DAY
--------------- --------------
July 31, 2000 July 31st
Exhibit (j)
CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT AUDITORS
We consent to the reference to our firm under the captions "Financial
Highlights" and "Counsel and Independent Auditors" and to the use of our report
dated February 4, 2000, which is incorporated by reference, in this Registration
Statement (Form N-1A No. 33-44227) of Dreyfus Florida Intermediate Municipal
Bond Fund.
ERNST & YOUNG LLP
New York, New York
April 25, 2000
Exhibit (p)
CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION AND
SECURITIES TRADING POLICY
<PAGE>
Page
- ------------------------------
INTRODUCTION ................................................... 1
PART I
APPLICABLE TO ALL ASSOCIATES
SECTION ONE
CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION............................ 2
-Types of Confidential Information.................. 2
-Rules for Protecting Confidential Information...... 3
-Supplemental Procedures............................ 4
SECTION TWO
INSIDER TRADING AND TIPPING......................... 5
-Legal Prohibitions................................. 5
-Mellon's Policy.................................... 6
SECTION THREE
RESTRICTIONS ON THE FLOW OF INFORMATION
WITHIN MELLON (THE "CHINESE WALL").................. 7
-Rules for Maintaining the Chinese Wall............. 7
-Reporting Receipt of Material Nonpublic
Information........................................ 8
-Functions "Above the Wall"......................... 9
-Supplemental Procedures............................ 9
SECTION FOUR
RESTRICTIONS ON TRANSACTIONS IN MELLON
SECURITIES..........................................10
-Beneficial Ownership...............................11
SECTION FIVE
RESTRICTIONS ON TRANSACTIONS IN OTHER
SECURITIES..........................................12
SECTION SIX
CLASSIFICATION OF ASSOCIATES........................14
-Insider Risk Associate.............................14
-Investment Associate...............................15
-Other Associate....................................15
PART II
APPLICABLE TO INSIDER
RISK ASSOCIATES ONLY ...................................................16
-Prohibition on Investments in Securities of
Financial Services Organizations..................16
-Conflict of Interest..............................17
-Preclearance for Personal Securities
Transactions......................................17
-Personal Securities Transactions Reports..........19
-Confidential Treatment............................19
PART III
APPLICABLE TO INVESTMENT
ASSOCIATES ONLY ..................................................20
-Special Standards of Conduct for
Investment Associates............................20
-Preclearance for Personal Securities
Transactions.....................................21
-Personal Securities Transactions Reports.........23
-Confidential Treatment...........................24
PART IV
APPLICABLE TO OTHER
ASSOCIATES ONLY ..................................................25
-Preclearance for Personal Securities
Transactions.....................................25
-Personal Securities Transactions Reports.........25
-Restrictions on Transactions in Other
Securities.......................................25
-Confidential Treatment...........................26
PART V
APPLICABLE TO NONMANAGEMENT
BOARD MEMBERS ..................................................27
-Nonmanagement Board Member.......................27
-Standards of Conduct for Nonmanagement
Board Member.....................................27
-Preclearance for Personal Securities
Transactions.....................................28
-Personal Securities Transactions Reports.........29
-Confidential Treatment...........................29
GLOSSARY Definitions.......................................30
INDEX OF EXHIBITS .................................................33
<PAGE>
INTRODUCTION
- ------------------------------
Mellon Bank Corporation ("Mellon") and its associates, and
the registered investment companies for which The Dreyfus
Corporation ("Dreyfus") and/or Mellon serves as investment
adviser, sub-investment adviser or administrator, are
subject to certain laws and regulations governing the use
of confidential information and personal securities
trading. Mellon has developed this Confidential Information
and Securities Trading Policy (the "Policy") to establish
specific standards to promote compliance with applicable
laws. Further, the Policy is intended to protect Mellon's
business secrets and proprietary information as well as
that of its customers and any entity for which it acts in a
fiduciary capacity.
The Policy set forth procedures and limitations which
govern the personal securities transactions of every Mellon
associate and certain other individuals associated with the
registered investment companies for which Dreyfus and/or
Mellon serves as investment adviser, sub-investment adviser
or administrator. The Policy is designed to reinforce
Mellon's reputation for integrity by avoiding even the
appearance of impropriety in the conduct of Mellon's
business.
Associates should be aware that they may be held personally
liable for any improper or illegal acts committed during
the course of their employment, and that "ignorance of the
law" is not a defense. Associates may be subject to civil
penalties such as fines, regulatory sanctions including
suspensions, as well as criminal penalties.
Associates outside the United States are also subject to
applicable laws of foreign jurisdictions, which may differ
substantially from U.S. law and which may subject such
associates to additional requirements. Such associates must
comply with applicable requirements of pertinent foreign
laws as well as with the provisions of the Policy. To the
extent any particular portion of the Policy is inconsistent
with foreign law, associates should consult the General
Counsel or the Manager of Corporate Compliance.
Any provision of this Policy may be waived or exempted at
the discretion of the Manager of Corporate Compliance. Any
such waiver or exemption will be evidenced in writing and
maintained in the Risk Management and Compliance
Department.
Associates must read the Policies and MUST COMPLY
with them. Failure to comply with the provisions
of the Policies may result in the imposition of
serious sanctions, including but not limited to
disgorgement of profits, dismissal, substantial
personal liability and referral to law enforcement
agencies or other regulatory agencies. Associates
should retain the Policies in their records for
future reference. Any questions regarding the
Policies should be referred to the Manager of
Corporate Compliance or his/her designee.
<PAGE>
PART I - APPLICABLE TO ALL ASSOCIATES
- ------------------------------
SECTION ONE
CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION
As an associate you may receive information about Mellon,
its customers and other parties that, for various reasons,
should be treated as confidential. All associates are
expected to strictly comply with measures necessary to
preserve the confidentiality of information.
TYPES OF CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION - Although it is
impossible to provide an exhaustive list of information
that should remain confidential, the following are examples
of the general types of confidential information that
associates might receive in the ordinary course of carrying
out their job responsibilities.
o Information Obtained from Business Relations - An associate
might receive confidential information regarding customers
or other parties with whom Mellon has business
relationships. If released, such information could have a
significant effect on their operations, their business
reputations or the market price of their securities.
Disclosing such information could expose both the associate
and Mellon to liability for damages.
o Mellon Financial Information - An associate might receive
financial information regarding Mellon before such
information has been disclosed to the public. It is the
policy of Mellon to disclose all material corporate
information to the public in such a manner that all those
who are interested in Mellon and its securities have equal
access to the information. Disclosing such information to
unauthorized persons could subject both the associate and
Mellon to liability under the federal securities laws.
o Mellon Proprietary Information - Certain nonfinancial
information developed by Mellon - such as business plans,
customer lists, methods of doing business, computer
software, source codes, databases and related documentation
- constitutes valuable Mellon proprietary information.
Disclosure of such information to unauthorized persons
could harm, or reduce a benefit to, Mellon and could result
in liability for both the associate and Mellon.
o Mellon Examination Information - Banks and certain other
Mellon subsidiaries are periodically examined by regulatory
agencies. Certain reports made by those regulatory agencies
are the property of those agencies and are strictly
confidential. Giving information from these reports to
anyone not officially connected with Mellon is a criminal
offense.
o Portfolio Management Information - Portfolio management
information relating to investment accounts or funds
managed by Mellon or Dreyfus, including investment
decisions or strategies developed for the benefit of
investment companies advised by Dreyfus, is for the benefit
of such account or fund. Disclosure or exploitation of such
information by an associate in an unauthorized manner may
cause detriment to such accounts or funds and may subject
the associate to liability under the federal securities
laws.
RULES FOR PROTECTING CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION - The
following are some basic rules to follow to protect
confidential information.
o Limited Communication to Outsiders - Confidential
information should not be communicated to anyone outside
Mellon, except to the extent they need to know the
information in order to provide necessary services to
Mellon.
o Limited Communication to Insiders - Confidential
information should not be communicated to other associates,
except to the extent they need to know the information to
fulfill their job responsibilities and their knowledge of
the information is not likely to result in misuse or a
conflict of interest. In this regard, Mellon has
established specific restrictions with respect to material
nonpublic information in order to separate and insulate
different functional areas and personnel within Mellon.
Please refer to Section Three, "Restrictions on The Flow of
Information Within Mellon" (The "Chinese Wall").
o Corporate Use Only - Confidential information should be
used only for Corporate purposes. Under no circumstances
may an associate use it, directly or indirectly, for
personal gain or for the benefit of any outside party who
is not entitled to such information.
o Other Customers - Where appropriate, customers should be
made aware that associates will not disclose to them other
customers' confidential information or use the confidential
information of one customer for the benefit of another.
o Notification of Confidentiality - When confidential
information is communicated to any person, either inside or
outside Mellon, they should be informed of the
information's confidential nature and the limitations on
its further communication.
o Prevention of Eavesdropping - Confidential matters should
not be discussed in public or in places, such as in
building lobbies, restaurants or elevators, where
unauthorized persons may overhear. Precautions, such as
locking materials in desk drawers overnight, stamping
material "Confidential" and delivering materials in sealed
envelopes, should be taken with written materials to ensure
they are not read by unauthorized persons.
o Data Protection - Data stored on personal computers and
diskettes should be properly secured to ensure they are not
accessed by unauthorized persons. Access to computer files
should be granted only on a need-to-know basis. At a
minimum, associates should comply with applicable Mellon
policies on electronic data security.
o Confidentiality Agreements - Confidentiality agreements to
which Mellon is a party must be complied with in addition
to, but not in lieu of, this Policy. Confidentiality
agreements that deviate from commonly used forms should be
reviewed in advance by the Legal Department.
o Contact with the Public - All contacts with institutional
shareholders or securities analysts about Mellon must be
made through the Investor Relations Division of the Finance
Department. All contacts with the media and all speeches or
other public statements made on behalf of Mellon or about
Mellon's businesses must be cleared in advance by Corporate
Affairs. In speeches and statements not made on behalf of
Mellon, care should be taken to avoid any implication that
Mellon endorses the views expressed.
SUPPLEMENTAL PROCEDURES - Mellon entities, departments,
divisions and groups should establish their own
supplemental procedures for protecting confidential
information, as appropriate. These procedures may include:
o establishing records retention and destruction policies;
o using code names;
o limiting the staffing of confidential matters (for example,
limiting the size of working groups and the use of
temporary employees, messengers and word processors); and
o requiring written confidentiality agreements from certain
associates.
Any supplemental procedures should be used only to protect
confidential information and not to circumvent appropriate
reporting and recordkeeping requirements.
<PAGE>
SECTION TWO
INSIDER TRADING AND TIPPING
LEGAL PROHIBITIONS - Federal securities laws generally
prohibit the trading of securities while in possession of
"material nonpublic" information regarding the issuer of
those securities (insider trading). Any person who passes
along the material nonpublic information upon which a trade
is based (tipping) may also be liable.
"Material" - Information is material if there is a
substantial likelihood that a reasonable investor would
consider it important in deciding whether to buy, sell or
hold securities. Obviously, information that would affect
the market price of a security would be material. Examples
of information that might be material include:
o a proposal or agreement for a merger, acquisition or
divestiture, or for the sale or purchase of substantial
assets;
o tender offers, which are often material for the party
making the tender offer as well as for the issuer of the
securities for which the tender offer is made;
o dividend declarations or changes;
o extraordinary borrowings or liquidity problems;
o defaults under agreements or actions by creditors,
customers or suppliers relating to a company's credit
standing;
o earnings and other financial information, such as large
or unusual write-offs, write-downs, profits or losses;
o pending discoveries or developments, such as new products,
sources of materials, patents, processes, inventions or
discoveries of mineral deposits;
o a proposal or agreement concerning a financial
restructuring;
o a proposal to issue or redeem securities, or a
development with respect to a pending issuance or
redemption of securities;
o a significant expansion or contraction of operations;
o information about major contracts or increases or
decreases in orders;
o the institution of, or a development in, litigation or a
regulatory proceeding;
o developments regarding a company's senior management;
o information about a company received from a director of
that company; and
o information regarding a company's possible noncompliance
with environmental protection laws.
This list is not exhaustive. All relevant circumstances
must be considered when determining whether an item of
information is material.
"Nonpublic" - Information about a company is nonpublic if
it is not generally available to the investing public.
Information received under circumstances indicating that it
is not yet in general circulation and which may be
attributable, directly or indirectly, to the company or its
insiders is likely to be deemed nonpublic information.
If an associate can refer to some public source to show
that the information is generally available (that is,
available not from inside sources only) and that enough
time has passed to allow wide dissemination of the
information, the information is likely to be deemed public.
While information appearing in widely accessible sources -
such as newspapers - becomes public very soon after
publication, information appearing in less accessible
sources - such as regulatory filings - may take up to
several days to be deemed public. Similarly, highly complex
information might take longer to become public than would
information that is easily understood by the average
investor.
MELLON'S POLICY - Associates who possess material nonpublic
information about a company - whether that company is
Mellon, another Mellon entity, a Mellon customer or
supplier, or other company - may not trade in that
company's securities, either for their own accounts or for
any account over which they exercise investment discretion.
In addition, associates may not recommend trading in those
securities and may not pass the information along to
others, except to associates who need to know the
information in order to perform their job responsibilities
with Mellon. These prohibitions remain in effect until the
information has become public.
Associates who have investment responsibilities should take
appropriate steps to avoid receiving material nonpublic
information. Receiving such information could create severe
limitations on their ability to carry out their
responsibilities to Mellon's fiduciary customers.
Associates managing the work of consultants and temporary
employees who have access to the types of confidential
information described in this Policy are responsible for
ensuring that consultants and temporary employees are aware
of Mellon's policy and the consequences of noncompliance.
Questions regarding Mellon's policy on material nonpublic
information, or specific information that might be subject
to it, should be referred to the General Counsel.
<PAGE>
SECTION THREE
RESTRICTIONS ON THE FLOW OF
INFORMATION WITHIN MELLON
(THE "CHINESE WALL")
As a diversified financial services organization, Mellon
faces unique challenges in complying with the prohibitions
on insider trading and tipping of material nonpublic
information and misuse of confidential information. This is
because one Mellon unit might have material nonpublic
information about a company while other Mellon units may
have a desire, or even a fiduciary duty, to buy or sell
that company's securities or recommend such purchases or
sales to customers. To engage in such broad-ranging
financial services activities without violating laws or
breaching Mellon's fiduciary duties, Mellon has established
a "Chinese Wall" policy applicable to all associates. The
"Chinese Wall" separates the Mellon units or individuals
that are likely to receive material nonpublic information
(Potential Insider Functions) from the Mellon units or
individuals that either trade in securities - for Mellon's
account or for the accounts of others - or provide
investment advice (Investment Functions).
Examples of Potential Insider Functions - Potential Insider
Functions include, among others, certain commercial
lending, corporate finance, and credit policy areas.
Insider Risk Associates (see Section Six, "Insider Risk
Associates") should consider themselves to be in Potential
Insider Functions unless their particular job
responsibilities clearly indicate otherwise.
Examples of Investment Functions - Investment Functions
include, among others, securities sales and trading,
investment management and advisory services, investment
research and various trust or fiduciary functions.
RULES FOR MAINTAINING THE "CHINESE WALL" - Without the
prior approval of the General Counsel, material nonpublic
information obtained by anyone in a Potential Insider
Function should not be communicated to anyone in an
Investment Function. To reduce the risk of material
nonpublic information being communicated, communications
between these associates in these functions must be limited
to the maximum extent consistent with valid business needs.
Particular rules -
o File Restrictions - Associates in Investment Functions must
not have access to commercial credit files, corporate
finance files, or any other Potential Insider Function
files that might contain material nonpublic information.
All such files that contain material nonpublic information
should be marked as "Confidential" and, if feasible,
segregated from nonconfidential files.
o Electronic Data - Associates in Investment Functions must
not have access to personal computer or word processing
files of associates in Potential Insider Functions.
o Meetings - Associates in Investment Functions must not
attend meetings between customers and associates in
Potential Insider Functions unless appropriate steps have
been taken to ensure that material nonpublic information
will not be disclosed or discussed.
o Committee Service - Without the prior approval of the
General Counsel, associates other than those "Above the
Wall" (see page 9) must not serve simultaneously on a
committee having responsibility for any Investment Function
and a committee having responsibility for any Potential
Insider Function.
o Information Requests - Requests for nonmaterial information
or public information across the "Chinese Wall" should be
made in writing to an appropriate associate in the
applicable area. Associates sending or receiving such a
request should resolve any questions regarding the
materiality or nonpublic nature of the requested
information by consulting their department head, who will
contact the General Counsel, as appropriate.
o Information Backflow - Associates should take care to avoid
inadvertent backflow of information that may be interpreted
as the prohibited communication of material nonpublic
information. For example, the mere fact that someone in a
Potential Insider Function, such as a mergers and
acquisitions specialist, requests information from an
associate in an Investment Function could give the latter
person a clue as to possible material developments
affecting a customer.
o Customers - Associates in Investment Functions must not
state or imply to customers that associates making
decisions or recommendations will have the benefit of
information from Mellon's Potential Insider Functions. When
appropriate, associates should inform customers of Mellon's
"Chinese Wall" policy.
o Conflicts of Interest - Associates should not receive or
pass on any information that would create an undue risk of
Mellon or any associate having a conflict of interest or
breaching a fiduciary obligation.
REPORTING RECEIPT OF MATERIAL NONPUBLIC INFORMATION -
Associates in Investment Functions who receive any
suspected material nonpublic information must report such
receipt promptly to their department or entity head. A
department or entity head who receives information believed
to be material and nonpublic should report the matter
promptly to the General Counsel. If the General Counsel
determines that the information is material and nonpublic,
the affected department or entity will:
o immediately suspend all trading in the securities of the
issuer to which the information applies, as well as all
recommendations with respect to such securities. The
suspension will remain in effect as long as the information
remains both material and nonpublic.
O notify the General Counsel before resuming transactions or
recommendations in the affected securities. The General
Counsel will advise as to possible further steps, including
ascertaining the validity and nonpublic nature of the
information with the issuer of the securities; requesting
the issuer of the securities, or other appropriate parties,
to disseminate the information promptly to the public if
the information is valid and nonpublic; and publishing the
information.
In certain circumstances, the department or entity head may
be able to demonstrate conclusively that the receipt of the
material nonpublic information has been confined to an
individual or small group of individuals and that measures
other than those described above will comparably reduce the
likelihood of trading on the basis of the information.
These measures might include temporarily relieving
individuals of responsibility for any Investment Functions
and preventing any contact between those individuals and
associates in Investment Functions. In these circumstances,
the department head, with the approval of the General
Counsel, may take those measures rather than the measures
described above.
FUNCTIONS "ABOVE THE WALL" - Some functions at Mellon are
deemed to be "Above the Wall." For example, members of
senior management, Auditing, Risk Management and
Compliance, and the Legal Department will typically need to
have access to information on both sides of the "Chinese
Wall" to carry out their job responsibilities. These
individuals cannot rely on the procedural safeguards of the
"Chinese Wall" and, therefore, need to be particularly
careful to avoid any improper use or dissemination of
material nonpublic information.
SUPPLEMENTAL PROCEDURES - As appropriate, certain Mellon
departments or areas, such as Mellon Trust, should
establish their own procedures to reduce the possibility of
information being communicated to associates who should not
have access to that information.
<PAGE>
SECTION FOUR
RESTRICTIONS ON TRANSACTIONS
IN MELLON SECURITIES
Associates who engage in transactions involving Mellon
securities should be aware of their unique responsibilities
with respect to such transactions arising from the
employment relationship and should be sensitive to even the
appearance of impropriety.
The following restrictions apply to all transactions in
Mellon's publicly traded securities occurring in the
associate's own account and in all other accounts over
which the associate could be expected to exercise influence
or control (see provisions under "Beneficial Ownership"
below for a more complete discussion of the accounts to
which these restrictions apply). These restrictions are to
be followed in addition to any restrictions that apply to
particular officers or directors (such as restrictions
under Section 16 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934).
o Short Sales - Short sales of Mellon securities by
associates are prohibited.
o Sales Within 60 Days of Purchase - Sales of Mellon
securities within 60 days of acquisition are prohibited.
For purposes of the 60-day holding period, securities will
be deemed to be equivalent if one is convertible into the
other, if one entails a right to purchase or sell the
other, or if the value of one is expressly dependent on the
value of the other (e.g., derivative securities).
In cases of extreme hardship, associates (other than senior
management) may obtain permission to dispose of Mellon
securities acquired within 60 days of the proposed
transaction, provided the transaction is pre-cleared with
the Manager of Corporate Compliance and any profits earned
are disgorged in accordance with procedures established by
senior management. The Manager of Corporate Compliance
reserves the right to suspend the 60-day holding period
restriction in the event of severe market disruption.
o Margin Transactions - Purchases on margin of Mellon's
publicly traded securities by associates is prohibited.
Margining Mellon securities in connection with a cashless
exercise of an employee stock option through the Human
Resources Department is exempt from this restriction.
Further, Mellon securities may be used to collateralize
loans or the acquisition of securities other than those
issued by Mellon.
o Option Transactions - Option transactions involving
Mellon's publicly traded securities are prohibited.
Transactions under Mellon's Long-Term Incentive Plan or
other associate option plans are exempt from this
restriction.
o Major Mellon Events - Associates who have knowledge of
major Mellon events that have not yet been announced are
prohibited from buying and selling Mellon's publicly traded
securities before such public announcements, even if the
associate believes the event does not constitute material
nonpublic information.
o Mellon Blackout Period - Associates are prohibited from
buying or selling Mellon's publicly traded securities
during a blackout period, which begins the 16th day of the
last month of each calendar quarter and ends three business
days after Mellon publicly announces the financial results
for that quarter. In cases of extreme hardship, associates
(other than senior management) may request permission from
the Manager of Corporate Compliance to dispose of Mellon
securities during the blackout period.
BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP - The provisions discussed above apply
to transactions in the associate's own name and to all
other accounts over which the associate could be expected
to exercise influence or control, including:
o accounts of a spouse, minor children or relatives to whom
substantial support is contributed;
o accounts of any other member of the associate's household
(e.g., a relative living in the same home);
o trust accounts for which the associate acts as trustee or
otherwise exercises any type of guidance or influence;
o Corporate accounts controlled, directly or indirectly, by
the associate;
o arrangements similar to trust accounts that are established
for bona fide financial purposes and benefit the associate;
and
o any other account for which the associate is the beneficial
owner (see Glossary for a more complete legal definition of
"beneficial owner").
<PAGE>
SECTION FIVE
RESTRICTIONS ON TRANSACTIONS
IN OTHER SECURITIES
Purchases or sales by an associate of the securities of
issuers with which Mellon does business, or other third
party issuers, could result in liability on the part of
such associate. Associates should be sensitive to even the
appearance of impropriety in connection with their personal
securities transactions. Associates should refer to the
provisions under "Beneficial Ownership" (Section Four,
"Restrictions on Transactions in Mellon Securities"), which
are equally applicable to the following provisions.
The Mellon Code of Conduct contains certain restrictions on
investments in parties that do business with Mellon.
Associates should refer to the Code of Conduct and comply
with such restrictions in addition to the restrictions and
reporting requirements set forth below.
The following restrictions apply to all securities
transactions by associates:
o Credit or Advisory Relationship - Associate may not buy or
sell securities of a company if they are considering
granting, renewing or denying any credit facility to that
company or acting as an adviser to that company with
respect to its securities. In addition, lending associates
who have assigned responsibilities in a specific industry
group are not permitted to trade securities in that
industry. This prohibition does not apply to transactions
in securities issued by open-end investment companies.
o Customer Transactions - Trading for customers and Mellon
accounts should always take precedence over associates'
transactions for their own or related accounts.
o Front Running - Associates may not engage in "front
running," that is, the purchase or sale of securities for
their own accounts on the basis of their knowledge of
Mellon's trading positions or plans.
o Initial Public Offerings - Mellon prohibits its associates
from acquiring any securities in an initial public offering
("IPO").
o Margin Transactions - Margin trading is a highly leveraged
and relatively risky method of investing that can create
particular problems for financial services employees. For
this reason, all associates are urged to avoid margin
trading.
Prior to establishing a margin account, the associate must
obtain the written permission of the Manager of Corporate
Compliance. Any associate having a margin account prior to
the effective date of this Policy must notify the Manager
of Corporate Compliance of the existence of such account.
All associates having margin accounts, other than described
below, must designate the Manager of Corporate Compliance
as an interested party on that account. Associates must
ensure that the Manager of Corporate Compliance promptly
receives copies of all trade confirmations and statements
relating to the account directly from the broker. If
requested by a brokerage firm, please contact the Manager
of Corporate Compliance to obtain a letter (sometimes
referred to as a "407 letter") granting permission to
maintain a margin account. Trade confirmations and
statements are not required on margin accounts established
at Dreyfus Investment Services Corporation for the sole
purpose of cashless exercises of employee stock options. In
addition, products may be offered by a broker/dealer that,
because of their characteristics, are considered margin
accounts but have been determined by the Manager of
Corporate Compliance to be outside the scope of this Policy
(e.g., a Cash Management Account which provides overdraft
protection for the customer). Any questions regarding the
establishment, use and reporting of margin accounts should
be directed to the Manager of Corporate Compliance.
Examples of an instruction letter to a broker are shown in
Exhibits B1 and B2.
o Material Nonpublic Information - Associates possessing
material nonpublic information regarding any issuer of
securities must refrain from purchasing or selling
securities of that issuer until the information becomes
public or is no longer considered material.
o Naked Options, Excessive Trading - Mellon discourages all
associates from engaging in short-term or speculative
trading, in trading naked options, in trading that could be
deemed excessive or in trading that could interfere with an
associate's job responsibilities.
o Private Placements - Associates are prohibited from
acquiring any security in a private placement unless they
obtain the prior written approval of the Preclearance
Compliance Officer (applicable only to Investment
Associates), the Manager of Corporate Compliance and the
associate's department head. Approval must be given by all
appropriate aforementioned persons for the acquisition to
be considered approved. After receipt of the necessary
approvals and the acquisition, associates are required to
disclose that investment when they participate in any
subsequent consideration of an investment in the issuer for
an advised account. Final decision to acquire such
securities for an advised account will be subject to
independent review.
o Scalping - Associates may not engage in "scalping," that
is, the purchase or sale of securities for their own or
Mellon's accounts on the basis of knowledge of customers'
trading positions or plans or Mellon's forthcoming
investment recommendations.
o Short-Term Trading - Associates are discouraged from
purchasing and selling, or from selling and purchasing, the
same (or equivalent) securities within 60 calendar days.
With respect to Investment Associates only, any profits
realized on such short-term trades must be disgorged in
accordance with procedures established by senior
management.
<PAGE>
SECTION SIX
CLASSIFICATION OF ASSOCIATES
Associates are engaged in a wide variety of activities for
Mellon. In light of the nature of their activities and the
impact of federal and state laws and the regulations
thereunder, the Policy imposes different requirements and
limitations on associates based on the nature of their
activities for Mellon. To assist the associates in
complying with the requirements and limitations imposed on
them in light of their activities, associates are
classified into one of three categories: Insider Risk
Associate, Investment Associate and Other Associate.
Appropriate requirements and limitations are specified in
the Policy based upon the associate's classification.
INSIDER RISK ASSOCIATE -
You are considered to be an Insider Risk Associate if you
are:
o employed in any of the following departments or functional
areas, however named, of a Mellon entity other than Dreyfus
(see Glossary for definition of "Dreyfus"):
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
<S> <C>
- Auditing - International
- Capital Markets - Leasing
- Corporate Affairs - Legal
- Credit Policy - Mellon Business Credit
- Credit Recovery - Middle Market
- Credit Review - Portfolio and Funds Management
- Domestic Corporate Banking - Risk Management and Compliance
- Finance - Strategic Planning
- Institutional Banking - Wholesale, Administration and
Operations
</TABLE>
o a member of the Mellon Senior Management Committee,
provided that those members of the Mellon Senior Management
Committee who have management responsibility for fiduciary
activities or who routinely have access to information
about customers' securities transactions are considered to
be Investment Associates and are subject to those
provisions of the Policy pertaining to Investment
Associates;
o employed by a broker/dealer subsidiary of a Mellon
entity other than Dreyfus;
o an associate in the Stock Transfer business unit and have
been specifically designated as an Insider Risk Associate
by the Manager of Corporate Compliance; or
o an associate specifically designated as an Insider Risk
Associate by the Manager of Corporate Compliance.
<PAGE>
INVESTMENT ASSOCIATE -
You are considered to be an Investment Associate if you
are:
o a member of Mellon's Senior Management Committee who, as
part of his/her usual duties, has management responsibility
for fiduciary activities or routinely has access to
information about customers' securities transactions;
o a Dreyfus associate;
o an associate of a Mellon entity registered under the
Investment Advisers Act of 1940;
o employed in the trust area of Mellon and:
- have the title of Vice President, First Vice President
or Senior Vice President; or
- have access to material, confidential information
regarding securities transactions by or on behalf of
Mellon customers; or
o an associate specifically designated as an Investment
Associate by the Manager of Corporate Compliance.
OTHER ASSOCIATE -
You are considered to be an Other Associate if you are an
associate of Mellon Bank Corporation or any of its direct
or indirect subsidiaries who is not either an Insider Risk
Associate or an Investment Associate.
<PAGE>
PART II - APPLICABLE TO INSIDER
RISK ASSOCIATES ONLY
- ------------------------------
PROHIBITION ON INVESTMENTS IN SECURITIES OF FINANCIAL
SERVICES ORGANIZATIONS
You are prohibited from acquiring any security issued by a
financial services organization if you are:
o a member of the Mellon Senior Management Committee. For
purposes of this restriction only, this prohibition also
applies to those members of the Mellon Senior Management
Committee who are considered Investment Associates.
o employed in any of the following departments of a Mellon
entity other than Dreyfus (see Glossary for definition of
"Dreyfus"):
- Strategic Planning - Finance
- Institutional Banking - Legal
o an associate specifically designated by the Manager of
Corporate Compliance and informed that this prohibition is
applicable to you.
Financial Services Organizations - The term "security
issued by a financial services organization" includes any
security issued by:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
<S> <C>
- Commercial Banks - Bank Holding Companies
(other than Mellon) (other than Mellon)
- Thrifts - Savings and Loan Associations
- Insurance Companies - Broker/Dealers
- Investment Advisory Companies - Transfer Agents
- Shareholder Servicing - Other Depository
Companies Institutions
</TABLE>
The term "securities issued by a financial services
organization" DOES NOT INCLUDE securities issued by mutual
funds, variable annuities or insurance policies. Further,
for purposes of determining whether a company is a
financial services organization, subsidiaries and parent
companies are treated as separate issuers.
Effective Date - The foregoing restrictions will be
effective upon adoption of this Policy. Securities of
financial services organizations properly acquired before
the later of the effective date of this Policy or the date
of hire may be maintained or disposed of at the owner's
discretion.
Additional securities of a financial services organization
acquired through the reinvestment of the dividends paid by
such financial services organization through a dividend
reinvestment program (DRIP) are not subject to this
prohibition, provided your election to participate in the
DRIP predates the later of the effective date of this
Policy or date of hire. Optional cash purchases through a
DRIP are subject to this prohibition.
Within 30 days of the later of the effective date of this
Policy or date of becoming subject to this prohibition, all
holdings of securities of financial services organizations
must be disclosed in writing to the Manager of Corporate
Compliance. Periodically, you will be asked to file an
updated disclosure of all your holdings of securities of
financial services organizations.
CONFLICT OF INTEREST - No Insider Risk Associate may engage
in or recommend any securities transaction that places, or
appears to place, his or her own interests above those of
any customer to whom investment services are rendered,
including mutual funds and managed accounts, or above the
interests of Mellon.
PRECLEARANCE FOR PERSONAL SECURITIES TRANSACTIONS - All
Insider Risk Associates must notify the Manager of
Corporate Compliance in writing and receive preclearance
before they engage in any purchase or sale of a security.
Insider Risk Associates should refer to the provisions
under "Beneficial Ownership" (Section Four, "Restrictions
on Transactions in Mellon Securities"), which are equally
applicable to these provisions.
Exemptions from Requirement to Preclear - Preclearance is
not required for the following transactions:
O purchases or sales of Exempt Securities (see Glossary);
o purchases or sales of municipal bonds;
o purchases or sales effected in any account over which an
associate has no direct or indirect control over the
investment decision-making process (e.g., nondiscretionary
trading accounts). Nondiscretionary trading accounts may
only be maintained, without being subject to preclearance
procedures, when the Manager of Corporate Compliance, after
a thorough review, is satisfied that the account is truly
nondiscretionary;
o transactions that are non-volitional on the part of an
associate (such as stock dividends);
o the sale of stock received upon the exercise of an
associate stock option if the sale is part of a "netting of
shares" or "cashless exercise" administered by the Human
Resources Department (for which the Human Resources
Department will forward information to the Manager of
Corporate Compliance);
o the automatic reinvestment of dividends under a DRIP
(preclearance is required for optional cash purchases under
a DRIP);
o purchases effected upon the exercise of rights issued by an
issuer pro rata to all holders of a class of securities, to
the extent such rights were acquired from such issuer;
o sales of rights acquired from an issuer, as described
above; and/or
O those situations where the Manager of Corporate Compliance
determines, after taking into consideration the particular
facts and circumstances, that prior approval is not
necessary.
Requests for Preclearance - All requests for preclearance
for a securities transaction shall be submitted to the
Manager of Corporate Compliance by completing a
Preclearance Request Form (see Exhibit C1).
The Manager of Corporate Compliance will notify the Insider
Risk Associate whether the request is approved or denied,
without disclosing the reason for such approval or denial.
Notifications may be given in writing or verbally by the
Manager of Corporate Compliance to the Insider Risk
Associate. A record of such notification will be maintained
by the Manager of Corporate Compliance. However, it shall
be the responsibility of the Insider Risk Associate to
obtain a written record of the Manager of Corporate
Compliance's notification within 24 hours of such
notification. The Insider Risk Associate should retain a
copy of this written record.
As there could be many reasons for preclearance being
granted or denied, Insider Risk Associates should not infer
from the preclearance response anything regarding the
security for which preclearance was requested.
Although making a preclearance request does not obligate an
Insider Risk Associate to do the transaction, it should be
noted that:
o preclearance authorization will expire at the end of the
third business day after it is received (the day
authorization is granted is considered the first business
day);
O preclearance requests should not be made for a
transaction that the Insider Risk Associate does not
intend to make; and
o Insider Risk Associates should not discuss with anyone
else, inside or outside Mellon, the response they received
to a preclearance request.
Every Insider Risk Associate must follow these procedures
or risk serious sanctions, including dismissal. If you have
any questions about these procedures you should consult the
Manager of Corporate Compliance. Interpretive issues that
arise under these procedures shall be decided by, and are
subject to the discretion of, the Manager of Corporate
Compliance.
Restricted List - The Manager of Corporate Compliance will
maintain a list (the "Restricted List") of companies whose
securities are deemed appropriate for implementation of
trading restrictions for Insider Risk Associates.
Restricted List(s) will not be distributed outside of the
Risk Management and Compliance Department. From time to
time, such trading restrictions may be appropriate to
protect Mellon and its Insider Risk Associates from
potential violations, or the appearance of violations, of
securities laws. The inclusion of a company on the
Restricted List provides no indication of the advisability
of an investment in the company's securities or the
existence of material nonpublic information on the company.
Nevertheless, the contents of the Restricted List will be
treated as confidential information to avoid unwarranted
inferences.
To assist the Manager of Corporate Compliance in
identifying companies that may be appropriate for inclusion
on the Restricted List, the department heads of sections in
which Insider Risk Associates are employed will inform the
Manager of Corporate Compliance in writing of any companies
they believe should be included on the Restricted List,
based upon facts known or readily available to such
department heads. Although the reasons for inclusion on the
Restricted List may vary, they could typically include the
following:
o Mellon is involved as a lender, investor or adviser in a
merger, acquisition or financial restructuring involving
the company;
o Mellon is involved as a selling shareholder in a public
distribution of the company's securities;
o Mellon is involved as an agent in the distribution of the
company's securities;
o Mellon has received material nonpublic information on the
company;
o Mellon is considering the exercise of significant
creditors' rights against the company; or
o The company is a Mellon borrower in Credit Recovery.
Department heads of sections in which Insider Risk
Associates are employed are also responsible for notifying
the Manager of Corporate Compliance in writing of any
change in circumstances making it appropriate to remove a
company from the Restricted List.
PERSONAL SECURITIES TRANSACTIONS REPORTS
o Brokerage Accounts - All Insider Risk Associates are
required to instruct their brokers to submit directly to
the Manager of Corporate Compliance copies of all trade
confirmations and statements relating to their account. An
example of an instruction letter to a broker is contained
in Exhibit B1.
o Report of Transactions in Mellon Securities - Insider Risk
Associates must also report in writing to the Manager of
Corporate Compliance within ten calendar days whenever they
purchase or sell Mellon securities if the transaction was
not through a brokerage account as described above.
Purchases and sales of Mellon securities include the
following:
DRIP Optional Cash Purchases - Optional cash purchases
under Mellon's Dividend Reinvestment and Common Stock
Purchase Plan (the "Mellon DRIP").
Stock Options - The sale of stock received upon the
exercise of an associate stock option unless the sale is
part of a "netting of shares" or "cashless exercise"
administered by the Human Resources Department (for which
the Human Resources Department will forward information to
the Manager of Corporate Compliance).
It should be noted that the reinvestment of dividends under
the DRIP, changes in elections under Mellon's Retirement
Savings Plan, the receipt of stock under Mellon's
Restricted Stock Award Plan and the receipt or exercise of
options under Mellon's Long-Term Profit Incentive Plan are
not considered purchases or sales for the purpose of this
reporting requirement.
An example of a written report to the Manager of Corporate
Compliance is contained in Exhibit A.
CONFIDENTIAL TREATMENT
THE MANAGER OF CORPORATE COMPLIANCE WILL USE HIS OR HER
BEST EFFORTS TO ASSURE THAT ALL REQUESTS FOR PRECLEARANCE,
ALL PERSONAL SECURITIES TRANSACTION REPORTS AND ALL REPORTS
OF SECURITIES HOLDINGS ARE TREATED AS "PERSONAL AND
CONFIDENTIAL." HOWEVER, SUCH DOCUMENTS WILL BE AVAILABLE
FOR INSPECTION BY APPROPRIATE REGULATORY AGENCIES AND BY
OTHER PARTIES WITHIN AND OUTSIDE MELLON AS ARE NECESSARY TO
EVALUATE COMPLIANCE WITH OR SANCTIONS UNDER THIS POLICY.
<PAGE>
PART III - APPLICABLE TO
INVESTMENT ASSOCIATES ONLY
- ------------------------------
Because of their particular responsibilities, Investment
Associates are subject to different preclearance and
personal securities reporting requirements as discussed
below.
SPECIAL STANDARDS OF CONDUCT FOR INVESTMENT ASSOCIATES
Conflict of Interest - No Investment Associate may
recommend a securities transaction for a Mellon customer to
whom a fiduciary duty is owed, or for Mellon, without
disclosing any interest he or she has in such securities or
issuer (other than an interest in publicly traded
securities where the total investment is equal to or less
than $25,000), including:
o any direct or indirect beneficial ownership of any
securities of such issuer;
o any contemplated transaction by the Investment Associate in
such securities;
o any position with such issuer or its affiliates; and
o any present or proposed business relationship between such
issuer or its affiliates and the Investment Associate or
any party in which the Investment Associate has a
beneficial ownership interest (see "Beneficial Ownership"
in Section Four, "Restrictions On Transactions in Mellon
Securities").
Portfolio Information - No Investment Associate may divulge
the current portfolio positions, or current or anticipated
portfolio transactions, programs or studies, of Mellon or
any Mellon customer to anyone unless it is properly within
his or her job responsibilities to do so.
Material Nonpublic Information - No Investment Associate
may engage in or recommend a securities transaction, for
his or her own benefit or for the benefit of others,
including Mellon or its customers, while in possession of
material nonpublic information regarding such securities.
No Investment Associate may communicate material nonpublic
information to others unless it is properly within his or
her job responsibilities to do so.
Short-Term Trading - Any Investment Associate who purchases
and sells, or sells and purchases, the same (or equivalent)
securities within any 60-calendar-day period is required to
disgorge all profits realized on such transaction in
accordance with procedures established by senior
management. For this purpose, securities will be deemed to
be equivalent if one is convertible into the other, if one
entails a right to purchase or sell the other, or if the
value of one is expressly dependent on the value of the
other (e.g., derivative securities).
Additional Restrictions For Dreyfus Associates and
Associates of Mellon Entities Registered Under The
Investment Advisers Act of 1940 ONLY ("40 Act
Associates")
o Outside Activities - No 40 Act associate may serve on the
board of directors/trustees or as a general partner of any
publicly traded company (other than Mellon) without the
prior approval of the Manager of Corporate Compliance.
o Gifts - All 40 Act associates are prohibited from accepting
gifts from outside companies, or their representatives,
with an exception for gifts of (1) a de minimis value and
(2) an occasional meal, a ticket to a sporting event or the
theater, or comparable entertainment for the 40 Act
associate and, if appropriate, a guest, which is neither so
frequent nor extensive as to raise any question of
impropriety. A gift shall be considered de minimis if it
does not exceed an annual amount per person fixed
periodically by the National Association of Securities
Dealers, which is currently $100 per person.
o Blackout Period - 40 Act associates will not be given
clearance to execute a transaction in any security that is
being considered for purchase or sale by an affiliated
investment company, managed account or trust, for which a
pending buy or sell order for such affiliated account is
pending, and for two business days after the transaction in
such security for such affiliated account has been
effected. This provision does not apply to transactions
effected or contemplated by index funds.
In addition, portfolio managers for the investment
companies are prohibited from buying or selling a security
within seven calendar days before and after such investment
company trades in that security. Any violation of the
foregoing will require the violator to disgorge all profit
realized with respect to such transaction.
PRECLEARANCE FOR PERSONAL SECURITIES TRANSACTIONS - All
Investment Associates must notify the Preclearance
Compliance Officer (see Glossary) in writing and receive
preclearance before they engage in any purchase or sale of
a security.
Exemptions from Requirement to Preclear - Preclearance is
not required for the following transactions:
o purchases or sales of "Exempt Securities" (see Glossary);
o purchases or sales effected in any account over which an
associate has no direct or indirect control over the
investment decision-making process (i.e., nondiscretionary
trading accounts). Nondiscretionary trading accounts may
only be maintained, without being subject to preclearance
procedures, when the Preclearance Compliance Officer, after
a thorough review, is satisfied that the account is truly
nondiscretionary;
O transactions which are non-volitional on the part of an
associate (such as stock dividends);
o the sale of stock received upon the exercise of an
associate stock option if the sale is part of a "netting of
shares" or "cashless exercise" administered by the Human
Resources Department (for which the Human Resources
Department will forward information to the manager of
Corporate Compliance);
o purchases which are part of an automatic reinvestment of
dividends under a DRIP (Preclearance is required for
optional cash purchases under a DRIP);
o purchases effected upon the exercise of rights issued by an
issuer pro rata to all holders of a class of securities, to
the extent such rights were acquired from such issuer;
o sales of rights acquired from an issuer, as described
above; and/or
o those situations where the Preclearance Compliance Officer
determines, after taking into consideration the particular
facts and circumstances, that prior approval is not
necessary.
Requests for Preclearance - All requests for preclearance
for a securities transaction shall be submitted to the
Preclearance Compliance Officer by completing a
Preclearance Request Form. (Investment Associates other
than Dreyfus associates are to use the Preclearance Request
Form shown as Exhibit C1. Dreyfus associates are to use the
Preclearance Request Form shown as Exhibit C2.)
The Preclearance Compliance Officer will notify the
Investment Associate whether the request is approved or
denied without disclosing the reason for such approval or
denial.
Notifications may be given in writing or verbally by the
Preclearance Compliance Officer to the Investment
Associate. A record of such notification will be maintained
by the Preclearance Compliance Officer. However, it shall
be the responsibility of the Investment Associate to obtain
a written record of the Preclearance Compliance Officer's
notification within 24 hours of such notification. The
Investment Associate should retain a copy of this written
record.
As there could be many reasons for preclearance being
granted or denied, Investment Associates should not infer
from the preclearance response anything regarding the
security for which preclearance was requested.
Although making a preclearance request does not obligate an
Investment Associate to do the transaction, it should be
noted that:
o preclearance authorization will expire at the end of the
day on which preclearance is given;
o preclearance requests should not be made for a transaction
that the Investment Associate does not intend to make; and
o Investment Associates should not discuss with anyone else,
inside or outside Mellon, the response the Investment
Associate received to a preclearance request.
Every Investment Associate must follow these procedures or
risk serious sanctions, including dismissal. If you have
any questions about these procedures, consult the
Preclearance Compliance Officer. Interpretive issues that
arise under these procedures shall be decided by, and are
subject to the discretion of, the Manager of Corporate
Compliance.
Restricted List - Each Preclearance Compliance Officer will
maintain a list (the "Restricted List") of companies whose
securities are deemed appropriate for implementation of
trading restrictions for Investment Associates in their
area. From time to time, such trading restrictions may be
appropriate to protect Mellon and its Investment Associates
from potential violations, or the appearance of violations,
of securities laws. The inclusion of a company on the
Restricted List provides no indication of the advisability
of an investment in the company's securities or the
existence of material nonpublic information on the company.
Nevertheless, the contents of the Restricted List will be
treated as confidential information in order to avoid
unwarranted inferences.
In order to assist the Preclearance Compliance Officer in
identifying companies that may be appropriate for inclusion
on the Restricted List, the head of the
entity/department/area in which Investment Associates are
employed will inform the appropriate Preclearance
Compliance Officer in writing of any companies that they
believe should be included on the Restricted List based
upon facts known or readily available to such department
heads.
PERSONAL SECURITIES TRANSACTIONS REPORTS
o Brokerage Accounts - All Investment Associates are required
to instruct their brokers to submit directly to the Manager
of Corporate Compliance copies of all trade confirmations
and statements relating to their account. Examples of
instruction letters to a broker are contained in Exhibits
B1 and B2.
o Report of Transactions in Mellon Securities - Investment
Associates must also report in writing to the Manager of
Corporate Compliance within ten calendar days whenever they
purchase or sell Mellon securities if the transaction was
not through a brokerage account as described above.
Purchases and sales of Mellon securities include the
following:
DRIP Optional Cash Purchases - Optional cash purchases
under Mellon's Dividend Reinvestment and Common Stock
Purchase Plan (the "Mellon DRIP").
Stock Options - The sale of stock received upon the
exercise of an associate stock option unless the sale is
part of a "netting of shares" or "cashless exercise"
administered by the Human Resources Department (for which
the Human Resources Department will forward information to
the Manager of Corporate Compliance).
It should be noted that the reinvestment of dividends under
the DRIP, changes in elections under Mellon's Retirement
Savings Plan, the receipt of stock under Mellon's
Restricted Stock Award Plan, and the receipt or exercise of
options under Mellon's Long-Term Profit Incentive Plan are
not considered purchases or sales for the purpose of this
reporting requirement.
An example of a written report to the Manager of Corporate
Compliance is contained in Exhibit A.
o Statement of Securities Holdings - Within ten days of
receiving this Policy and on an annual basis thereafter,
all Investment Associates must submit to the Manager of
Corporate Compliance a statement of all securities in which
they presently have any direct or indirect beneficial
ownership other than Exempt Securities, as defined in the
Glossary. Investment Associates should refer to "Beneficial
Ownership" in Section Four, "Restrictions on Transactions
in Mellon Securities," which is also applicable to
Investment Associates. Such statements should be in the
format shown in Exhibit D. The annual report must be
submitted by January 31 and must report all securities
holdings other than Exempt Securities. The annual statement
of securities holdings contains an acknowledgment that the
Investment Associate has read and complied with this
Policy.
o Special Requirement with Respect to Affiliated Investment
Companies - The portfolio managers, research analysts and
other Investment Associates specifically designated by the
Manager of Corporate Compliance are required within ten
calendar days of receiving this Policy (and by no later
than ten calendar days after the end of each calendar
quarter) to report every transaction in the securities
issued by an affiliated investment company occurring in an
account in which the Investment Associate has a beneficial
ownership interest. The quarterly reporting requirement may
be satisfied by notifying the Manager of Corporate
Compliance of the name of the investment company, account
name and account number for which such quarterly reports
must be submitted.
<PAGE>
CONFIDENTIAL TREATMENT
THE PRECLEARANCE COMPLIANCE OFFICER WILL USE HIS OR HER
BEST EFFORTS TO ASSURE THAT ALL REQUESTS FOR PRECLEARANCE,
ALL PERSONAL SECURITIES TRANSACTION REPORTS AND ALL REPORTS
OF SECURITIES HOLDINGS ARE TREATED AS "PERSONAL AND
CONFIDENTIAL." HOWEVER, SUCH DOCUMENTS WILL BE AVAILABLE
FOR INSPECTION BY APPROPRIATE REGULATORY AGENCIES, AND BY
OTHER PARTIES WITHIN AND OUTSIDE MELLON AS ARE NECESSARY TO
EVALUATE COMPLIANCE WITH OR SANCTIONS UNDER THIS POLICY.
DOCUMENTS RECEIVED FROM DREYFUS ASSOCIATES ARE ALSO
AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION BY THE BOARDS OF DIRECTORS OF
DREYFUS AND BY THE BOARDS OF DIRECTORS (OR TRUSTEES OR
MANAGING GENERAL PARTNERS, AS APPLICABLE) OF THE INVESTMENT
COMPANIES MANAGED OR ADMINISTERED BY DREYFUS.
<PAGE>
PART IV - APPLICABLE TO
OTHER ASSOCIATES ONLY
- ------------------------------
PRECLEARANCE FOR PERSONAL SECURITIES TRANSACTIONS - Except
for private placements, Other Associates are permitted to
engage in personal securities transactions without
obtaining prior approval from the Manager of Corporate
Compliance (for preclearance of private placements, use the
Preclearance Request Form shown as Exhibit C1.)
PERSONAL SECURITIES TRANSACTIONS REPORTS - Other Associates
are not required to report their personal securities
transactions other than margin transactions and
transactions involving Mellon securities as discussed
below. Other Associates are required to instruct their
brokers to submit directly to the Manager of Corporate
Compliance copies of all confirmations and statements
pertaining to margin accounts. Examples of an instruction
letter to a broker are shown in Exhibit B1.
Report of Transactions in Mellon Securities - Other
Associates must report in writing to the Manager of
Corporate Compliance within ten calendar days whenever they
purchase or sell Mellon securities. Purchases and sales of
Mellon securities include the following:
o DRIP Optional Cash Purchases - Optional cash purchases
under Mellon's Dividend Reinvestment and Common Stock
Purchase Plan (the "Mellon DRIP").
o Stock Options - The sale of stock received upon the
exercise of an associate stock option unless the sale is
part of a "netting of shares" or "cashless exercise"
administered by the Human Resources Department (for which
the Human Resources Department will forward information to
the Manager of Corporate Compliance).
It should be noted that the reinvestment of dividends under
the DRIP, changes in elections under Mellon's Retirement
Savings Plan, the receipt of stock under Mellon's
Restricted Stock Award Plan and the receipt or exercise of
options under Mellon's Long-Term Profit Incentive Plan are
not considered purchases or sales for the purpose of this
reporting requirement.
An example of a written report to the Manager of Corporate
Compliance is contained in Exhibit A.
RESTRICTIONS ON TRANSACTIONS IN OTHER SECURITIES
Margin Transactions - Prior to establishing a margin
account, Other Associates must obtain the written
permission of the Manager of Corporate Compliance. Other
Associates having a margin account prior to the effective
date of this Policy must notify the Manager of Corporate
Compliance of the existence of such account.
All associates having margin accounts, other than described
below, must designate the Manager of Corporate Compliance
as an interested party on each account. Associates must
ensure that the Manager of Corporate Compliance promptly
receives copies of all trade confirmations and statements
relating to the accounts directly from the broker. If
requested by a brokerage firm, please contact the Manager
of Corporate Compliance to obtain a letter (sometimes
referred to as a "407 letter") granting permission to
maintain a margin account. Trade confirmations and
statements are not required on margin accounts established
at Dreyfus Investment Services Corporation for the sole
purpose of cashless exercises of Mellon employee stock
options. In addition, products may be offered by a
broker/dealer that, because of their characteristics, are
considered margin accounts but have been determined by the
Manager of Corporate Compliance to be outside the scope of
this Policy (e.g., a Cash Management account which provides
overdraft protection for the customer). Any questions
regarding the establishment, use and reporting of margin
accounts should be directed to the Manager of Corporate
Compliance. An example of an instruction letter to a broker
is shown in Exhibit B1.
Private Placements - Other Associates are prohibited from
acquiring any security in a private placement unless they
obtain the prior written approval of the Manager of
Corporate Compliance and the Associate's department head.
Approval must be given by both of the aforementioned
persons for the acquisition to be considered approved.
As there could be many reasons for preclearance being
granted or denied, Other Associates should not infer from
the preclearance response anything regarding the security
for which preclearance was requested.
Although making a preclearance request does not obligate an
Other Associate to do the transaction, it should be noted
that:
o preclearance authorization will expire at the end of the
third business day after it is received (the day
authorization is granted is considered the first business
day);
o preclearance requests should not be made for a transaction
that the Other Associate does not intend to make; and
o Other Associates should not discuss with anyone else,
inside or outside Mellon, the response they received to a
preclearance request.
Every Other Associate must follow these procedures or risk
serious sanctions, including dismissal. If you have any
questions about these procedures you should consult the
Manager of Corporate Compliance. Interpretive issues that
arise under these procedures shall be decided by, and are
subject to the discretion of, the Manager of Corporate
Compliance.
CONFIDENTIAL TREATMENT
THE MANAGER OF CORPORATE COMPLIANCE WILL USE HIS OR HER
BEST EFFORTS TO ASSURE THAT ALL REQUESTS FOR PRECLEARANCE,
ALL PERSONAL SECURITIES TRANSACTION REPORTS AND ALL REPORTS
OF SECURITIES HOLDINGS ARE TREATED AS "PERSONAL AND
CONFIDENTIAL." HOWEVER, SUCH DOCUMENTS WILL BE AVAILABLE
FOR INSPECTION BY APPROPRIATE REGULATORY AGENCIES AND OTHER
PARTIES WITHIN AND OUTSIDE MELLON AS ARE NECESSARY TO
EVALUATE COMPLIANCE WITH OR SANCTIONS UNDER THIS POLICY.
<PAGE>
PART V - APPLICABLE TO
NONMANAGEMENT BOARD MEMBER
- ------------------------------
NONMANAGEMENT BOARD MEMBER -
You are considered to be a Nonmanagement Board Member if
you are:
o a director of Dreyfus who is not also an officer or
employee of Dreyfus ("Dreyfus Board Member"); or
o a director, trustee or managing general partner of any
investment company who is not also an officer or employee
of Dreyfus ("Mutual Fund Board Member").
The term "Independent" Mutual Fund Board Member means those
Mutual Fund Board Members who are not deemed "interested
persons" of an investment company, as defined by the
Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.
STANDARDS OF CONDUCT FOR NONMANAGEMENT BOARD MEMBER
Outside Activities - Nonmanagement Board Members are
prohibited from:
o accepting nomination or serving as a director, trustee or
managing general partner of an investment company not
advised by Dreyfus, without the express prior approval of
the board of directors of Dreyfus and the board of
directors/trustees or managing general partners of the
pertinent Dreyfus-managed fund(s) for which a Nonmanagement
Board Member serves as a director, trustee or managing
general partner;
o accepting employment with or acting as a consultant to any
person acting as a registered investment adviser to an
investment company without the express prior approval of
the board of directors of Dreyfus;
o owning Mellon securities if the Nonmanagement Board Member
is an "Independent" Mutual Fund Board Member, (since that
would destroy his or her "independent" status); and/or
o buying or selling Mellon's publicly traded securities
during a blackout period, which begins the 16th day of the
last month of each calendar quarter and ends three business
days after Mellon publicly announces the financial results
for that quarter.
Insider Trading and Tipping - The provisions set forth in
Section Two, "Insider Trading and Tipping," are applicable
to Nonmanagement Board Members.
Conflict of Interest - No Nonmanagement Board Member may
recommend a securities transaction for Mellon, Dreyfus or
any Dreyfus-managed fund without disclosing any interest he
or she has in such securities or issuer thereof (other than
an interest in publicly traded securities where the total
investment is less than or equal to $25,000), including:
o any direct or indirect beneficial ownership of any
securities of such issuer;
o any contemplated transaction by the Nonmanagement Board
Member in such securities;
o any position with such issuer or its affiliates; and
o any present or proposed business relationship between such
issuer or its affiliates and the Nonmanagement Board Member
or any party in which the Nonmanagement Board Member has a
beneficial ownership interest (see "Beneficial Ownership",
Section Four, "Restrictions on Transaction in Mellon
Securities").
Portfolio Information - No Nonmanagement Board Member may
divulge the current portfolio positions, or current or
anticipated portfolio transactions, programs or studies, of
Mellon, Dreyfus or any Dreyfus-managed fund, to anyone
unless it is properly within his or her responsibilities as
a Nonmanagement Board Member to do so.
Material Nonpublic Information - No Nonmanagement Board
Member may engage in or recommend any securities
transaction, for his or her own benefit or for the benefit
of others, including Mellon, Dreyfus or any Dreyfus-managed
fund, while in possession of material nonpublic
information. No Nonmanagement Board Member may communicate
material nonpublic information to others unless it is
properly within his or her responsibilities as a
Nonmanagement Board Member to do so.
PRECLEARANCE FOR PERSONAL SECURITIES TRANSACTIONS -
Nonmanagement Board Members are permitted to engage in
personal securities transactions without obtaining prior
approval from the Preclearance Compliance Officer.
<PAGE>
PERSONAL SECURITY TRANSACTIONS REPORTS -
o "Independent" Mutual Fund Board Members - Any "Independent"
Mutual Fund Board Members, as defined above, who effects a
securities transaction where he or she knew, or in the
ordinary course of fulfilling his or her official duties
should have known, that during the 15-day period
immediately preceding or after the date of such
transaction, the same security was purchased or sold, or
was being considered for purchase or sale by Dreyfus
(including any investment company or other account managed
by Dreyfus), are required to report such personal
securities transaction. In the event a personal securities
transaction report is required, it must be submitted to the
Preclearance Compliance Officer not later than ten days
after the end of the calendar quarter in which the
transaction to which the report relates was effected. The
report must include the date of the transaction, the title
and number of shares or principal amount of the security,
the nature of the transaction (e.g., purchase, sale or any
other type of acquisition or disposition), the price at
which the transaction was effected and the name of the
broker or other entity with or through whom the transaction
was effected. This reporting requirement can be satisfied
by sending a copy of the confirmation statement regarding
such transactions to the Preclearance Compliance Officer
within the time period specified. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, personal securities transaction reports are not
required with respect to any securities transaction
described in "Exemption from the Requirement to Preclear"
in Part III.
o Dreyfus Board Members and "Interested" Mutual Fund Board
Members - Dreyfus Board Members and Mutual Fund Board
Members who are "interested persons" of an investment
company, as defined by the Investment Company Act of 1940,
are required to report their personal securities
transactions. Personal securities transaction reports are
required with respect to any securities transaction other
than those described in "Exemptions from Requirement to
Preclear" on Page 21. Personal securities transaction
reports are required to be submitted to the Preclearance
Compliance Officer not later than ten days after the end of
the calendar quarter in which the transaction to which the
report relates was effected. The report must include the
date of the transaction, the title and number of shares or
principal amount of the security, the nature of the
transaction (e.g., purchase, sale or any other type of
acquisition or disposition), the price at which the
transaction was effected and the name of the broker or
other entity with or through whom the transaction was
effected. This reporting requirement can be satisfied by
sending a copy of the confirmation statement regarding such
transactions to the Preclearance Compliance Officer within
the time period specified.
CONFIDENTIAL TREATMENT
THE PRECLEARANCE COMPLIANCE OFFICER WILL USE HIS OR HER
BEST EFFORTS TO ASSURE THAT ALL PERSONAL SECURITIES
TRANSACTION REPORTS ARE TREATED AS "PERSONAL AND
CONFIDENTIAL." HOWEVER, SUCH DOCUMENTS WILL BE AVAILABLE
FOR INSPECTION BY APPROPRIATE REGULATORY AGENCIES AND OTHER
PARTIES WITHIN AND OUTSIDE MELLON AS ARE NECESSARY TO
EVALUATE COMPLIANCE WITH OR SANCTIONS UNDER THIS POLICY.
<PAGE>
GLOSSARY
- ------------------------------
DEFINITIONS
o APPROVAL - written consent or written notice of
nonobjection.
o ASSOCIATE - any employee of Mellon Bank Corporation or its
direct or indirect subsidiaries; does not include outside
consultants or temporary help.
o BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP - securities owned of record or held
in the associate's name are generally considered to be
beneficially owned by the associate.
Securities held in the name of any other person are deemed
to be beneficially owned by the associate if by reason of
any contract, understanding, relationship, agreement or
other arrangement, the associate obtains therefrom benefits
substantially equivalent to those of ownership, including
the power to vote, or to direct the disposition of, such
securities. Beneficial ownership includes securities held
by others for the associate's benefit (regardless of record
ownership), e.g. securities held for the associate or
members of the associate's immediate family, defined below,
by agents, custodians, brokers, trustees, executors or
other administrators; securities owned by the associate,
but which have not been transferred into the associate's
name on the books of the company; securities which the
associate has pledged; or securities owned by a corporation
that should be regarded as the associate's personal holding
corporation. As a natural person, beneficial ownership is
deemed to include securities held in the name or for the
benefit of the associate's immediate family, which includes
the associate's spouse, the associate's minor children and
stepchildren and the associate's relatives or the relatives
of the associate's spouse who are sharing the associate's
home, unless because of countervailing circumstances, the
associate does not enjoy benefits substantially equivalent
to those of ownership. Benefits substantially equivalent to
ownership include, for example, application of the income
derived from such securities to maintain a common home,
meeting expenses that such person otherwise would meet from
other sources, and the ability to exercise a controlling
influence over the purchase, sale or voting of such
securities. An associate is also deemed the beneficial
owner of securities held in the name of some other person,
even though the associate does not obtain benefits of
ownership, if the associate can vest or revest title in
himself at once, or at some future time.
In addition, a person will be deemed the beneficial owner
of a security if he has the right to acquire beneficial
ownership of such security at any time (within 60 days)
including but not limited to any right to acquire: (1)
through the exercise of any option, warrant or right; (2)
through the conversion of a security; or (3) pursuant to
the power to revoke a trust, nondiscretionary account or
similar arrangement.
With respect to ownership of securities held in trust,
beneficial ownership includes ownership of securities as a
trustee in instances where either the associate as trustee
or a member of the associate's "immediate family" has a
vested interest in the income or corpus of the trust, the
ownership by the associate of a vested beneficial interest
in the trust and the ownership of securities as a settlor
of a trust in which the associate as the settlor has the
power to revoke the trust without obtaining the consent of
the beneficiaries. Certain exemptions to these trust
beneficial ownership rules exist, including an exemption
for instances where beneficial ownership is imposed solely
by reason of the associate being settlor or beneficiary of
the securities held in trust and the ownership, acquisition
and disposition of such securities by the trust is made
without the associate's prior approval as settlor or
beneficiary. "Immediate family" of an associate as trustee
means the associate's son or daughter (including any
legally adopted children) or any descendant of either, the
associate's stepson or stepdaughter, the associate's father
or mother or any ancestor of either, the associate's
stepfather or stepmother and his spouse.
To the extent that stockholders of a company use it as a
personal trading or investment medium and the company has
no other substantial business, stockholders are regarded as
beneficial owners, to the extent of their respective
interests, of the stock thus invested or traded in. A
general partner in a partnership is considered to have
indirect beneficial ownership in the securities held by the
partnership to the extent of his pro rata interest in the
partnership. Indirect beneficial ownership is not, however,
considered to exist solely by reason of an indirect
interest in portfolio securities held by any holding
company registered under the Public Utility Holding Company
Act of 1935, a pension or retirement plan holding
securities of an issuer whose employees generally are
beneficiaries of the plan and a business trust with over 25
beneficiaries.
Any person who, directly or indirectly, creates or uses a
trust, proxy, power of attorney, pooling arrangement or any
other contract, arrangement or device with the purpose or
effect of divesting such person of beneficial ownership as
part of a plan or scheme to evade the reporting
requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 shall
be deemed the beneficial owner of such security.
The final determination of beneficial ownership is a
question to be determined in light of the facts of a
particular case. Thus, while the associate may include
security holdings of other members of his family, the
associate may nonetheless disclaim beneficial ownership of
such securities.
o "CHINESE WALL" POLICY - procedures designed to restrict the
flow of information within Mellon from units or individuals
who are likely to receive material nonpublic information to
units or individuals who trade in securities or provide
investment advice. (see pages 12-14).
o CORPORATION - Mellon Bank Corporation.
o DREYFUS - The Dreyfus Corporation and its subsidiaries.
o DREYFUS ASSOCIATE - any employee of Dreyfus; does not
include outside consultants or temporary help.
<PAGE>
o EXEMPT SECURITIES - Exempt Securities are defined as:
- securities issued or guaranteed by the United States
government or agencies or instrumentalities;
- bankers' acceptances;
- bank certificates of deposit and time deposits;
- commercial paper;
- repurchase agreements; and
- securities issued by open-end investment companies.
o GENERAL COUNSEL - General Counsel of Mellon Bank
Corporation or any person to whom relevant authority is
delegated by the General Counsel.
o INDEX FUND - an investment company which seeks to mirror
the performance of the general market by investing in the
same stocks (and in the same proportion) as a broad-based
market index.
o INITIAL PUBLIC OFFERING (IPO) - the first offering of a
company's securities to the public.
o INVESTMENT COMPANY - a company that issues securities that
represent an undivided interest in the net assets held by
the company. Mutual funds are investment companies that
issue and sell redeemable securities representing an
undivided interest in the net assets of the company.
o MANAGER OF CORPORATE COMPLIANCE - - the associate within
the Risk Management and Compliance Department of Mellon
Bank Corporation who is responsible for administering the
Confidential Information and Securities Trading Policy, or
any person to whom relevant authority is delegated by the
Manager of Corporate Compliance.
o MELLON - Mellon Bank Corporation and all of its direct and
indirect subsidiaries.
o NAKED OPTION - an option sold by the investor which
obligates him or her to sell a security which he or she
does not own.
o NONDISCRETIONARY TRADING ACCOUNT - an account over which
the associated person has no direct or indirect control
over the investment decision-making process.
o OPTION - a security which gives the investor the right but
not the obligation to buy or sell a specific security at a
specified price within a specified time.
o PRECLEARANCE COMPLIANCE OFFICER - a person designated by
the Manager of Corporate Compliance, to administer, among
other things, associates' preclearance request for a
specific business unit.
o PRIVATE PLACEMENT - an offering of securities that is
exempt from registration under the Securities Act of 1933
because it does not constitute a public offering.
o SENIOR MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE - the Senior Management
Committee of Mellon Bank Corporation.
o SHORT SALE - the sale of a security that is not owned by
the seller at the time of the trade.
<PAGE>
INDEX OF EXHIBITS
- ------------------------------
EXHIBIT A SAMPLE REPORT TO MANAGER OF CORPORATE COMPLIANCE
EXHIBIT B SAMPLE INSTRUCTION LETTER TO BROKER
EXHIBIT C PRECLEARANCE REQUEST FORM
EXHIBIT D PERSONAL SECURITIES HOLDINGS FORM
<PAGE>
EXHIBIT A
- ------------------------------
SAMPLE REPORT TO MANAGER OF CORPORATE COMPLIANCE
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MELLON INTEROFFICE
MEMORANDUM
Date: From: Associate
To: Manager, Corporate Compliance Dept:
Aim #:
Aim #: 151-4342 Phone:
Fax:
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
RE: REPORT OF SECURITIES TRADE
Type of Associate: ____________ Insider Risk
____________ Investment
____________ Other
Type of Security: ____________ Mellon Bank Corporation
____________ Mellon Bank Corporation - optional
cash purchases under Dividend
Reinvestment and Common Stock
Purchase Plan
____________ Mellon Bank Corporation - exercise
of an employee stock option
Attached is a copy of the confirmation slip for a securities trade I
engaged in on _____________________, 19xx.
or
On _____________________, 19xx, I (purchased/sold)__________________
shares of ___________________________ through (broker). I will
arrange to have a copy of the confirmation slip for this trade
delivered to you as soon as possible.
<PAGE>
EXHIBIT B1
- ------------------------------
FOR NON-DREYFUS ASSOCIATES
Date
Broker ABC
Street Address
City, State ZIP
Re: John Smith & Mary Smith
Account No. xxxxxxxxxxxxx
In connection with my existing brokerage accounts at your firm
noted above, please be advised that the Risk Management and
Compliance Department of Mellon Bank should be noted as an
"Interested Party" with respect to my accounts. They should,
therefore, be sent copies of all trade confirmations and account
statements relating to my account.
Please send the requested documentation ensuring the account
holder's name appears on all correspondence to:
Manager, Corporate Compliance
Mellon Bank
P.O. Box 3130
Pittsburgh, PA 15230-3130
Thank you for your cooperation in this request.
Sincerely yours,
Associate
cc: Manager, Corporate Compliance (151-4342)
<PAGE>
EXHIBIT B2
- ------------------------------
FOR DREYFUS ASSOCIATES
Date
Broker ABC
Street Address
City, State ZIP
Re: John Smith & Mary Smith
Account No. xxxxxxxxxxxxx
In connection with my existing brokerage accounts at your firm
noted above, please be advised that the Risk Management and
Compliance Department of Dreyfus Corporation should be noted as an
"Interested Party" with respect to my accounts. They should,
therefore, be sent copies of all trade confirmations and account
statements relating to my account.
Please send the requested documentation ensuring the account
holder's name appears on all correspondence to:
Compliance Officer at The Dreyfus Corporation
200 Park Avenue
Legal Department
New York, NY 10166
Thank you for your cooperation in this request.
Sincerely yours,
Associate
cc: Dreyfus Compliance
<PAGE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
EXHIBIT C1
- ------------------------------
PRECLEARANCE REQUEST FORM Non Dreyfus Associates
====================================================================================================
To: Manager, Corporate Compliance 151-4342 (All Insider and Other Associates)
Designated Preclearance Compliance Officer (All Investment Associates excluding Dreyfus)
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Associate Name: Title: Date:
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Phone #: AIM #: Social Security #: Department:
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
====================================================================================================
ACCOUNT INFORMATION
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Account Name: Account Number: Name of Broker/Bank:
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Relationship to registered owner(s) (if other than associate)
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I hereby request approval to execute the following trade in the above account:
====================================================================================================
TRANSACTION DETAIL
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Buy: Sell: Security/Contract: No. of Shares:
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If sale, date acquired: Margin Transaction: Initial Public Offering: Private Placement:
/ / Yes / / Yes / / Yes
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
====================================================================================================
DISCLOSURE STATEMENT
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I hereby represent that, to the best of my knowledge, neither I nor the registered account holder is
(1) attempting to benefit personally from any existing business relationship between the issuer and
Mellon or any Mellon-related fund or affiliate; (2) engaging in any manipulative or deceptive
trading activity; (3) in possession of any material non-public information concerning the security
to which is request relates.
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Associate Signature: Date:
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
====================================================================================================
COMPLIANCE OFFICER USE ONLY
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Approved: Disapproved: Authorized Signatory: Date:
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Comments:
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Note: This preclearance will lapse at the end of the day on __________________, 19__.
If you decide not to effect the trade, please notify me.
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: By:
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
EXHIBIT C2
- ------------------------------
PRECLEARANCE REQUEST FORM Dreyfus Associates Only
====================================================================================================
To: Dreyfus Compliance Officer
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Associate Name: Title: Date:
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Phone #: AIM #: Social Security #: Department:
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
====================================================================================================
ACCOUNT INFORMATION
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Account Name: Account Number: Name of Broker/Bank:
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Relationship to registered owner(s) (if other than associate)
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I hereby request approval to execute the following trade in the above account:
====================================================================================================
TRANSACTION DETAIL
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Buy: Sell: Security/Contract: Symbol:
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Amount: Current Market Price: If sale, date acquired: Margin Transaction:
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Is this a New Issue? Is this a Private Placement?
/ / Yes / / No / / Yes / / No
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reason for Transaction, identify source:
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
====================================================================================================
DISCLOSURE STATEMENT
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I hereby represent that, to the best of my knowledge, neither I nor the registered account holder is
(1) attempting to benefit personally from any existing business relationship between the issuer and
Mellon or any Mellon-related fund or affiliate; (2) engaging in any manipulative or deceptive
trading activity; (3) in possession of any material non-public information concerning the security
to which is request relates.
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Associate Signature: Date:
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
====================================================================================================
COMPLIANCE OFFICER USE ONLY
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Approved: Disapproved: Authorized Signatory: Date:
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Comments:
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Note: This preclearance will lapse at the end of the day on __________________, 19__.
If you decide not to effect the trade, please notify me.
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: By:
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
</TABLE>
<PAGE>
EXHIBIT D1
- ------------------------------
Return to: Manager, Corporate Compliance
Mellon Bank
P.O. Box 3130
Pittsburgh, PA 15230-3130
STATEMENT OF SECURITY HOLDINGS
As of
1. List of all securities in which you, your immediate family, any other
member of your immediate household, or any trust or estate of which you
or your spouse is a trustee or fiduciary or beneficiary, or of which your
minor child is a beneficiary, or any person for whom you direct or effect
transactions under a power of attorney or otherwise, maintain a
beneficial ownership - (see Glossary in Policy). If none, write NONE.
Securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government or its agencies or
instrumentalities, bankers' acceptances, bank certificates of deposit and
time deposits, commercial paper, repurchase agreements and shares of
registered investment companies need not be listed. IF YOUR LIST IS
EXTENSIVE, PLEASE ATTACH A COPY OF THE MOST RECENT STATEMENT FROM YOUR
BROKER(S), RATHER THAN LIST THEM ON THIS FORM.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
NAME OF SECURITY TYPE OF SECURITY AMOUNT OF SHARES
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
2. List the names and addresses of any broker/dealers holding accounts in
which you have a beneficial interest, including the name of your
registered representative (if applicable), the account registration and
the relevant account numbers. If none, write NONE.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
BROKER/ ADDRESS NAME OF ACCOUNT ACCOUNT
DEALER REGISTERED REGISTRATION NUMBER(S)
REPRESENTATIVE
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
I certify that the statements made by me on this form are true, complete and
correct to the best of my knowledge and belief, and are made in good faith. I
acknowledge I have read, understood and complied with the Confidential
Information and Securities Trading Policy.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Printed Name:
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Signature:
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
<PAGE>
EXHIBIT D2
- ------------------------------
Return to: Compliance Officer at the Dreyfus Corporation
200 Park Avenue
Legal Department
New York, NY 10166
STATEMENT OF SECURITY HOLDINGS
As of
1. List of all securities in which you, your immediate family, any other
member of your immediate household, or any trust or estate of which you
or your spouse is a trustee or fiduciary or beneficiary, or of which your
minor child is a beneficiary, or any person for whom you direct or effect
transactions under a power of attorney or otherwise, maintain a
beneficial interest. If none, write NONE. Securities issued or guaranteed
by the U.S. government or its agencies or instrumentalities, bankers'
acceptances, bank certificates of deposit and time deposits, commercial
paper, repurchase agreements and shares of registered investment
companies need not be listed. IF YOUR LIST IS EXTENSIVE, PLEASE ATTACH A
COPY OF THE MOST RECENT STATEMENT FROM YOUR BROKER(S), RATHER THAN LIST
THEM ON THIS FORM.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
NAME OF SECURITY TYPE OF SECURITY AMOUNT OF SHARES
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
2. List the names and addresses of any broker/dealers holding accounts in
which you have a beneficial interest, including the name of your
registered representative (if applicable), the account registration and
the relevant account numbers. If none, write NONE.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
BROKER/ ADDRESS NAME OF ACCOUNT ACCOUNT
DEALER REGISTERED REGISTRATION NUMBER(S)
REPRESENTATIVE
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
I certify that the statements made by me on this form are true, complete and
correct to the best of my knowledge and belief, and are made in good faith. I
acknowledge I have read, understood and complied with the Confidential
Information and Securities Trading Policy.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Printed Name:
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Signature:
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Exhibit (a)
Other Exhibit
POWER OF ATTORNEY
The undersigned hereby constitute and appoint Mark N. Jacobs, Steven
F. Newman, Michael A. Rosenberg, John B. Hammalian, Jeff Prusnofsky, Robert R.
Mullery, Janette E. Farragher and Mark Kornfeld and each of them, with full
power to act without the other, his or her true and lawful attorney-in-fact and
agent, with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for him or her and in
his or her name, place and stead, in any and all capacities (until revoked in
writing) to sign any and all amendments to the Registration Statement of Dreyfus
Global Growth Fund (including post-effective amendments and amendments thereto),
and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and other documents in
connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto
said attorneys-in-fact and agents, and each of them, full power and authority to
do and perform each and every act and thing ratifying and confirming all that
said attorneys-in-fact and agents or any of them, or their or his or her
substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.
/S/ JOSEPH S. DIMARTINO March 16, 2000
- ------------------------------------
Joseph S. DiMartino
/S/GORDON J. DAVIS March 16, 2000
- ------------------------------------
Gordon J. Davis
/S/DAVID P. FELDMAN March 16, 2000
- ------------------------------------
David P. Feldman
/S/LYNN MARTIN March 16, 2000
- ------------------------------------
Lynn Martin
/S/DANIEL ROSE March 16, 2000
- ------------------------------------
Daniel Rose
/S/PHILIP L. TOIA March 16, 2000
- ------------------------------------
Philip L. Toia
/S/SANDER VANOCUR March 16, 2000
- ------------------------------------
Sander Vanocur
/S/ANNE WEXLER March 16, 2000
- ------------------------------------
Anne Wexler
/S/ REX WILDER March 16, 2000
- ------------------------------------
Rex Wilder
Exhibit (b)
DREYFUS FLORIDA INTERMEDIATE MUNICIPAL BOND FUND
Certificate of Secretary
The undersigned, Michael A. Rosenberg, Secretary of Dreyfus Florida
Intermediate Municipal Bond Fund (the "Fund"), hereby certifies that set forth
below is a copy of the resolution adopted by the Fund's Board authorizing the
signing by Mark N. Jacobs, Steven F. Newman, Michael A. Rosenberg, John B.
Hammalian, Jeff Prusnofsky, Robert R. Mullery, Janette E. Farragher, and Mark
Kornfeld on behalf of the proper officers of the Fund pursuant to a power of
attorney:
RESOLVED, that the Registration Statement and any and all
amendments and supplements thereto, may be signed by any one
of Mark N. Jacobs, Steven F. Newman, Michael A. Rosenberg,
John B. Hammalian, Jeff Prusnofsky, Robert R. Mullery,
Janette E. Farragher, and Mark Kornfeld as the
attorney-in-fact for the proper officers of the Fund, with
full power of substitution and resubstitution; and that the
appointment of each of such persons as such
attorney-in-fact, hereby is authorized and approved; and
that such attorneys-in-fact; and each of them, shall have
full power and authority to do and perform each and every
act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in
connection with such Registration Statement and any and all
amendments and supplements thereto, as fully to all intents
and purposes as the officer, for whom he or she is acting as
attorney-in-fact, might or could do in person.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto signed my name and affixed the
seal of the Fund on April 26, 2000.
/s/ Michael A. Rosenberg
----------------------------
Michael A. Rosenberg,
Secretary
(SEAL)
