Archives: Per diem doesn’t go far

An item from the Huckleberries files 25 years ago (June 1, 1992):

Where do three out of four congressmen stay when they visit Kootenai County? Templin’s Resort, of course. Their status and $59 per day hotel allowance don’t cut it on a busy spring weekend at The Coeur d’Alene Resort. Three Democratic U.S. representatives — Larry LaRocco and Richard Stallings of Idaho and Harold Volkmer of Missouri — were cooling their heels in the Spokane River when their per diem offer was snubbed at the Haga-Hotel, where rooms without a view begin at $110. Larry, Dick and Harry were here to hold a congressional hearing at Coeur d’Alene City Hall on forest health and productivity. The per diem limit didn’t stop U.S. Sen. Steve Symms from spending the same sunny Memorial Day weekend at the resort though.