A-32975, AUGUST 22, 1930, 10 COMP. GEN. 83

A-32975, AUGUST 22, 1930, 10 COMP. GEN. 83

SUBSISTENCE EXPENSES - TRANSPORTATION BETWEEN TEMPORARY ABODE AND PLACE OF DUTY THE EXPENSES INCURRED BY AN EMPLOYEE WHILE AWAY FROM HIS PERMANENT STATION, IN GOING FROM HIS HOTEL TO HIS PLACE OF DUTY AND RETURNING THEREFROM, ARE INCIDENT TO SUBSISTENCE AND ARE INCLUDED IN THE ALLOWANCE AUTHORIZED THEREFOR.

DECISION BY ASSISTANT COMPTROLLER GENERAL GINN, AUGUST 22, 1930:

C. M. BLAIR, SUPERINTENDENT AND SPECIAL DISBURSING AGENT, HASKELL INSTITUTE, REQUESTED JUNE 14, 1930, REVIEW OF SETTLEMENT NO. F-10415 IN, DATED JUNE 6, 1930, WHEREIN CREDIT WAS DISALLOWED IN HIS ACCOUNT FOR NOVEMBER, 1929, IN THE SUM OF $3.10, BECAUSE OF A PAYMENT MADE ON VOUCHER 536 TO ADVISER PAUL A. CANNADY, INDIAN FIELD SERVICE.

THE FACTS APPEAR TO BE AS FOLLOWS:

ON OCTOBER 20, 1929, MR. CANNADY WAS AUTHORIZED TO TRAVEL FROM HASKELL INSTITUTE, HIS HEADQUARTERS, TO PITTSBURGH, PA., DETROIT, MICH., AND LANSING MICH., FOR THE PURPOSE OF VISITING OUTING PUPILS AND TO SUPERVISE THEIR EMPLOYMENT. IN ADDITION TO TRANSPORTATION EXPENSES HE WAS TO BE REIMBURSED HIS ACTUAL SUBSISTENCE EXPENSES NOT TO EXCEED $4 PER DIEM.

THE ITEMS DISALLOWED CONSIST OF TAXI FARES INCURRED ON OCTOBER 23, 1929, BY MR. CANNADY AT DETROIT, MICH., HIS TEMPORARY POST OF DUTY, IN TRAVELING FROM HOTEL STATLER, WHERE HE WAS STOPPING, TO THE EMPLOYMENT OF CHRYSLER MOTOR CO. ($1.40), AND FROM SAID HOTEL TO THE GENERAL MOTORS BUILDING AND RETURN ($1.70), FOR THE PURPOSE OF SUPERVISING PUPIL EMPLOYMENT.

THE CHARGES FOR TAXIS BETWEEN THE HOTEL STATLER AND THE OFFICES OF THE TWO MOTOR COMPANIES WERE DISALLOWED FOR THE REASON THAT STREET CARS WERE AVAILABLE TO THE POINTS VISITED BY THE ADVISER, AND THAT SUCH SERVICE WAS MORE ECONOMICAL THAN TAXI SERVICE.

IN HIS REQUEST FOR REVIEW THE SPECIAL DISBURSING AGENT STATES:

THIS MATTER HAS BEEN TAKEN UP WITH MAJOR CANNADY AND HE STATES THAT WHILE STREET CARS WERE AVAILABLE, THE DISTANCES WERE GREAT AND THE SERVICE BY STREET CAR NECESSARILY SLOW. HE WAS ALSO UNFAMILIAR WITH THE CITY, AND FELT THAT IT WOULD HAVE BEEN IMPOSSIBLE FOR HIM TO TRANSACT THE BUSINESS REQUIRED WITHIN THE TIME AT HIS DISPOSAL, HAD HE ATTEMPTED TO USE STREET CARS. STREET CARS ARE REGULARLY USED WHERE THEIR USE WOULD NOT RESULT IN THE LOSS OF TIME, BUT IN THIS INSTANCE, AT LEAST ANOTHER DAY WOULD HAVE BEEN REQUIRED HAD STREET CARS BEEN USED, RESULTING IN AN INCREASED COST TO THE GOVERNMENT.

IT IS NOTED THAT MR. CANNADY WAS IN DETROIT ALL DAY; THAT IS, FROM BREAKFAST OCTOBER 23 TO AFTER BREAKFAST OCTOBER 24, 1929, AND THERE IS NO SHOWING AS TO JUST WHAT TIME WAS SAVED BY USING TAXIS FOR THESE TRIPS OR AS TO HOW SUCH SAVING WOULD INURE TO THE BENEFIT OF THE GOVERNMENT.

FURTHERMORE, ATTENTION IS INVITED TO PARAGRAPH 44 OF THE STANDARIDZED GOVERNMENT TRAVEL REGULATIONS, WHICH PROVIDES THAT SUBSISTENCE EXPENSES WILL BE HELD TO INCLUDE "TRANSPORTATION BETWEEN PLACES OF LODGINGS OR WHERE MEALS ARE TAKEN AND PLACES OF DUTY.' SEE ALSO, PARAGRAPH 60 OF SAID REGULATIONS. MR. CANNADY WAS REIMBURSED 50 CENTS FOR HIS BREAKFAST AND $3.50 FOR HIS LODGINGS AT THE HOTEL STATLER ON OCTOBER 23, 1929, OR A TOTAL OF EXACTLY $4, THE MAXIMUM AMOUNT AUTHORIZED TO BE REIMBURSED TO HIM FOR SUBSISTENCE EXPENSES FOR ANY ONE DAY. CONSEQUENTLY, THE TAXI SERVICE OF $3.10 WAS IN EXCESS OF THE AUTHORIZED ALLOWANCE FOR SUBSISTENCE. SEE 3 COMP GEN. 284. ACCORDINGLY, THE DISALLOWANCE MUST BE AND IS SUSTAINED. THE AMOUNT OF THE OVERPAYMENT. $3.10, SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THIS OFFICE WITHOUT DELAY.