出差报销和公款吃喝 Business Trip Reimbursement and Public Funds for Food and Drinks

最近看到中国关于公款喝茅台的争论 - 有人竟提出“不喝茅台喝什么”。可见，中国的公款吃喝让美国望尘莫及。

加州大学，和其他加州公共机关一样，对出差人员的报销数额有严格规定。每人每天， 旅行，住宿和通讯之外，目前每人每天有$64的饮食定额。住宿旅馆开销也有规定，特殊情况，比如会议旅馆是唯一可行的选择，即使超标，经特别批准后，也可以报销。$64的饮食报销不能包括含酒精饮料。出差人员可以饮酒，但酒类开销要从报销单中除掉。

公务接待允许有限度的公款吃喝 -

早餐 - $26
午餐 - $45
晚餐 - $78
点心 - $18

当然， 酒类不能报销。

这些规章不仅存在，而且第三者审计公司定期抽查加州各大学账目。如果公务人员违规，他们不但要受惩罚，而且会因此丢掉工作。

干杯！




Mark Bussinger (photographer)


Recently I read the debate in China, on drinking Maotai with public funds -  actually someone even posed such challenging "If not Maotai, then what?". Maotai, is an iconic hard liquor produced in China and is extremely expensive, and is distilled from fermented sorghum and now comes in different versions ranging in alcohol content from the standard 53% by volume down to 35%. Obviously, using public funds on food and drinks in China is a tall order for the U.S. to match.

University of California, as other California public institutions, has strict regulations on the amount of reimbursement of the travel staff. Besides the costs for traveling, accommodation and communications, the current per diem limit is $64.  Accommodation hotel should not bee too expensive; under special circumstances, such as the conference hotel is the only viable option, by special permission, one can stay in an expensive hotel. The food/drink reimbursement of $64 should not include any alcoholic beverages. If a person chose to drink, he/she must cross out the cost of alcohol from reimbursement request.

It is also allowed to provide some food and drink during official receptions using public funds with such limits:

Breakfast	$26
Lunch	$45
Dinner	$78
Light refreshment	$18

Of course, alcohol can not be reimbursed.

These regulations not only exist, a third party auditing firm periodically inspect the accounts of the University of California. If public servants violated regulations, they will not only be punished, and might lose their jobs as well.

Bottom up!

Costs in University of California - 加州大学的费用

Recently, many students occupied campuses to protest the ever-rising costs in University of California, such as Berkeley and Davis.

The products of these excellent public universities are a great deal for sure, but the fast rising prices are becoming a heavy burden to the families.

The costs in the ten campuses of the University of California (UC) vary a bit, but in general, are in the similar range.

For example, Collegedata.com website listed the costs at UC Berkeley as:

TUITION AND EXPENSES

Cost of Attendance	In-state: $32,635 Out-of-state: $55,513
Tuition and Fees	In-state: $12,835 Out-of-state: $35,713
Room and Board	$14,990
Books and Supplies	$1,202
Other Expenses	$3,608

In UCLA, the costs listed on Collegedata.com are:

TUITION AND EXPENSES

Cost of Attendance	In-state: $31,554 Out-of-state: $54,432
Tuition and Fees	In-state: $12,686 Out-of-state: $35,564
Room and Board	$13,979
Books and Supplies	$1,506
Other Expenses	$3,383

For the perspective, we should keep in mind that the California State Median Income for FFY 2011/2012 for a 4-person family is $78,666 [source: US Department of Health and Human Services].


最近，很多學生佔領校園，如在伯克利和戴維斯，抗議美國加州大學不斷上升的费用。

這些優秀的公立大學的产品仍然是一個很上算，但過快上漲的價格正成為家庭的沉重負擔。

在美國加州大學（UC）的十個校园成本各不相同，但大体上是在類似的範圍內。

例如，Collegedata.com網站列出加州大學伯克利校园的费用为：

学费和费用

在校费用	本州学生: $32,635 外州学生: $55,513
学杂费	本州学生: $12,835 外州学生: $35,713
食宿费	$14,990
书和用品	$1,202
其他费用	$3,608

在加州大學洛杉磯，在Collegedata.com列出的费用是：

学费和费用

在校费用	本州学生: $31,554 外州学生: $54,432
学杂费	本州学生: $12,686 外州学生: $35,564
食宿费	$13,979
书和用品	$1,506
其他费用	$3,383

對於角度來看，我們應該記住，加利福尼亞州的四人家庭的FFY2011/2012估计平均收入為 78666美元 [來源：美國衛生與人類服務部]。



Students protesting at UC Berkeley 学生在加州大学伯克利抗议