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New Accounting Rules For Special Assessments, James Trebby, Robert Yahr

Accounting Faculty Research and Publications

In 1979, the National Council on Governmental Accounting's Statement One eliminated several inconsistencies in governmental accounting. However, accounting for special assessments was never fully resolved. After several revisions, the Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) issued Statement 6 in January 1987. Assessments typically are divided into those providing capital improvements and those providing services. The new accounting and financial reporting requirements include: 1. special assessments for operating services provided to the public, 2. accounting for debt service for which no government has an obligation in an agency fund, and 3. reporting a direct capital expenditure or a transfer to a capital …