A vital part of the GASB’s mission statement provides that the Board will "carefully weigh the views of its constituents so that standards and concepts will meet the accountability and decision-making needs of the users of governmental financial reports and gain general acceptance among state and local government preparers and auditors of financial reports…" Due process allows the Board to accomplish this goal through a variety of avenues, including public hearings, user forums, task forces, and focus groups. However, the primary means by which the Board solicits feedback on its proposals is through a request for written comments.

Comment letters, which are received from constituents in response to due process documents released for public comment, become a part of a project's public record. They are an important source of information regarding constituents' views and experiences related to issues raised in a due process document. Comment letters are posted to the GASB website shortly after they are received and may be accessed both through the individual project page or through the Comment Letters menu item under the Projects tab.

Questions about comment letters should be directed to: pawaterbury@gasb.org

*Personal views, not those of their affiliation