A-82845, SEPTEMBER 14, 1937, 17 COMP. GEN. 248

A-82845, SEPTEMBER 14, 1937, 17 COMP. GEN. 248

BRIDGES - TOLLS - OFFICIAL BUSINESS - SAN FRANCISCO-OAKLAND BAY BRIDGE - REIMBURSEMENT FOR PAYMENTS FROM PERSONAL FUNDS IN ABSENCE OF RECEIPTS CLAIMS OF EMPLOYEES FOR REIMBURSEMENT FOR TOLLS PAID IN USING THE SAN FRANCISCO-OAKLAND BAY BRIDGE WHICH ARE NOT SUPPORTED BY RECEIPTS AS REQUIRED BY DECISIONS OF WHICH THEY WERE UNAWARE AT THE TIME, SHOULD BE SUBMITTED TO THE GENERAL ACCOUNTING OFFICE FOR DIRECT SETTLEMENT SUPPORTED BY PROPER ADMINISTRATIVE REPORTS AND AFFIDAVITS OF THE EMPLOYEES STATING THE DATES OF PAYMENTS, THE OFFICIAL CHARACTER OF THE TRAVEL (PURPOSE, DESTINATION, AND TRAVEL ORDERS), THE TYPE OF VEHICLE USED (GOVERNMENT OR PRIVATE, PASSENGER OR OTHERWISE), AND THE AMOUNTS OF TOLL REQUIRED TO BE PAID FOR PASSAGE OVER THE BRIDGE AND, WHERE REIMBURSEMENT HAS BEEN PREVIOUSLY CLAIMED BY AN EMPLOYEE AND DENIED, THE ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT SHOULD CITE THE VOUCHERS ON WHICH THE ITEMS WERE DEDUCTED.

ACTING COMPTROLLER GENERAL ELLIOTT TO THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR, SEPTEMBER 14, 1937:

REFERENCE IS MADE TO LETTER DATED AUGUST 25, 1937, FROM THE CHIEF CLERK, BUREAU OF MINES, AS FOLLOWS:

IN CONNECTION WITH THE INSTRUCTIONS CONTAINED IN VOLUME 16 COMPTROLLER GENERAL 977, WE HAVE SUSPENDED CHARGES FOR THE PAYMENT OF TOLLS OVER THE SAN FRANCISCO-OAKLAND BRIDGE.

NOW, UNDER YOUR DECISION OF AUGUST 11, 1937, WE ARE ADVISING OUR EMPLOYEES THAT THEY MAY INCLUDE THE CHARGE FOR TOLL IN THEIR PERSONAL ACCOUNTS WHERE THESE CHARGES ARE ACCOMPANIED BY RECEIPTS SHOWING THAT THE TOLL PAYMENTS WERE MADE UNDER PROTEST.

THIS WILL TAKE CARE OF EXPENDITURES, SINCE THE SAN FRANCISCO EMPLOYEES HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE DECISION, BUT IT WILL BE APPRECIATED IF YOU WILL ADVISE HOW AMOUNTS PREVIOUSLY SUSPENDED FROM TRAVEL VOUCHERS FOR TOLL CHARGES OVER THE SAN FRANCISCO-OAKLAND BRIDGE MAY BE RECOVERED. THESE SEPARATE CHARGES OF FIFTY CENTS EACH AMOUNT TO SEVERAL DOLLARS IN THE AGGREGATE; BUT, OF COURSE, THE EMPLOYEES DO NOT HAVE RECEIPTS, AND IT IS DOUBTFUL WHETHER THEY CAN OBTAIN THEM.

IN DECISION OF MAY 5, 1937, 16 COMP. GEN. 977, CITED IN THE LETTER, SUPRA, CONCERNING THE REPORTED REFUSAL OF THE CALIFORNIA TOLL BRIDGE AUTHORITY TO ALLOW THE TOLL-FREE USE OF THE NEW SAN FRANCISCO-OAKLAND BAY BRIDGE BY GOVERNMENT PERSONNEL ON GOVERNMENT BUSINESS AT POINTS BEYOND THE LIMITS OF THE BRIDGE, APPARENTLY CONTRARY TO THE EXPRESS CONDITIONS OF THE GOVERNMENT PERMIT FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE BRIDGE, IT WAS SAID---

* * * IF ANY EMPLOYEES ARE ACTUALLY COMPELLED TO MAKE PAYMENTS FROM THEIR PERSONAL FUNDS FOR PASSAGE OVER THE BRIDGE ON OFFICIAL BUSINESS, RECEIPTS SHOULD BE TAKEN SHOWING SUCH PAYMENTS WERE MADE UNDER PROTEST AND SUCH RECEIPTS SHOULD BE SUBMITTED TO THIS OFFICE WITH PROPER ADMINISTRATIVE REPORTS IN SUPPORT OF ANY CLAIMS FOR REIMBURSEMENT.

IN DECISION TO THE SECRETARY OF COMMERCE DATED AUGUST 11, 1937, A 82845, 17 COMP. GEN. 132, CONCERNING THE MATTER, IT WAS SAID---

IT MAY BE FURTHER STATED IN THIS CONNECTION, IN VIEW OF THE CIRCUMSTANCES RELATED IN YOUR LETTER, THAT EMPLOYEES WHO MAY BE COMPELLED TO PAY TOLLS FROM THEIR PERSONAL FUNDS FOR PASSAGE OVER THE BRIDGE ON OFFICIAL BUSINESS MAY BE REIMBURSED BY GOVERNMENT DISBURSING OFFICERS, IF PAYMENT IS OTHERWISE CORRECT AND PROPER, WHERE THE REIMBURSEMENT VOUCHER IS SUPPORTED BY AN ADMINISTRATIVE STATEMENT SHOWING THE CHARGES WERE INCURRED ON OFFICIAL BUSINESS, AND BY RECEIPTS TAKEN BY THE EMPLOYEES SHOWING THAT THE TOLL PAYMENTS WERE MADE UNDER PROTEST.

IN CASES SUCH AS THOSE REFERRED TO IN THE CHIEF CLERK'S LETTER, SUPRA, WHERE BEFORE BEING APPRISED OF THOSE DECISIONS EMPLOYEES MADE TOLL PAYMENTS FROM THEIR PERSONAL FUNDS FOR PASSAGE OVER THE BRIDGE ON OFFICIAL BUSINESS WITHOUT TAKING RECEIPTS, CLAIMS FOR REIMBURSEMENT MAY BE SUBMITTED TO THIS OFFICE FOR DIRECT SETTLEMENT. ANY SUCH CLAIMS MAY BE SUPPORTED BY PROPER ADMINISTRATIVE REPORTS AND BY THE EMPLOYEE'S AFFIDAVIT STATING THE DATE OF THE PAYMENT OR PAYMENTS, THE OFFICIAL CHARACTER OF THE TRAVEL (PURPOSE, DESTINATION, AND TRAVEL ORDERS), THE TYPE OF VEHICLE USED (GOVERNMENT OR PRIVATE, PASSENGER OR OTHERWISE), AND THE AMOUNT OF TOLL HE WAS REQUIRED TO PAY FOR PASSAGE OVER THE BRIDGE. SUCH AFFIDAVITS SHOULD BE FULLY DETAILED AND EXPLICIT AS THEY MAY BE USED BY THE GOVERNMENT IN LIEU OF RECEIPTS TO OBTAIN A REFUND FROM THE CALIFORNIA TOLL BRIDGE AUTHORITY IN THE EVENT THE MATTER IS FINALLY DETERMINED FAVORABLY TO THE GOVERNMENT. IF REIMBURSEMENT HAS HERETOFORE BEEN CLAIMED BY THE EMPLOYEE, THE ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT SHOULD CITE THE VOUCHERS ON WHICH THE ITEMS WERE DEDUCTED.