April 10, 1975
Miss Alice Kundert
State Auditor
State Capitol
Pierre, South Dakota 57501
OFFICIAL OPINION NO. 75-67
Trips to Pierre Airport
Dear Miss Kundert:
You have asked whether state employees who reside in the capitol city of Pierre should be reimbursed for trips to the Pierre airport when their duties require them to use air transportation to other locations.
Rule 51:01:02:01 of the State Board of Finance provides in part:
Employees shall be paid in lieu of actual expenses of transportation, fourteen cents per mile for use of privately owned automobiles when engaged in official business outside city limits of their designated posts of duty or place of service.
This provision clearly prohibits reimbursement for travel within the city limits of the employee's duty station. Although the Pierre Municipal Airport terminal is not within the Pierre city limits, it is within a few hundred yards of the city limits. Arguably, a claimant could be reimbursed for those few hundred yards of travel if the claimant has secured Travel Commission approval pursuant to rule 5:01:03:07. However, as a practical matter, it is a waste of the state's resources to process vouchers for a few cents. Therefore, it is my opinion that state employees who reside in Pierre may only be reimbursed for the portion of their trip to the Pierre airport which is outside the city limits of Pierre. Furthermore, the claim must be accompanied by Travel Commission approval as required by rule 5:01:03:07 of the state Board of Travel.
Respectfully submitted,
WILLIAM J. JANKLOW
ATTORNEY GENERAL
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