The Gasb'S Initiative to Require Sea Reporting

Abstract

The Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) is exploring an initiative that would require state and local governments to engae in performance measurement. The GASB maintains that governmental entities must embrace "service efforts and accomplishments" (SEA) \reporting for accountability to be fully realized. This article examines the feasibility of mandating SEA reporting for state and local governments concluding that a reporting cannot be approved based on the six characteristics that support general purpose external financial reporting. A reporting requirement is only possible if it were based and supported on the broader definition of accountability embraced by the GASB which includes the operational performance of governmental entities.