Skip to main content

B-121671, DEC 13, 1954

B-121671 Dec 13, 1954
Jump To:
Skip to Highlights

Highlights

USA: REFERENCE IS MADE TO YOUR LETTER OF AUGUST 27. THE RECORD SHOWS THAT IN SUBMITTING VOUCHER FOR REIMBURSEMENT FOR TRAVEL EXPENSES YOU CLAIMED TAXI FARE OF $12 ($6 FOR EACH TRIP) AND THAT YOU WERE PAID $7 ($3.50 PER TRIP). THE DISBURSING OFFICER IN FORWARDING YOUR CLAIM FOR AN ADDITIONAL $5 TO THE CHIEF OF FINANCE REPORTED THAT THE AMOUNT PAID IS ESTABLISHED BY CONTRACT WITH RADIO CAB COMPANY. YOUR CLAIM WAS DISALLOWED ON THAT BASIS. THAT THE RATE WAS BASED ON THE USUAL TAXI FARE OF $2 FROM ELMENDORF AIR FORCE BASE TO THE AIRLINES OFFICE IN ANCHORAGE AND $1.50 BUS FARE FROM THAT POINT TO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT. THAT THIS IS THE SERVICE NORMALLY USED WHEN TIME PERMITS AND LUGGAGE NEEDED FOR THE TRIP IS NOT TOO EXTENSIVE TO TAKE ON THE BUS.

View Decision

B-121671, DEC 13, 1954

PRECIS-UNAVAILABLE

COLONEL CARL Y. FARRELL, USA:

REFERENCE IS MADE TO YOUR LETTER OF AUGUST 27, 1954, IN EFFECT REQUESTING REVIEW OF THE SETTLEMENT OF JULY 29, 1954, WHICH DISALLOWED YOUR CLAIM FOR $5 REPRESENTING ADDITIONAL REIMBURSEMENT FOR TAXI FARE FROM ELMENDORF AIR FORCE BASE, ALASKA, TO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, ANCHORAGE, ALASKA, AND RETURN INCIDENT TO TRAVEL FROM ELMENDORF AIR FORCE BASE TO WASHINGTON, D.C., AND RETURN, FEBRUARY 21 TO MARCH 4, 1954.

THE RECORD SHOWS THAT IN SUBMITTING VOUCHER FOR REIMBURSEMENT FOR TRAVEL EXPENSES YOU CLAIMED TAXI FARE OF $12 ($6 FOR EACH TRIP) AND THAT YOU WERE PAID $7 ($3.50 PER TRIP). THE DISBURSING OFFICER IN FORWARDING YOUR CLAIM FOR AN ADDITIONAL $5 TO THE CHIEF OF FINANCE REPORTED THAT THE AMOUNT PAID IS ESTABLISHED BY CONTRACT WITH RADIO CAB COMPANY. YOUR CLAIM WAS DISALLOWED ON THAT BASIS.

IN YOUR PRESENT LETTER YOU CONTEND THAT NO SUCH CONTRACT EXISTS; THAT THE RATE WAS BASED ON THE USUAL TAXI FARE OF $2 FROM ELMENDORF AIR FORCE BASE TO THE AIRLINES OFFICE IN ANCHORAGE AND $1.50 BUS FARE FROM THAT POINT TO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, AND THAT THIS IS THE SERVICE NORMALLY USED WHEN TIME PERMITS AND LUGGAGE NEEDED FOR THE TRIP IS NOT TOO EXTENSIVE TO TAKE ON THE BUS.

IT LONG HAS BEEN THE ESTABLISHED RULE OF THE ACCOUNTING OFFICERS OF THE GOVERNMENT TO ACCEPT THE REPORT OF FACTS SUBMITTED BY THE ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE IN THE ABSENCE OF EVIDENCE SUFFICIENTLY CONVINCING TO OVERCOME THE PRESUMPTION OF THE CORRECTNESS THEREOF. 3 COMP. GEN. 51; ID. 164; 15 ID. 241, 242; ID. 253, 254; AND AND 16 ID. 1105, 1106. HENCE, IN THE ABSENCE OF EVIDENCE ESTABLISHING THAT THE ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT IS IN ERROR, IT MUST BE ACCEPTED AS CORRECT. FURTHER, EVEN IF IT WERE ESTABLISHED THAT THE RATE PAID IS NOT COVERED BY A CONTRACT, SINCE IT APPEARS FROM YOUR LETTER THAT THE USUAL MODE OF TRANSPORTATION BETWEEN THE POINTS CLAIMED INVOLVES THE USE OF TAXI AND BUS EXCEPT WHEN TIME AND THE AMOUNT OF LUGGAGE NEEDED FOR THE TRIP ARE FACTORS, AND SINCE YOUR LETTER DOES NOT ESTABLISH THAT TIME WAS OF THE ESSENCE OR THAT YOU NEEDED MORE LUGGAGE FOR THE TRIP THAN YOU COULD HAVE TAKEN ON THE BUS, YOUR LETTER AFFORDS NO BASIS FOR MODIFICATION OF THE SETTLEMENT. ACCORDINGLY, ON THE BASIS OF THE PRESENT RECORD, THE SETTLEMENT OF JULY 29, 1954, MUST BE SUSTAINED.

GAO Contacts

Office of Public Affairs