President Bush came to Peoria last month for one reason: to help Aaron Schock raise money for his congressional campaign. But that visit cost Peoria taxpayers $13,195.63, mostly in overtime pay for police officers handling traffic control, according to a report prepared by the city at Councilman Sandberg’s request.
Why should Peoria taxpayers — including many non-Republicans — have to pay for Aaron Schock’s fundraiser? “No one was billed for the Presidential visit,” the report states. Well, they should be billed. Schock’s campaign should reimburse every dollar associated with this visit.
I understand your point, but part of a democracy is paying tax dollars to things you don’t believe in or agree with. My tax dollars are funding repairs to rt. 29, but I don’t drive on it. I’m funding a bunch of B.S. for Peoria getting a new logo, but I like the one we have.
But I’m not trying to argue with you… I share your frustration. Every time you see government waste like that, you can think of so many better ways to spend the money.
Thomas, I understand your point, but I think spending tax payer dollars in an election year to benefit one candidate over another is qualitatively different than my tax dollars paying for roads I don’t drive on.
Yeah, that’s crap!
there were tax dollars involved in Bush’s plane ride here, too. And every campaign event every president visits everywhere in the nation.
While I understand your sentiments, unless you’re willing to say that the President isn’t allowed to do any campaigning (which would be interesting) unless the taxpayers are reimbursed in all ways (extra secret service pay, local law protection, plane rides) then it’s not really consistent. I know you’re not a big Schock fan, and I don’t have time to search your archives for the story on that, but I’ve not heard anyone whining about incumbents campaigning on our dime around the blogosphere here in Peoria before, so I’m wondering whether this is an issue because it’s Schock, or because you just realized the taxpayers are continually getting taken.
See my blog, peoriastory.com, for more information on the cost of the Bush visit. It’s actually over $15,000 when county expenses are included. And no one has tallied the vehicle costs.
So then if we are going to get down to the nitty gritty, should the Schock campaign be credited back for the revenue that was generated from the Bush visit ie; hotel/motel tax, restaurant and sales tax, gasoline tax, yada yada…
I mean seriously, CJ, at some point the world has to go ’round doesn’t it?
Gee, where’s Legel or Renal to make some inane comment?
And I’m disappointed in you CJ.
From the Journal Star, July 24, 2008:
Why shouldn’t the Schock campaign reimburse the costs to local taxpayers as well?
James — If it were a Democratic president coming here to stump for a Democrat at taxpayer expense, I would post the same thing. It really has nothing to do with Schock personally. It has to do with financial responsibility at the city level.
Diane — Any “revenue” generated went to private business, not back to the taxpayers. So, no.
I agree the taxpayers should not foot the bill for a fundraiser.
I also believe any Representative/Senator (or other government official) who has been absent from his/her job for long stretches of the session because of campaigning should have their government wages docked. We’re paying for these people to govern (whether or not we agree with them or even like them), not to campaign.
CJ:
“Why shouldn’t the Schock campaign reimburse the costs to local taxpayers as well?”
I have no issue with requiring that. Of course I also don’t think that a congressman’s job is to bring home pork to his district, which puts me in a distinct and shrinking miniority. And local politicians can argue that helping a candidate get elected can help bring home a little more bacon to Peoria County now that our friend is in Washington.
If you wanted to say that security for visiting dignitaries related to political campaigns will not be footed by the local taxpayers, I’d support you in that effort with the State and City Council.
And for Diane, she was talking about the *taxes* on those revenues generated, I think, which generate revenues for the local district. I’m sure the HRT on the additional people in for the fundraiser wasn’t $13k, but it wasn’t peanuts either. Unless they don’t have to pay taxes, which wouldn’t surprise me either.
CJ, your wrong. Much of the revenues went in to sales tax… not to mention wages. And the business people that do profit are tax payers are they not? Anyhoo, I don’t want to argue with you cause I’m sure to lose 😉
Huh, yes people waiting the tables got paid, people hauling out the trash got paid, doormen (er door persons), yep everyone who waited hand and foot on this crowd got something. Pouring that money back into the economy. What a boost! Just like a Republican not to see pass their buffet table. Of course if it had been an Obama visit and the paper said it cost taxpayers $15 grand, you can bet we wouldn’t see that on Vonster’s site or anyone else’s blog???
But then Obama wouldn’t charge $500 a plate either.
You trying to make a case for illegal immigration or what, Em?
Emtronics: Oh, no, Obama wouldn’t charge $500 a plate. He charges between $2,500 and $28,500 a plate. Huh, yourself.
Diane: Why should Schock get a tax-free fundraiser?
Good for him.
I don’t get the leap there, CJ.
Diane said:
If we “credit back” the revenue the city gained from this event, then the city isn’t getting any tax revenue. As far as the city is concerned, the event is essentially tax-free. That’s what you’re arguing.
Worse, you’re suggesting that the taxes paid by private businesses/individuals be credited to the Schock campaign — essentially taking those taxpayers’ money and giving it to Schock as a campaign contribution!
I’ll tell you what. Let’s not bill Schock for the $13,000+. Let’s just write checks from the city to Colleen Callahan and Sheldon Shafer for the same amount. Then everything is fair.
I sent a nasty email to the Obama campaign about that $28,500 a plate fundraiser. That was a dumb move. Way to undercut his coattails.
And to see Streisand? Streisand?!?! Only place her music belongs is in the $1.99 bargain bucket. So much for appealing to the youth vote there.
Memo to self: On Friday, September 19, 2008 at exactly 1:03pm, I agreed with something Mahnko said.
CJ – I’m sure that the Schock campaign did not introduce the City of Peoria to elaborate campaign events, so I would imagine there are some guidelines and precedents that are followed in these circumstances no matter who the candidate. That being said, however, I feel confidant the Schock campaign would do the right thing if the city in fact absorbed unprecedented expenses.
What are the costs of the race for the cure? 4th of july fireworks? Lets bill everyone for the time and expense ALL functions call for police, fire,public works and other departments..
Martin — As long as we’re comparing apples to oranges, I’ll just mention that Peoria didn’t give Adams Supermarket free police protection. He had to pay for that himself, and it helped put him out of business.
Martin, you hit it on the head. I was at a fairly large private party a few weeks back that required some (e.p.) police presence. I know the party-holders didn’t pay for that.
CJ: $28,000 for Obama a plate. OK Millionaires attended that from Hollywood. It wasn’t the same as a President coming into town and people paying $500 to see him and boy wonder. Any one with a real job couldn’t be there and most couldn’t afford it. The true suffering to our local economy was the canceling of tee times at local golf courses so those that could blow 5 bills could be there. Comparing apples to oranges as Diane would say?
A couple of days before the dinner you are talking about, John McCain charged $50,000 for a dinner, so what’s your point. That was also about a month after John McCain’s Hollywood star studded dinner. McCain forgot to mention that when he was making fun or Obama for having a Hollywood dinner.
Martin,
Are you comparing Junior’s campaign-a-thon to REAL public events?
I don’t care how you slice it; the only person benefitting from the Grand Poo Bah’s visit was little Aaron Schock.
I will say that after all of the money is thrown around, etc, Schock will be going to Washington with our best interests at heart.
I am sorry. There I go drinking and blogging again…….
First, you all assume the content of the Council communication and nearly $13,000 contained in that communication is accurate and correct. It is not. Check out the Journal Star photographs the day after the political fundraiser. The memo did not even address the concerns of two citizens that contacted me…… and Diane neither of the two have any ties or affliation with the Callahan or Shaffer campaigns. I know one of them is a Republican that supported Schock in the past, but that caller is first and foremost a small business owner who doesn’t want tax dollars spent on political fundraising events.
Ben, Who said anything about McCain? I was merely responding to Emtronics’ contention that “Obama wouldn’t charge $500 a plate either.” He would, and he did.
PI — $13,000+ of police presence? If they had required $13,000+ of police presence, do you think they would have gotten it for free? Think they would have provided a police escort and closed the expressways for the VIPs of your party? I don’t care how you slice it, these were extraordinary costs that should not have to be borne by the taxpayers.
Yes, that is a bit excessive, and I don’t totally disagree with your point, but is $2,000 worth of police or several hundred dollars of police pay multiple times over less important than $13,000+?
All I’m saying, is what is the dividing line? I’m a bit confused. Did the federal government pay for the police when President Bush visited two years (maybe one) back? If Obama visits, will his campaign pay for the extra police presence?
I understand that this was a private fundraiser, and a large part of me wants the city to be reimbursed, but that’s also why I brought up my private party with police presence. They were not reimbursed. What’s the difference? I say it’s several decimal points.
To answer your other question, no, they would not have provided a police escort and shut down the interstate, but it also wasn’t the President of the United States; it was just a bunch of really rich people (a group that I am not a member of.)
That reminds me – a family member of mine was a cop who was gunned down a few years ago – they shut down the interstate and gave us a VIP escort. It was quite an amazing thing. We didn’t pay a dime for that. I know… Apples & Oranges.
Why do the police have to be paid overtime? Can’t we have some of the on-duty officers handle the efforts? How many officers in the Northern/Western areas of the city are actually that busy during that time of day anyhow?
I wonder if the employees of American TV were compensated for lost wages and the business itself for lost revenue, for being forcibly closed down for the event?
It was a political event held for the purpose of raising money for a campaign. Simple. Taxpayers should not be responsible for one penny.
After reading Mr. Sandbergs comments in the PJSTar this morning, I am left with the impression he is on a witch-hunt. However this shakes out will set important precedents for future city business such as:
1. Where does the city’s responsibility begin and end with providing police protection to visiting dignitaries and “rock stars”?
2. What does the city of Peoria consider “related expenses” and what is simply the cost of doing business in a dynamic, urban city?
3. What organizations will be required to pony up the above referenced “related expenses” and what organizations will get a pass? ie; 4Th of July fireworks, rock concerts, baseball games, organized demonstrations, Race for the Cure… to name a few.
4. Should there be a contractual arrangement in advance with the city, and if so, might that discourage future large events?
There are so many factors to consider that a knee jerk reaction could deliver some unintended consequences. Mr. Sandberg and his fellow council will need to look beyond the nose on their face to instate a clear, sound, and equitable policy in this regard.
Diane,
The Shake, Rattle, Roll charity fundraiser for Parkinson’s Disease alonf the Riverfront this and every year (and many years had US Rep Lane Evans present) along with all charity events that secure a liquor license ARE REQUIRED to provide their own and additional police protection. The City of Peoria DOES NOT provide those events security. Maybe you know how many times, the “related expense” of a “dynamic urban city” included use of 30 trucks for a security barrier, but I don’t know of any time. As for the rsponsibility beginning and ending in this “dynamic urban city”, look at the corporate boundaries of the City and compare with where your president arrived……Bartonville……. the route that was taken I474/ route 6 / Route 150/War Memorial to the final FARM SITE in this “dynamic urban city” and you have to recognise that the City picked up a disproportionate cost.
As for me being on witchhunt, I am simply following up on calls based on citizen observations and concerns regarding their local tax dollars. They too are NOT aware of all the times that 30 City trucks have been used for visiting “rock stars”. Of course I could accuse you that benefit of the president bailing out the home mortgage market to the tune of a trillion dollars is a big payoff for those in the real estate business to defend wasting local tax dollars on a campaign fundraiser.
Why aren’t you concerned that the Council Communication “swept the 30 trucks” under the rug by NOT EVEN MENTIONING THEM? Maybe the City should just put those 30 trucks on EBay to garner your enduring support in fiscal responsibility.
You of all persons should be concerned about an Administration that values taking 30 City vehicles out of service for a day at $716 ($20.50 per truck) as ludicious. Yesterday, when I shared with one of the persons that initially called me the email and $716, the person just expelled a loud expletive “FU%*”. Maybe just as Bush, Chaney, Schock are “chicken hawks” regarding wars, you are a “chicken soup” when it come to fiscal responsibility. I get sick and tired hearing about how the City doesn’t have money for basic services, but we have 30 extra trucks waiting to be used for picket fences because the a proper fence couldn’t be constructed.
Your fiscally responsible candidate has no problem paying for Air Force One, but can’t reimburse the local entity that he is theorically representing thru his state office and if elected going to represent at the Federal level for costs more “unrelated” to the event than Air Force One.
That simple tells me that the republican candidate is more concerned about paying back Washington than Central Illinois and certainly already has beltway values.
I do not agree with the Government bail-out of anything, so you are preaching to the choir there, Mr. Sandberg.
Secondly, President Bush is not “my” President he is “our” President wether you like it or not.
Third, Was it the idea of the Schock Campaign to park those trucks there? Or was it the City of Peoria just acting responsibly towards the security of a sitting US President? I know for a fact that the City of Peoria Transportation Department was very PROUD of their actions and ingenuity when they erected that barricade to protect our President, as was I. It’s a shame you don’t feel the same way.
Maybe the solution is to tell a future President Obama or McCain that they just aren’t welcome in Peoria, IL.
Gary
I guess the event should have been at the ANG base then all security would have been taken care of. If this event was such a Buget busting problem why did the COP “just say no” and went along it’s merry way? What if the COP said it could not do this for the secret service, I guess the powers to be at the COP thought it was proper to do this event.
Next time a president, canadate, or any other person want’s to come to Peoria for a political event just say no help from the city of Peoria.
So Gary has his panties all in a twist because the trucks were parked there? Its not like they were paving a road or demolishing something. Geesh.
The President was not coming here on any official government business. He was coming here on personal business — to help raise funds for Schock. Naturally, a sitting President is due ample police protection by the very nature of his office; that’s not the argument. The argument is over who pays for that protection. If he’s coming here as Schock’s guest to help Schock raise funds for his campaign, then Schock’s campaign should pay the costs of police protection. They’re reimbursing the use of Air Force One, “food, flowers, and rentals,” and a host of other expenses — why shouldn’t they reimburse local law enforcement expenses as well? No one has ever answered that question, opting instead to toss our red herrings.
I quote Steve Shearer’s comment to the Journal Star once more: “Because Schock’s event is purely political, his campaign will pay the costs.” I agree. His campaign should pay the costs — all of them.
I just got around to reading the article in the paper. I plead guilty to reading a few blogs before the daily rag. To all who thinks that the taxpayers should pick up the expense for political fundraising events, think about this portion of the article.
David Barber, the director of the Public Works Department, said that information should have been included, although he said no overtime costs were incurred by his department during Bush’s visit.
He said 30 city trucks were used as barriers during the event because concrete barriers could not be erected or installed in time for it.
Read that last sentance for the explanation for why the trucks were used.
Do you really think it was the taxpayers responsibility to build the security barriers out of concrete? Are concrete fences provided by the local jurisdiction where ever the president goes?? Why not a concrete barrier all along the route??? You have to accept a positive answers to those questions to even step at the threshold of accepting that the “alternative”, ie. tandem trucks, are the expense of the City of Peoria.
Apparently because the Schock campaign did NOT have “time” to build a concrete security fence (How long was this event planned?), the taxpayers get to pick up the cost for the poor planning. If you think that the concrete barriers were an expense the City of Peoria should pick up, why not the cost of everything, the food, entertainment, business loss to surrounding businesses, rent for the auxiallary parking lot, pay for the valet parking, house the secret service, shine their shoes and iron their clothes. Hell, the City is sooooo flush with money in spite of mandates by the candidate current and contested agencies that we spend our money on Combined Sewer Overflows, we’ve got money laying around for political fundraising events with “rock stars” or “smirking chimps”.
Once again another example of privatising profits ($5000 / picture with someone who needs concrete barriers or tandem trucks to protect him from Central Illinois)and socializing expenses or losses (those same concrete barriers).
As CJ points out this visit, unlike the earlier one where the president was on “official bussiness” (and by the way, no concrete barriers or trucks at Sterling Family Restaurant, unless Diane wants to correct me), this WHOLE TRIP to PEORIA was for a political fundraising event in a partisian election.
Using the rationale that since it’s the president the taxpayers should pay for all the costs regardless would lead to the conclusion that the taxpayers should pay for concrete security barriers around the apartment of Monica L. Under that scenario, I can imagine many of those rationalising and defending this event would be squealing like a stuck Moose in a tanning bed.
Mr. Sandberg if I understood even half of what you just said I’d be worried.
So you parked a few city vehicles along the highway. Bfd. They have to be parked somewhere don’t they?
Diane,
I like you [I think], but this is why I get a little “nervous” when I hear people like you supporting Aaron Schock [fanatically]. I can understand where Krupa deserves a pat on the back, but SCHOCK?!?!? Washington is going to fit Schock much better then his suits do.
And for the life of me NV, I can’t figure out why you would support his opponent if you truly met them both, observed them both, and knew their respective records. BTW, I have voted for (and campaigned for) more than one Democrat in the past.
Diane, you said…”And for the life of me NV, I can’t figure out why you would support his opponent if you truly met them both, observed them both, and knew their respective records.”
Well, excuse me Ms Blind One, I’ve been a registered Republican for 44 years now, and I have seen that twit schock “behind the public’s eye” and I can assure you that twit doesn’t deserve one iota of the respect that you heap on him let alone the African Americans he has hoodwinked! Don’t believe now? That’s fine…you will in the future, when his true moral character is revealed in the national media though you probably won’t have the courage to admit supporting him in the past. A Schock is such a phony little twit and we deserve more than he can ever bring back to central Illinois!
“Without Malice”, to be fair, I really think you should select a new User name.
Without malice,
You must be voting in a different state. Illinois does not have party registration. They only keep tabs on what style of ballot you ask for in the primary.
Anyone who votes and is on the voting rolls can ask for a Republican ballot. The opposite party can make this a strategy for picking the least capable candidate to run against their selectee.
Does not always happen but it is out there.
It happened in the Democrat Presidential race this year. Republicans voting for Hillary in some states that were already for the republican candidate and had secured the nomination by the election in that particular state.
How much do you weigh and how tall are you, so we can evaluate your littleness or bigness.
Let’s look ahead….
Krupa, at 62 will (if elected) serve no more than 2 terms… which leaves her seat available to Darrin LaHood, who, after losing to Lyons will need a “free” ride into elected office. In 6 years, Schock will be the The VP condidate for the Repubicans, allowing Darrin to take his father’s seat in Congress… as planned. The only reason he isn’t the candidate is because going from Nevada ADA to Illinois Congressman in one swoop would have been a little obvious.
You gotta love Gary Sandberg!
dianevespa: don’t you get tired of backpeddaling and apologizing for being wrong? Why don’t you just stop expressing your opinion until you actually have one of your own?
Did you actually see and read Shock’s speech at the RNC? He certainly didn’t write it, and whoever did has NEVER been to Peoria. Urban Democratic district… puh-leese.
Ahhh politics. Why can’t we all hold hands? Nevermind.