Government Accounting

The Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) issued an exposure draft, Sales and Pledges of Receivables and Future Revenues, that would establish criteria for governments to determine whether the proceeds from certain transactions—such as the sale of delinquent taxes, specific mortgages, student loans or upcoming payments from tobacco liability settlements—should be reported as revenue from a sale or as collateralized borrowing resulting in a liability ( www.gasb.org/exp/ed_sales&pledges.pdf ). Comments are due December 30, 2005.