Additional Financial Information

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2019

Additional Financial Information [Abstract]

Additional Financial Information [Text Block]

NOTE 22. ADDITIONAL FINANCIAL INFORMATION

	December 31,
Consolidated Balance Sheets		2019		2018
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities:
Accounts payable	$	29,640	$	27,018
Accrued payroll and commissions		3,126		3,379
Current portion of employee benefit obligation		1,528		1,464
Accrued interest		2,498		2,557
Other		9,164		8,766
Total accounts payable and accrued liabilities	$	45,956	$	43,184

Consolidated Statements of Income		2019		2018		2017
Advertising expense	$	6,121	$	5,100	$	3,772
Interest expense incurred	$	8,622	$	8,450	$	7,203
Capitalized interest		(200)		(493)		(903)
Total interest expense	$	8,422	$	7,957	$	6,300

Cash and Cash Flows We typically maintain our restricted cash balances for purchases and sales of certain investment securities and funding of certain deferred compensation benefit payments.

The following table summarizes cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash balances contained on our consolidated balance sheets:

	December 31,
Cash and Cash Equivalents and Restricted Cash		2019		2018		2017		2016
Cash and cash equivalents	$	12,130	$	5,204	$	50,498	$	5,788
Restricted cash in Other current assets		69		61		6		7
Restricted cash in Other Assets		96		135		428		140
Cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash	$	12,295	$	5,400	$	50,932	$	5,935

The following table summarizes cash paid during the periods for interest and income taxes:

Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows		2019		2018		2017
Cash paid (received) during the year for:
Interest	$	8,693	$	8,818	$	6,622
Income taxes, net of refunds		1,421		(354)		2,006

The following table provides supplemental disclosures for the statement of cash flows related to operating leases:

		2019
Cash Flows from Operating Activities
Cash paid for amounts included in lease obligations:
Operating cash flows from operating leases	$	4,583

Supplemental Lease Cash Flow Disclosures
Operating lease right-of-use assets obtained
in exchange for new operating lease obligations		7,818

Noncash Investing and Financing Activities In connection with capital improvements and the acquisition of other productive assets, we negotiate favorable payment terms (referred to as vendor financing), which are reported as financing activities when paid. We recorded $2,632 of vendor financing commitments related to capital investments in 2019, $2,162 in 2018 and $1,000 in 2017.

Labor Contracts As of January 31, 2020, we employed approximately 246,000 persons. Approximately 40% of our employees are represented by the Communications Workers of America (CWA), the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) or other unions. After expiration of the agreements, work stoppages or labor disruptions may occur in the absence of new contracts or other agreements being reached. A contract covering approximately 13,000 traditional wireline employees in our West region expires in April 2020. Other contracts covering approximately 7,000 employees are scheduled to expire during 2020.