Bush visits harmful to poor communities

http://www.tribune-democrat.com/articles/2004/09/15/news/news05.txt

Just days after President Bush visited Johnstown, city officials want the commander in chief to pay up.

The cash-strapped city will bill Bush's campaign for an estimated $10,000 in overtime costs incurred by police, firefighters and public-works employees during the president's stop here Thursday.

Campaign officials say they will not pay, and at least one other Pennsylvania city has failed to recover similar costs. But Johnstown leaders say they cannot afford to simply dip into their diminished coffers.

"I don't care whether it's a Republican or a Democrat or Ralph Nader," city Councilman Jack Williams said yesterday.


"Anywhere they go, it's costing money.

"We definitely need to try and recoup these costs."

While Bush spent under two hours in this area, the Secret Service requested and received a large contingent of area police to bolster security.

Several municipalities were involved, including Richland Township, where Air Force One landed. Richland's police chief was not available for comment yesterday, and it's not clear whether township costs have been tallied. But Johnstown took on the brunt of the work.

Officials in the financially distressed city with a drum-tight budget would rather someone else foot the overtime bills, which they still are tallying.

It's going to hurt," City Manager Jeff Silka said. "We'll have to cut (the money) from somewhere, but I don't anticipate any layoffs."

Silka plans to send a bill to Bush-Cheney headquarters, since Thursday's speech was purely a political event. But campaign spokesman Kevin Madden said the GOP nominees will not open their wallets.

"The law has set forth clear guidelines. Consistent with decades of past practice, we adhere to those guidelines," Madden said from his Arlington, Va., office.

"The campaign incurs relevant costs of the trip, minus security."

The U.S. Secret Service, Madden said, dictates security requirements. A Secret Service spokesman in Washington did not return a phone call for comment yesterday.

Should campaign staff reject his overtures, Silka did not rule out sending an invoice to federal agents who protect the president.

We have to make all efforts to recover costs," he said.

Officials in York feel Johnstown's pain. That city was left with an overtime bill topping $21,000 after a July 9 visit from Bush.

But York Mayor John Brenner's request to have the campaign cover those costs was flatly rejected, and the city did not attempt to bill the Secret Service.

"These are unbudgeted expenses," Brenner said. "I thought it was a more reasonable request for the campaign."

Brenner argues that it's unfair for a multimillion-dollar political machine to stick cities with the bill.

"They could set up a system very easily so that a local municipality would not be burdened," he said.

It's not clear whether Democratic nominee John Kerry's campaign offers any reimbursements for security.

That is particularly relevant with news that Greater Johnstown will host a visit from Kerry's vice presidential pick, John Edwards, on Sunday.

Details of that campaign stop have not been released.

Williams said local officials appreciate the attention from Washington, but are not so fond of the expense.

"Most cities have a problem just providing core services," he said. "It's nice to have them come, but there's no way the city can afford this.

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This to me sums up Bush's modus operandi: Talk big about helping poor communities and sock them with the bill.