[Proposal To Exempt Official Government Travel Lodging Expenses From State and Local Taxes]

GAO discussed a federal employee's proposal that the government assume direct responsibility for its employees' lodging costs incident to official travel and exercise its constitutional immunity from paying state and local taxes, at substantial savings, by issuing credit cards to federal employees in the government's name. GAO found no legal bar to the proposal but noted that: (1) distribution of credit cards could subject the government to liability for expenses resulting from inappropriate use; (2) the administrative costs of issuing the cards could outweigh the savings realized by eliminating state and local taxes; and (3) the General Services Administration would be the agency authorized to implement such a proposal.