As a recently retired federal employee, I was very surprised to read that the travel allowance for the municipal pension director traveling to London exceeds current maximum per diem rates for federal employees ("Official travel costs detailed," March 19).
London rates as of February 1 are $336 for lodging and $170 for meals and incidental expenses, totaling $506 per day. I have a hard time understanding how the $750 daily rate authorized by the Board of Estimates can be construed as "both reasonable and economical." I am happy to pay my city taxes contributing to "reasonable and economical" expenses but it is difficult for me to understand how attending the African Private Equity Venture Capital Association meeting merits such an extravagant outlay.
Vigdis Jacobsen, Baltimore