DREYFUS STRATEGIC MUNICIPAL BOND FUND, INC. |
DREYFUS STRATEGIC MUNICIPALS, INC. |
Notice of Annual Meeting of Stockholders
To the Stockholders:
The Annual Meeting of Stockholders of each of Dreyfus Strategic Municipal Bond Fund, Inc. and Dreyfus Strategic Municipals, Inc. (each, a Fund and, collectively, the Funds) will be held at the offices of The Dreyfus Corporation, 200 Park Avenue, 7th Floor, New York, New York, on Thursday, May 18, 2006 at 10:00 a.m., for the following purposes:
1. To elect Directors to serve for a three-year term and until their successors are duly elected and qualified. |
2. To transact such other business as may properly come before the meeting, or any adjournment or |
adjournments thereof. |
Stockholders of record at the close of business on March 14, 2006 will be entitled to receive notice of and to vote at the meeting.
By Order of the Board
New York, New York |
March 20, 2006 |
WE NEED YOUR PROXY VOTE |
A STOCKHOLDER MAY THINK HIS OR HER VOTE IS NOT IMPORTANT, BUT IT IS VITAL. BY LAW, THE ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS OF A FUND WILL HAVE TO BE ADJOURNED WITHOUT CONDUCTING ANY BUSINESS IF LESS THAN A QUORUM IS REPRESENTED. IN THAT EVENT, THE AFFECTED FUND WOULD CONTINUE TO SOLICIT VOTES IN AN ATTEMPT TO ACHIEVE A QUORUM. CLEARLY, YOUR VOTE COULD BE CRITICAL TO ENABLE THE FUND TO HOLD THE MEETING AS SCHEDULED, SO PLEASE RETURN YOUR PROXY CARD OR OTHERWISE VOTE PROMPTLY. YOU AND ALL OTHER STOCKHOLDERS WILL BENEFIT FROM YOUR COOPERATION.
DREYFUS STRATEGIC MUNICIPAL BOND FUND, INC. |
DREYFUS STRATEGIC MUNICIPALS, INC. |
COMBINED PROXY STATEMENT |
Annual Meeting of Stockholders |
to be held on Thursday, May 18, 2006 |
This proxy statement is furnished in connection with a solicitation of proxies by the Board of Directors of each of Dreyfus Strategic Municipal Bond Fund, Inc. (DSMB) and Dreyfus Strategic Municipals, Inc. (DSM) (each, a Fund and, collectively, the Funds) to be used at the Annual Meeting of Stockholders of each Fund to be held on Thursday, May 18, 2006 at 10:00 a.m., at the offices of The Dreyfus Corporation (Dreyfus), 200 Park Avenue, 7th Floor, New York, New York, for the purposes set forth in the accompanying Notice of Annual Meeting of Stockholders. Stockholders of record at the close of business on March 14, 2006 are entitled to be present and to vote at the meeting. Stockholders are entitled to one vote for each Fund share held and fractional votes for each fractional Fund share held. Stockholders can vote only on matters affecting the Fund(s) in which they hold shares. If a proposal is approved by stockholders of one Fund and not approved by stockholders of the other Fund, the proposal will be implemented only for the Fund that approved the proposal. Therefore, it is essential that stockholders who own shares in both Funds complete, date, sign and return each proxy card they receive. Shares represented by executed and unrevoked proxies will be voted in accordance with the specifications made thereon. If any enclosed form of proxy is executed and returned, it nevertheless may be revoked by a proxy given later. To be effective, such revocation must be received prior to the meeting. In addition, any stockholder who attends the meeting in person may vote by ballot at the meeting, thereby canceling any proxy previously given. As of March 14, 2006, the Funds had outstanding the following number of shares:
Common Stock | Auction Preferred Stock | |||
Name of Fund | Outstanding | Outstanding | ||
|
|
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DSMB | 48,254,703 | 7,440 | ||
DSM | 60,588,631 | 11,400 |
It is estimated that proxy materials will be mailed to stockholders of record on or about April 6, 2006. The principal executive offices of each Fund are located at 200 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10166. Copies of each Funds most recent Annual and Semi-Annual Reports are available upon request, without charge, by writing to the Fund at 144 Glenn Curtiss Boulevard, Uniondale, New York 11556-0144, or by calling toll-free 1-800-334-6899.
A quorum is constituted by the presence in person or by proxy of the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of the Fund entitled to vote at the meeting. If a proposal is to be voted upon by only one class of a Funds shares, a quorum of that class of shares (the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of the class) must be present in person or by proxy at the meeting in order for the proposal to be considered. Each Fund has two classes of capital stock: Common Stock, par value $0.001 per share (the Common Stock), and Auction Preferred Stock, par value $0.001 per share, liquidation preference $25,000 per share (the APS). The APS is further divided into Series A, Series B and Series C for DSMB and Series M, Series T, Series W, Series TH and Series F for DSM. Currently, no proposal is expected to be presented at the meeting that would require separate voting for each Series of APS.
PROPOSAL 1: ELECTION OF DIRECTORS
Each Funds Board of Directors is divided into three classes with the term of office of one class expiring each year. It is proposed that stockholders of each Fund consider the election of the individuals listed below (the Nominees) as Directors of the indicated class of such Fund, to serve for three-year terms and until their respective successors are duly elected and qualified. With respect to DSMB, Messrs. Joseph S. DiMartino, William Hodding Carter, III and Richard C. Leone are nominated to be elected as Class I Directors to serve for a three-year term. With respect to DSM, David W. Burke, Hans C. Mautner and John E. Zuccotti are nominated to be elected as Class III Directors to serve for a three-year term. Each Nominee currently serves as a Director of the Fund for which his election is proposed. Messrs. DiMartino, Carter and Leone also are continuing Class I Directors of DSM and Messrs. Burke, Mautner and Zuccotti also are continuing Class III Directors of DSMB. Each Nominee has consented to being named in this proxy statement and has agreed to continue to serve as a Director of the indicated Fund if elected. Biographical information about each Nominee is set forth below. Biographical information about each Funds Continuing Directors, information on each Nominees and Continuing Directors ownership of Fund shares and other relevant information is set forth on Exhibit A. Unless otherwise indicated, information set forth herein applies to both Funds.
Under the terms of each Funds Charter, holders of the APS voting as a single class are entitled, to the exclusion of holders of the Common Stock, to elect two Directors. Mr. Zuccotti currently is a Nominee for election by holders of DSMs APS as a Class III Director. DSMBs APS holders elected Mr. Zuccotti in 2005 as a Class III Director whose term expires in 2008, Robin A. Melvin is the other Director designated for holders of APS. Ms. Melvin was elected by APS holders of DSMB in 2004 as a Class II Director whose term expires in 2007, and by APS holders of DSM in 2005 as a Class II Director whose term expires in 2008.
Voting with regard to the election of Directors will be as follows: for DSM, holders of Common Stock and APS will vote together as a single class with respect to the election of Messrs. Burke and Mautner as Class III Directors and for DSMB, holders of Common Stock and APS will vote together as a single class with respect to the election of each Class I Director. APS holders of DSM will vote separately, to the exclusion of holders of the Common Stock, with respect to the election of Mr. Zuccotti as a Class III Director to represent the APS of DSM.
The persons named as proxies on the accompanying proxy card(s) intend to vote each such proxy for the election of the Nominees, unless stockholders specifically indicate on their proxies the desire to withhold authority to vote for elections to office. It is not contemplated that any Nominee will be unable to serve as a Director for any reason, but if that should occur prior to the meeting, the proxyholders reserve the right to substitute another person or persons of their choice as nominee or nominees.
None of the Nominees or Continuing Directors are interested persons of either Fund, as defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the 1940 Act). As independent directors of investment companies, they play a critical role in overseeing fund operations and policing potential conflicts of interest between the fund and its investment adviser and other service providers. The following tables present information about the Nominees including their principal occupations and other board memberships and affiliations. The address of each Nominee is 200 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10166.
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DSMB Nominees for Class I Director with Term Expiring in 2009 | ||||
Name (Age) of Nominee | Principal Occupation | Other Board Memberships | ||
Position with Fund (Since) | During Past 5 Years | and Affiliations | ||
JOSEPH S. DiMARTINO (62) | Corporate Director and Trustee | The Muscular Dystrophy | ||
Chairman of the Board and | Association, Director | |||
Class I Director of DSMB (1995) | Levcor International, Inc. | |||
an apparel fabric proces- | ||||
sor, Director | ||||
Century Business Services, | ||||
Inc., a provider of out- | ||||
sourcing functions for | ||||
small and medium size | ||||
companies, Director | ||||
The Newark Group, a | ||||
provider of a national | ||||
market of paper recov- | ||||
ery facilities, paper- | ||||
board mills and paper- | ||||
board converting | ||||
plants, Director | ||||
Sunair Services Corpor- | ||||
ation, engages in the | ||||
design, manufacture | ||||
and sale of high fre- | ||||
quency systems for | ||||
long-range voice and | ||||
data communications, | ||||
as well as providing | ||||
certain outdoor-related | ||||
services to homes and | ||||
businesses, Director | ||||
WILLIAM HODDING CARTER, III (70) | President and Chief Executive | Independent Sector, | ||
Class I Director of DSMB (1989) | Officer of John S. and James L. | Director | ||
Knight Foundation (1998-2005) | The Century Foundation, | |||
Director | ||||
The Enterprise Corporation | ||||
of the Delta, Director | ||||
Foundation of the Mid- | ||||
South, Director | ||||
RICHARD C. LEONE (65) | President of The Century | The American Prospect, | ||
Class I Director of DSMB (1989) | Foundation (formerly, The | Director | ||
Twentieth Century Fund, Inc.), a tax | Center for American | |||
exempt research foundation engaged | Progress, Director | |||
in the study of economic, foreign | ||||
policy and domestic issues |
3 |
DSM Nominees for Class III Director with Term Expiring in 2009
Name (Age) of Nominee | Principal Occupation | Other Board Memberships | ||
Position with Fund (Since) | During Past 5 Years | and Affiliations | ||
DAVID W. BURKE (69) | Corporate Director and Trustee | John F. Kennedy Library | ||
Class III Director of DSM (1994) | Foundation, Director | |||
U.S.S. Constitution | ||||
Museum, Director | ||||
HANS C. MAUTNER (68) | President - International Division | Capital and Regional | ||
Class III Director of DSM (1989) | and an Advisory Director of | PLC, a British co-invest- | ||
Simon Property Group, a real | ing real estate asset man- | |||
estate investment company (1998- | ager, Director | |||
present) | Member Board of | |||
Director and Vice Chairman of | Managers of: | |||
Simon Property Group (1998- | Mezzacappa Long/Short | |||
2003) | Fund LLC | |||
Chairman and Chief Executive | Mezzacappa Multi- | |||
Officer of Simon Global Limited | Strategy Fund LLC | |||
(1999-present) | Mezzacappa Multi- | |||
Strategy Plus Fund LLC | ||||
JOHN E. ZUCCOTTI (68) | Chairman of Brookfield Financial | Emigrant Savings Bank, | ||
Class III Director of DSMB (1989) | Properties, Inc. | Director | ||
APS Designee for DSM (2000) | Senior Counsel of Weil, Gotshal & | Wellpoint, Inc., Director | ||
Manges, LLP | Visiting Nurse Service of | |||
Chairman of the Real Estate Board | New York, Director | |||
of New York | Columbia University, | |||
Trustee | ||||
Doris Duke Charitable | ||||
Foundation, Trustee |
Each Fund has standing audit, nominating and compensation committees, each comprised of its Directors who are not interested persons of the Fund, as defined in the 1940 Act. The function of the audit committee is (1) to oversee the Funds accounting and financial reporting processes and the audits of the Funds financial statements and (2) to assist in the Board of Directors oversight of the integrity of the Funds financial statements, the Funds compliance with legal and regulatory requirements and the independent auditors qualifications, independence and performance. The Funds Audit Committee Charter, which describes the audit committees purposes, duties and responsibilities, was attached as an exhibit to the Funds proxy statement dated April 15, 2004.
Each Funds nominating committee is responsible for selecting and nominating persons as members of the Board of Directors for election or appointment by the Board and for election by stockholders. Each nominating committee member is independent as defined by the New York Stock Exchange. A copy of the Funds Nominating Committee Charter and Procedures was attached as an exhibit to the Funds proxy statement dated April 15, 2004 (the Nominating Committee Charter). In evaluating potential nominees, including any nominees recommended by stockholders, the committee takes into consideration the factors listed in the Nominating Committee Charter, including character and integrity, business and professional experience, and whether the committee believes the person has the ability to apply sound and independent business judgment and would act in the interest of the Fund and its stockholders. The committee will consider recommendations for nominees from stockholders submitted to the Secretary of the Fund, c/o The Dreyfus Corporation Legal Department, 200 Park Avenue, 8th Floor, New York, New York 10166, and including information regarding the recommended nominee as specified in the Nominating Committee Charter.
4 |
The function of the compensation committee is to establish the appropriate compensation for serving on the Board. Each Fund also has a standing pricing committee, comprised of any one Director. The function of the pricing committee is to assist in valuing the Funds investments.
DSMs and DSMBs audit committee met five and four times respectively during the Funds last fiscal year. Each Funds nominating committee met once and each Funds pricing and compensation committees did not meet during the Funds last fiscal year.
Each Fund Director also serves as a director of other funds in the Dreyfus fund complex. Annual retainer fees and attendance fees are allocated on the basis of net assets, with the Chairman of the Board of each Fund, Joseph S. DiMartino, receiving an additional 25% in annual retainer and per meeting fees. The Fund reimburses Directors for their expenses. Emeritus Directors, if any, are entitled to receive an annual retainer and per meeting attended fee of one-half the amount paid to them as Directors. The Funds had no Emeritus Directors as of the date of this proxy statement. The Funds do not pay any other remuneration to their officers or Directors and neither Fund has a bonus, pension, profit-sharing or retirement plan.
The aggregate amount of compensation paid to each Nominee by DSMB for its fiscal year ended November 30, 2005, and by DSM for its fiscal year ended September 30, 2005, and the aggregate amount of compensation paid to each such Nominee by all funds in the Dreyfus Family of Funds for which such Nominee was a Board member (the number of portfolios of such funds is set forth in parenthesis next to each Nominees total compensation) for the year ended December 31, 2005, was as follows:
Total Compensation | ||||
Aggregate | from each Fund and | |||
Name of | Compensation | Fund Complex | ||
Nominee and Fund | from each Fund* | Paid to Nominee (**) | ||
William Hodding Carter, III | $51,000 (11) | |||
DSMB | $4,581 | |||
DSM | $6,897 | |||
Joseph S. DiMartino | $833,262 (190) | |||
DSMB | $5,725 | |||
DSM | $8,623 | |||
Richard C. Leone | $47,000 (11) | |||
DSMB | $4,581 | |||
DSM | $6,897 | |||
David W. Burke | $287,500 (84) | |||
DSMB | $4,581 | |||
DSM | $6,897 | |||
Hans C. Mautner | $51,000 (11) | |||
DSMB | $4,581 | |||
DSM | $6,897 | |||
John E. Zuccotti | $51,000 (11) | |||
DSMB | $4,581 | |||
DSM | $6,336 |
* Amount does not include the cost of office space, secretarial services and health benefits for the chairman and expenses reimbursed to Board members attending Board meetings, which in the aggregate amounted to $3,301 for DSM and $2,646 for DSMB for all Directors as a group.
** Represents the number of separate portfolios comprising the investment companies in the fund complex, including the Funds, for which the Nominee serves as a Board member.
5 |
For each Funds most recent fiscal year, the number of Board meetings held and aggregate amount of compensation paid to each Continuing Director who is not a Nominee by each Fund and by all funds in the Dreyfus Family of Funds for which such person is a Board member are set forth on Exhibit A. Certain other information concerning each Funds Directors and officers also is set forth on Exhibit A.
Required Vote
The election of a Nominee for Director of each Fund requires the affirmative vote of a plurality of votes cast at the Funds meeting for the election of Directors.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Selection of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
The 1940 Act requires that each Funds independent registered public accounting firm (the independent auditors or auditors) be selected by a majority of those Directors who are not interested persons (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the Fund. The audit committee has direct responsibility for the appointment, compensation, retention and oversight of the Funds independent auditors. At a meeting held on November 14, 2005 for DSMB and August 15, 2005 for DSM, each Funds audit committee approved and each Funds Board, including a majority of those Directors who are not interested persons of the Fund, ratified the selection of Ernst & Young LLP (E&Y) as the independent auditors for the respective Funds fiscal year ending in 2006. E&Y, a major international accounting firm, has acted as auditors of each Fund since the Funds organization. After reviewing the Funds audited financial statements for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2005 for DSM, and November 30, 2005 for DSMB, each Funds audit committee recommended to the Funds Board that such statements be included in the Funds annual report to stockholders. Copies of the audit committees report for DSM and DSMB are attached as Exhibits B and C, respectively, to this proxy statement.
Independent Auditor Fees and Services
The following chart reflects fees to E&Y in each Funds last two fiscal years. For Service Affiliates (i.e., Dreyfus and any entity controlling, controlled by or under common control with Dreyfus that provides ongoing services to the relevant Fund), any fees under the audit-related and tax fees designations represent only those fees that required pre-approval by the audit committee.
DSM1 | Service Affiliates1 | DSMB2 | Service Affiliates2 | |||||
Audit Fees | $31,710/$34,374 | N/A | $31,710/$34,374 | N/A | ||||
Audited-Related Fees3 | $20,500/$4,725 | $0/$0 | $20,500/$16,800 | $0/$0 | ||||
Tax Fees4 | $2,610/$3,018 | $0/$0 | $2,674/$2,994 | $0/$0 | ||||
Aggregate Non-Audit Fees5 | $0/$0 | $1,009,324/$761,002 | $0/$0 | $832,155/$917,339 |
1 Fiscal years ended September 30, 2004/September 30, 2005. |
2 Fiscal years ended November 30, 2004/November 30, 2005. |
3 Services to the Fund consisted of (i) agreed-upon procedures related to compliance with basic maintenance requirements |
for auction preferred stock; and (ii) security counts required by Rule 17f-2 under the 1940 Act. |
4 Services to the Fund consisted of (i) review or preparation of U.S. federal, state, local and excise tax returns; (ii) U.S. fed- |
eral, state and local tax planning, advice and assistance regarding statutory, regulatory or administrative developments; and |
(iii) tax advice regarding tax qualification matters and/or treatment of various financial instruments held or proposed to be |
acquired or held. |
5 Rendered to the Fund and Service Affiliates. |
6 |
Audit Committee Pre-Approval Policies and Procedures. Each Funds audit committee has established policies and procedures (the Policy) for pre-approval (within specified fee limits) of E&Ys engagements for non-audit services to the Fund and Service Affiliates without specific case-by-case consideration. Pre-approval considerations include whether the proposed services are compatible with maintaining E&Ys independence. Pre-approvals pursuant to the Policy are considered annually.
Auditor Independence. Each Funds audit committee has considered whether the provision of non-audit services that were rendered to Service Affiliates which did not require pre-approval are compatible with maintaining E&Ys independence.
A representative of E&Y is expected to be present at the meeting, will have the opportunity to make a statement, and will be available to respond to appropriate questions.
Service Providers |
Dreyfus, located at 200 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10166, serves as each Funds investment adviser. Mellon Trust of New England, N.A., an affiliate of Dreyfus, located at One Boston Place, Boston, MA 02108, acts as Custodian for the assets of each Fund. PFPC Inc., located at 4400 Computer Drive, Westboro, MA 01581, acts as DSMBs Transfer Agent, Dividend-Paying Agent and Registrar; and The Bank of New York, located at P.O. Box 11258, Church Street Station, New York, New York 10286, acts as DSMs Transfer Agent, Dividend-Paying Agent and Registrar.
Voting Information |
To vote, please complete, date and sign the enclosed proxy card for each Fund in which you hold shares and mail it in the enclosed, postage-paid envelope.
Each Fund will bear its pro rata share of the cost of soliciting proxies based on the net assets of the Fund. In addition to the use of the mails, proxies may be solicited personally or by telephone, and each Fund may pay persons holding shares of the Fund in their names or those of their nominees for their expenses in sending soliciting materials to their principals. Authorizations to execute proxies may be obtained by fax, or by telephonic instructions in accordance with procedures designed to authenticate the stockholders identity. In all cases where a telephonic proxy is solicited, the stockholder will be asked to provide his or her address and social security number (in the case of an individual) or taxpayer identification number (in the case of a non-individual) and to confirm that the stockholder has received the Funds proxy statement and proxy card in the mail. Within 72 hours of receiving a stockholders solicited telephonic voting instructions, a confirmation will be sent to the stockholder to ensure that the vote has been taken in accordance with the stockholders instructions and to provide a telephone number to call immediately if the stockholders instructions are not correctly reflected in the confirmation. Shares represented by executed and unrevoked proxies will be voted in accordance with the specifications made thereon, and if no voting instructions are given, shares will be voted FOR the Proposals.
If a proxy is properly executed and returned accompanied by instructions to withhold authority to vote, represents a broker non-vote (that is, a proxy from a broker or nominee indicating that such person has not received instructions from the beneficial owner or other person entitled to vote shares of the Fund on a particular matter with respect to which the broker or nominee does not have discretionary power) or marked with an abstention (collectively, abstentions), the Funds shares represented thereby will be considered to be present at the meeting for purposes of determining the existence of a quorum for the transaction of business. Under Maryland law, abstentions do not constitute a vote for or against a matter and will be disregarded in determining votes cast on an issue.
OTHER MATTERS |
Neither Funds Board is aware of any other matter which may come before the meeting. However, should any such matter with respect to one or both Funds properly come before the meeting, it is the intention of the persons named in the accompanying form of proxy to vote the proxy in accordance with their judgment on such matter.
Proposals that stockholders wish to include in a Funds proxy statement for the Funds next Annual Meeting of Stockholders must be sent to and received by such Fund no later than December 15, 2006 at the principal executive offices
7 |
of the Fund at 200 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10166, Attention: Secretary of the Fund. The date after which notice of a stockholder proposal is considered untimely, except as otherwise permitted under applicable law, is February 28, 2007.
Stockholders who wish to communicate with Directors should send communications to the attention of the Secretary of the Fund, 200 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10166, and communications will be directed to the Director or Directors indicated in the communication or, if no Director or Directors are indicated, to the Chairman of the Board of Directors.
NOTICE TO BANKS, BROKER/DEALERS AND |
VOTING TRUSTEES AND THEIR NOMINEES |
Please advise, as appropriate, Dreyfus Strategic Municipals, Inc., in care of The Bank of New York, Proxy Department, 101 Barclay Street, New York, New York 10286, or Dreyfus Strategic Municipal Bond Fund, Inc., in care of PFPC Inc., P.O. Box 43027, Providence, RI 02940-3027, whether other persons are the beneficial owners of the shares for which proxies are being solicited, and if so, the number of copies of the proxy statement and other soliciting material you wish to receive in order to supply copies to the beneficial owners of shares.
IT IS IMPORTANT THAT PROXIES BE RETURNED PROMPTLY. THEREFORE, STOCKHOLDERS WHO DO NOT EXPECT TO ATTEND THE MEETING IN PERSON ARE URGED TO COMPLETE, SIGN, DATE AND RETURN EACH ENCLOSED PROXY CARD IN THE ENCLOSED STAMPED ENVELOPE.
Dated: March 20, 2006 |
8 |
EXHIBIT A |
PART I |
Part I sets forth information relevant to the Continuing Directors who are not Nominees for election at this meeting, Board and committee meetings, and share ownership. Unless otherwise indicated, the information set forth herein applies to both Funds.
Continuing Class II Directors with Terms Expiring in 2007 for DSMB and 2008 for DSM
The following table presents information about the Continuing Directors of the Funds, including their principal occupations and other board memberships and affiliations. In addition to the Continuing Directors listed below, Messrs. DiMartino, Carter and Leone are Class I Continuing Directors of DSM and Messrs. Burke, Mautner and Zuccotti are Class III Continuing Directors of DSMB. The address of each Continuing Director is 200 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10166. Each of the Funds Continuing Directors will continue to serve as a Director of the Funds after the meeting.
Name (Age) of Continuing Director | Principal Occupation | Other Board Memberships | ||
Position with Fund (Since) | During Past 5 Years | and Affiliations | ||
EHUD HOUMINER (65) | Executive-in-Residence at the | Avnet Inc., an electronics | ||
Class II Director of each Fund (1994) | Columbia Business School, | distributor, Director | ||
Columbia University | International Advisory | |||
Principal of Lear, Yavitz and | Board to the MBA | |||
Associates, a management | Program School of | |||
consulting firm | Management, Ben | |||
Gurion University, | ||||
Chairman | ||||
Explore Charter School, | ||||
Brooklyn, NY, | ||||
Chairman | ||||
ROBIN A. MELVIN (42) | Director, Boisi Family foundation, a | None | ||
Class II Director of each Fund (1995) | private family foundation that sup- | |||
APS Designee for DSM (2000) | ports youth-serving organizations | |||
APS Designee for DSMB (1999) | that promote the self sufficiency of | |||
youth from disadvantaged circum- | ||||
stances |
A-1 |
The table below indicates the dollar range of each Continuing Directors and Nominees ownership of shares of each Funds Common Stock and shares of other funds in the Dreyfus Family of Funds for which he or she is a Board member, in each case as of December 31, 2005.
Aggregate Holding of | ||||||
Funds in the | ||||||
DSM | DSMB | Dreyfus Family of Funds | ||||
Name of Continuing | Common | Common | for which Responsible as | |||
Director or Nominee | Stock | Stock | a Board Member | |||
Ehud Houminer | None | None | Over $100,000 | |||
Robin A. Melvin | None | None | $1 $10,000 | |||
Joseph S. DiMartino* | None | $5,000 | Over $100,000 | |||
Hodding Carter III* | None | None | None | |||
Richard C. Leone* | $10,001 - $50,000 | $1 - $10,000 | Over $100,000 | |||
David W. Burke* | None | None | Over $100,000 | |||
Hans C. Mautner* | None | None | Over $100,000 | |||
John E. Zuccotti* | None | None | Over $100,000 | |||
|
||||||
* Nominee |
As of December 31, 2005, none of the Nominees or Continuing Directors or their immediate family members owned securities of Dreyfus or any person (other than a registered investment company) directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by or under common control with Dreyfus.
A-2 |
PERTAINING TO THE BOARD OF EACH FUND
| DSM held five Board meetings and DSMB held four Board meetings during its last fiscal year. | |
| The Funds do not have a formal policy regarding Directors attendance at annual meetings of stockholders. | |
Directors did not attend last years annual meeting. | ||
| All Continuing Directors and Nominees attended at least 75% of all Board and committee meetings, as applica- | |
ble, held in the last fiscal year. |
Compensation Table. The aggregate amount of compensation paid to each Continuing Director by DSMB for its fiscal year ended November 30, 2005, and by DSM for its fiscal year ended September 30, 2005, and by all funds in the Dreyfus Family of Funds for which such Director was a Board member (the number of portfolios of such funds is set forth in parenthesis next to each Directors total compensation) for the year ended December 31, 2005, was as follows:
Total | ||||
compensation | ||||
from each Fund and | ||||
Aggregate | fund complex | |||
Name of Continuing | compensation | paid to | ||
Director and Fund | from each Fund* | Continuing Director (**) | ||
Ehud Houminer | $103,750 (11) | |||
DSMB | $4,581 | |||
DSM | $6,336 | |||
Robin A. Melvin | $43,000 (11) | |||
DSMB | $4,183 | |||
DSM | $6,349 |
* Amount does not include the cost of office space, secretarial services and health benefits for the chairman and expenses reimbursed to Board members attending Board meetings, which in the aggregate amounted to $3,301 for DSM and $2,646 for DSMB for all Directors as a group.
** Represents the number of separate portfolios comprising the investment companies in the fund complex, including the Funds, for which the Director serves as a Board member.
A-3 |
PART II | ||||||||
Part II sets forth information regarding the officers of each Fund. | ||||||||
Name and Position | Principal Occupation and Business | |||||||
with Funds (Since) | Age | Experience For Past Five Years | ||||||
|
|
|
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STEPHEN E. CANTER | ||||||||
President (2000) | 60 | Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer | ||||||
and Chief Operating Officer of Dreyfus, and an | ||||||||
officer of 90 investment companies (comprised | ||||||||
of 184 portfolios) managed by Dreyfus. Mr. | ||||||||
Canter also is a Board Member and, where | ||||||||
applicable, Executive Committee Member of | ||||||||
the other investment management subsidiaries | ||||||||
of Mellon Financial Corporation, each of which | ||||||||
is an affiliate of Dreyfus. He has been an | ||||||||
employee of Dreyfus since May 1995. | ||||||||
STEPHEN R. | BYERS | |||||||
Executive Vice | President | (2002) | 52 | Chief Investment Officer, Vice Chairman and | ||||
a Director of Dreyfus, and an officer of 90 | ||||||||
investment companies (comprised of 184 port- | ||||||||
folios) managed by Dreyfus. Mr. Byers also is an | ||||||||
Officer, Director or an Executive Committee | ||||||||
Member of certain other investment manage- | ||||||||
ment subsidiaries of Mellon Financial | ||||||||
Corporation, each of which is an affiliate of | ||||||||
Dreyfus. He has been an employee of Dreyfus | ||||||||
since January 2000. | ||||||||
JOSEPH P. DARCY | ||||||||
Executive Vice President | (2000) | 49 | Senior Portfolio Manager Dreyfus | |||||
Municipal Securities and an officer of 1 other | ||||||||
investment company (comprised of 1 portfo- | ||||||||
lio) managed by Dreyfus. He has been an | ||||||||
employee of Dreyfus since May 1994. | ||||||||
MARK N. JACOBS | ||||||||
Vice President | (2000) | 59 | Executive Vice President, Secretary and | |||||
General Counsel of Dreyfus, and an officer of | ||||||||
91 investment companies (comprised of 200 | ||||||||
portfolios) managed by Dreyfus. He has been | ||||||||
an employee of Dreyfus since June 1977. | ||||||||
JAMES WINDELS | ||||||||
Treasurer (2001) | 47 | Director Mutual Fund Accounting of | ||||||
Dreyfus, and an officer of 91 investment com- | ||||||||
panies (comprised of 200 portfolios) managed | ||||||||
by Dreyfus. He has been an employee of | ||||||||
Dreyfus since April 1985. |
A-4 |
Name and Position | Principal Occupation and Business | |||||
with Funds (Since) | Age | Experience For Past Five Years | ||||
|
|
|
||||
JOHN B. HAMMALIAN | ||||||
Vice President and Assistant Secretary | (2005) | 42 | Associate General Counsel of Dreyfus, and | |||
an officer of 91 investment companies (com- | ||||||
prised of 200 portfolios) managed by Dreyfus. | ||||||
He has been an employee of Dreyfus since | ||||||
February 1991. | ||||||
ROBERT R. MULLERY | ||||||
Vice President and Assistant Secretary (2005) | 54 | Associate General Counsel of Dreyfus, and an | ||||
officer of 91 investment companies (comprised | ||||||
of 200 portfolios) managed by Dreyfus. He has | ||||||
been an employee of Dreyfus since May 1986. | ||||||
JEFF PRUSNOFSKY | ||||||
Vice President and Assistant Secretary | (2005) | 40 | Associate General Counsel of Dreyfus, and | |||
an officer of 91 investment companies (com- | ||||||
prised of 200 portfolios) managed by Dreyfus. | ||||||
He has been an employee of Dreyfus since | ||||||
October 1990. | ||||||
ERIK D. NAVILOFF | ||||||
Assistant Treasurer (2002) | 37 | Senior Account Manager Taxable Fixed | ||||
Income Funds of Dreyfus, and an officer of 91 | ||||||
investment companies (comprised of 200 port- | ||||||
folios) managed by Dreyfus. He has been an | ||||||
employee of Dreyfus since November 1992. | ||||||
JAMES BITETTO | ||||||
Vice President and Assistant Secretary | (2005) | 39 | Assistant General Counsel and Assistant | |||
Secretary of Dreyfus, and an officer of 91 | ||||||
investment companies (comprised of 200 | ||||||
portfolios) managed by Dreyfus. He has been | ||||||
an employee of Dreyfus since October 1996. | ||||||
JONI LACKS CHARATAN | ||||||
Vice President and Assistant Secretary | (2005) | 50 | Associate General Counsel of Dreyfus, and | |||
an officer of 91 investment companies (com- | ||||||
prised of 200 portfolios) managed by Dreyfus. | ||||||
She has been an employee of Dreyfus since | ||||||
October 1988. | ||||||
JOSEPH M. CHIOFFI | ||||||
Vice President and Assistant Secretary | ( 2005) | 44 | Assistant General Counsel of Dreyfus, and an | |||
officer of 91 investment companies (com- | ||||||
prised of 200 portfolios) managed by Dreyfus. | ||||||
He has been an employee of Dreyfus since | ||||||
June 2000. | ||||||
JANETTE E. FARRAGHER | ||||||
Vice President and Assistant Secretary | ( 2005) | 43 | Associate General Counsel of Dreyfus, and | |||
an officer of 91 investment companies (com- | ||||||
prised of 200 portfolios) managed by Dreyfus. | ||||||
She has been an employee of Dreyfus since | ||||||
February 1984. |
A-5 |
Name and Position | Principal Occupation and Business | |||
with Funds (Since) | Age | Experience For Past Five Years | ||
|
|
|
||
MICHAEL A. ROSENBERG | ||||
Vice President and Secretary (2005) | 45 | Associate General Counsel of Dreyfus, and | ||
an officer of 91 investment companies (com- | ||||
prised of 200 portfolios) managed by Dreyfus. | ||||
He has been an employee of Dreyfus since | ||||
October 1991. | ||||
GAVIN C. REILLY | ||||
Assistant Treasurer (2005) | 37 | Tax Manager of the Investment Accounting | ||
and Support Department of Dreyfus, and an | ||||
officer of 91 investment companies (com- | ||||
prised of 200 portfolios) managed by Dreyfus. | ||||
He has been an employee of Dreyfus since | ||||
April 1991. | ||||
ROBERT S. ROBOL | ||||
Assistant Treasurer (2005) | 41 | Senior Accounting Manager Money | ||
Market Funds of Dreyfus, and an officer of | ||||
91 investment companies (comprised of 200 | ||||
portfolios) managed by Dreyfus. He has been | ||||
an employee of Dreyfus since October 1988. | ||||
ROBERT SVAGNA | ||||
Assistant Treasurer (2005) | 38 | Senior Accounting Manager Equity Funds | ||
of Dreyfus, and an officer of 91 investment | ||||
companies (comprised of 200 portfolios) | ||||
managed by Dreyfus. He has been an | ||||
employee of Dreyfus since November 1990. | ||||
JOSEPH W. CONNOLLY | ||||
Chief Compliance Officer (2004) | 48 | Chief Compliance Officer of Dreyfus and The | ||
Dreyfus Family of Funds (91 investment com- | ||||
panies, comprised of 200 portfolios). From | ||||
November 2001 through March 2004, Mr. | ||||
Connolly was first Vice-President, Mutual Fund | ||||
Servicing for Mellon Global Securities Services. | ||||
In that capacity, Mr. Connolly was responsible | ||||
for managing Mellons Custody, Fund | ||||
Accounting and Fund Administration services | ||||
to third-party mutual fund clients. Mr. | ||||
Connolly has served in various capacities with | ||||
Dreyfus since 1980, including manager of the | ||||
firms Fund Accounting Department from | ||||
1997 through October 2001. |
The address of each officer of the Funds is 200 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10166.
A-6 |
PART III
Part III sets forth information for each Fund regarding the beneficial ownership of its shares as of March 14, 2006 by Nominees, Continuing Directors and officers of the Fund owning shares on such date and by any shareholders owning 5% or more of the Funds outstanding shares.
As of March 14, 2006 each Funds Directors and officers, as a group, owned less than 1% of the Funds outstanding shares.
As of March 14, 2006, the following Directors and officers owned shares of Common Stock of the Funds as indicated below:
Directors None |
Officers None |
To each Funds knowledge, no person owned beneficially 5% or more of the outstanding shares of Common Stock or the outstanding shares of APS of a Fund on March 14, 2006. Cede & Co. held of record approximately 88.74% and 90.76% of the outstanding Common Stock for DSM and DSMB, respectively, and 100% of the outstanding shares of APS of each of DSM and DSMB.
Section 16(a) Beneficial Ownership Reporting Compliances
To each Funds knowledge, all of its officers, Directors and holders of more than 10% of its Common Stock or APS complied with all filing requirements under Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, during the fiscal year ended September 30, 2005 for DSM and November 30, 2005 for DSMB. In making this disclosure, each Fund has relied solely on written representations of such persons and on copies of reports that have been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Fund believes that, during the fiscal year ended September 30, 2005, all filing requirements applicable to such persons were complied with except that Thomas F. Eggers, who became the President and a Director of Dreyfus on April 1, 2005 did not report on a timely basis in a Form 3 filing that he had no beneficial interest in the Fund as of the date he was appointed President and Director of Dreyfus. However the failure to file was subsequently reported on the appropriate Form during the fiscal year ended September 30, 2005.
A-7 |
EXHIBIT B |
Dreyfus Strategic Municipals, Inc. |
November 22, 2005 |
REPORT OF THE AUDIT COMMITTEE |
The audit committee oversees the Funds financial reporting process on behalf of the board of directors. Management has the primary responsibility for the financial statements and the reporting process including the systems of internal controls. In fulfilling its oversight responsibilities, the committee reviewed the audited financial statements in the Annual Report with management including a discussion of the quality, not just the acceptability, of the accounting principles, the reasonableness of significant judgments, and the clarity of disclosures in the financial statements.
The committee reviewed with the independent registered public accounting firm (the independent auditors or auditors), who are responsible for expressing an opinion on the conformity of those audited financial statements with generally accepted accounting principles, their judgments as to the quality, not just the acceptability, of the Funds accounting principles and such other matters as are required to be discussed with the committee under the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). In addition, the committee has discussed with the independent auditors the auditors independence from management and the Fund including the auditors letter and the matters in the written disclosures required by the Independence Standards Board and considered the compatibility of non-audit services with the auditors independence.
The committee discussed with the Funds independent auditors the overall scope and plans for the audit. The committee met with the independent auditors, with and without management present, to discuss the results of their audits, their evaluations of the Funds internal controls, and the overall quality of the Funds financial reporting.
In reliance on the reviews and discussions referred to above, the committee recommended to the board of directors (and the board has approved) that the audited financial statements be included in the Annual Report to Shareholders for the year ended September 30, 2005.
Richard C. Leone, Audit Committee Chair | Ehud Houminer, Audit Committee Member | |
David W. Burke, Audit Committee Member | Hans C. Mautner, Audit Committee Member | |
Hodding Carter III, Audit Committee Member | Robin A. Melvin, Audit Committee Member | |
Joseph S. DiMartino, Audit Committee Member | John E. Zuccotti, Audit Committee Member |
B-1 |
EXHIBIT C |
Dreyfus Strategic Municipal Bond Fund, Inc. |
January 24, 2006 |
REPORT OF THE AUDIT COMMITTEE |
The audit committee oversees the Funds financial reporting process on behalf of the board of directors. Management has the primary responsibility for the financial statements and the reporting process including the systems of internal controls. In fulfilling its oversight responsibilities, the committee reviewed the audited financial statements in the Annual Report with management including a discussion of the quality, not just the acceptability, of the accounting principles, the reasonableness of significant judgments, and the clarity of disclosures in the financial statements.
The committee reviewed with the independent registered public accounting firm (the independent auditors or auditors), who are responsible for expressing an opinion on the conformity of those audited financial statements with generally accepted accounting principles, their judgments as to the quality, not just the acceptability, of the Funds accounting principles and such other matters as are required to be discussed with the committee under the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). In addition, the committee has discussed with the independent auditors the auditors independence from management and the Fund including the auditors letter and the matters in the written disclosures required by the Independence Standards Board and considered the compatibility of non-audit services with the auditors independence.
The committee discussed with the Funds independent auditors the overall scope and plans for the audit. The committee meets with the independent auditors, with and without management present, to discuss the results of their examinations, their evaluations of the Funds internal controls, and the overall quality of the Funds financial reporting.
In reliance on the reviews and discussions referred to above, the committee recommended to the board of directors (and the board has approved) that the audited financial statements be included in the Annual Report to Shareholders for the year ended November 30, 2005.
Richard C. Leone, Audit Committee Chair | Ehud Houminer, Audit Committee Member | |
David W. Burke, Audit Committee Member | Hans C. Mautner, Audit Committee Member | |
Hodding Carter III, Audit Committee Member | Robin A. Melvin, Audit Committee Member | |
Joseph S. DiMartino, Audit Committee Member | John E. Zuccotti, Audit Committee Member |
C-1 |
Please mark Boxes in blue or black ink. |
1. Election of Directors |
_ FOR ALL Nominees listed below (except as marked to the contrary) |
_ WITHHOLD Authority For All Nominees |
Nominees are: Class III | David W. Burke | |
Hans C. Mautner | ||
John E. Zuccotti |
_ WITHHOLD authority only for those Nominee(s) whose name(s) I have written below
______________________________________________________________________________
2. | In their discretion, the proxies are authorized to vote upon such other business as may properly come before the meeting, or any adjournment(s) thereof. |
THIS PROXY IS SOLICITED BY THE FUND'S BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND WILL BE VOTED FOR THE ABOVE PROPOSALS UNLESS OTHERWISE INDICATED.
Signature(s) should be exactly as name or names appearing on this proxy. If shares are held jointly, each holder should sign.
If signing is by attorney, executor, administrator, trustee or guardian, please give full title.
Dated: _____________________ , 2006 |
___________________________________ Signature(s) |
___________________________________ Signature(s) |
Sign, Date and return the Proxy Card Promptly using the Enclosed Envelope
DREYFUS STRATEGIC MUNICIPALS, INC.
The undersigned stockholder of Dreyfus Strategic Municipals, Inc. (the Fund) hereby appoints Robert R. Mullery and Joni L. Charatan and each of them, the attorneys and proxies of the undersigned, with full power of substitution, to vote, as indicated herein, all of the shares of the Fund standing in the name of the undersigned at the close of business on March 14, 2006 at the Annual Meeting of Stockholders to be held at the offices of The Dreyfus Corporation, 200 Park Avenue, 7th Floor, New York, New York, commencing at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, May 18, 2006; and at any and all adjournments thereof, with all of the powers the undersigned would possess if then and there personally present and especially (but without limiting the general authorization and power hereby given) to vote as indicated on the proposals, as more fully described in the Proxy Statement for the meeting.
FOLD AND DETACH HERE
DREYFUS STRATEGIC MUNICIPALS, INC.
IMPORTANT |
Please Act Promptly |
Sign, Date and Mail your Proxy Card(s) Today. |
No matter how many shares you own, your vote is important. Voting can also help the Fund save money. To hold a meeting, a quorum must be represented. Voting today can save the Fund the expense of another solicitation for proxies required to achieve a quorum.
Please note that if you hold more than one account in the Fund, a proxy card will be sent to you for each of your accounts. You should sign and return each proxy card in order for all votes to be counted.
Thank you for your interest in the Fund.
Please mark Boxes in blue or black ink. |
1. Election of Directors |
_ FOR ALL Nominees (except as marked to the contrary) |
_ WITHHOLD Authority For All Nominees |
Nominees are: Class I | William Hodding Carter III | |
Joseph S. DiMartino | ||
Richard C. Leone |
_ WITHHOLD authority only for those Nominee(s) whose name(s) I have written below
______________________________________________________________________________
2. | In their discretion, the proxies are authorized to vote upon such other business as may properly come before the meeting, or any adjournment(s) thereof. |
THIS PROXY IS SOLICITED BY THE FUND'S BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND WILL BE VOTED FOR THE ABOVE PROPOSALS UNLESS OTHERWISE INDICATED.
Signature(s) should be exactly as name or names appearing on this proxy. If shares are held jointly, each holder should sign.
If signing is by attorney, executor, administrator, trustee or guardian, please give full title.
Dated: _____________________ , 2006 |
___________________________________ Signature(s) |
___________________________________ Signature(s) |
Sign, Date and return the Proxy Card Promptly using the Enclosed Envelope
DREYFUS STRATEGIC MUNICIPAL BOND FUND, INC.
The undersigned stockholder of Dreyfus Strategic Municipal Bond Fund, Inc. (the Fund) hereby appoints Robert R. Mullery and Joni L. Charatan and each of them, the attorneys and proxies of the undersigned, with full power of substitution, to vote, as indicated herein, all of the shares of the Fund standing in the name of the undersigned at the close of business on March 14, 2006 at the Annual Meeting of Stockholders to be held at the offices of The Dreyfus Corporation, 200 Park Avenue, 7th Floor, New York, New York, commencing at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, May 18, 2006; and at any and all adjournments thereof, with all of the powers the undersigned would possess if then and there personally present and especially (but without limiting the general authorization and power hereby given) to vote as indicated on the proposals, as more fully described in the Proxy Statement for the meeting.
FOLD AND DETACH HERE
DREYFUS STRATEGIC MUNICIPAL BOND FUND, INC.
IMPORTANT |
Please Act Promptly |
Sign, Date and Mail your Proxy Card(s) Today. |
No matter how many shares you own, your vote is important. Voting can also help the Fund save money. To hold a meeting, a quorum must be represented. Voting today can save the Fund the expense of another solicitation for proxies required to achieve a quorum.
Please note that if you hold more than one account in the Fund, a proxy card will be sent to you for each of your accounts. You should sign and return each proxy card in order for all votes to be counted.
Thank you for your interest in the Fund.