Per diem rates dropped in several major cities

The General Services Administration has dropped the maximum per diem rate for several major cities, including Washington, Boston, Chicago, Atlanta and Los Angeles.

The fiscal 2005 per diem rates, which take effect Oct. 1, were posted Tuesday in the Federal Register. The rates cover lodging as well as meals and incidental expenses.

The rates have remained essentially unchanged for the past three years. The federal government has, however, increased its travel spending significantly in recent years. In fiscal 2003, agencies spent $11.9 billion, up from $10 billion in fiscal 2002.

GSA dropped the per diem rate for Washington from $201 in fiscal 2004 to $194 in fiscal 2005. The $7 drop was for lodging-from $150 a day to $143-while Washington's meals and incidental expenses rate was unchanged. The Washington per diem applies to the surrounding suburban areas in Maryland and Virginia.

The rate in Los Angeles dropped from $157 a day to $151. The per diem for Chicago was cut from $206 to $200 and Atlanta's rate was lowered from $155 to $133.

Boston's per diem rate now varies according to season. The rate-previously $210 to $243-was reduced to a low of $189 and a high of $203 for fiscal 2005.

The per diem rate for New York is divided into different rates for the city's boroughs, with the previous rate for Manhattan at $259. That was also adjusted to account for seasonal price fluctuations in fiscal 2005. The per diem rate for Manhattan now stretches from $220 to $263.

Per diem rates in Las Vegas were adjusted for season as well. Last year's constant rate of $122 was boosted to a per diem range of $149 to $165.

The per diem rates were also altered in Seattle-from $187 to a seasonal range of $161 to $178- and Phoenix, from a top rate of $137 to a high seasonal rate of $150.

The standard per diem rate, for areas not specifically addressed in the GSA guidance, was also raised-from $86 to $91.