VOL. 35 | NO. 46 | Friday, November 18, 2011
Statewide
Glance: Occupy protests' cost to 18 US cities
The Associated Press
In the first two months of the nationwide Occupy protests, the movement that is demanding more out of the wealthiest Americans has cost local taxpayers at least $13 million in police overtime and other municipal services, such as cleanup and sanitation, according to a survey conducted by The Associated Press. The AP gathered figures from 18 cities with active protests, focusing on costs through Nov. 15. Here they are, in descending order by cost:
— NASHVILLE: $4,500, estimated as of Nov. 1, including for daily cleaning of entrances to Capitol, increased chemicals in plaza fountain because of urine and debris, and electricity usage by protesters. State estimates another $25,000 for cleanup and repair after protesters leave.
— NEW YORK CITY: More than $7 million as of Nov. 15 in police overtime. The department's overall budget is about $4.5 billion. Last year, it spent $550 million on overtime costs.
— OAKLAND, Calif.: About $2.4 million as of Nov. 14, including more than $1 million for police overtime and $500,000 for other law enforcement agencies. Costs are being tapped from the city's $30 million reserve fund and are expected to reach $3 million.
— PORTLAND, Ore.: About $785,000 as of Nov. 13, including an estimated $450,000 on police overtime on Nov. 12-13 as officers enforced a mayoral order to evict protesters from two parks because of concerns about sanitation and public safety risks. Hundreds of officers were dispatched last week when protesters threatened to occupy bank buildings, adding to the overtime bill.
— ATLANTA: About $651,942 as of Nov. 7, including $620,508 on overtime for police, firefighters and corrections officials, another $20,495 for police equipment, a mobile command center and food for police officers, and about $9,500 for the parks and recreation department.
— SEATTLE: $625,999 through Nov. 11, including 580,468 for police overtime, $21,471 for the parks department and $24,060 for the department of financial and administrative services. Costs may result in reduced service in other areas in the future, the mayor's office says, offering no details.
— BOSTON: $575,000 as of mid-November, all for police overtime. That's about 2 percent of the $30 million police overtime budget and is less than an initial prediction of $2 million in Occupy costs by the end of October.
— PHILADELPHIA: $500,000, mostly in police overtime, but also for setting up barricades and other costs. More uniformed officers are joining as health and safety conditions deteriorate, officials say.
— MINNEAPOLIS: $226,655. Includes $132,912 in overtime for Hennepin County Sheriff's Department; $42,488 for contract workers for Hennepin County Security to replace employees put on special detail, and $51,255 in overtime for the Minneapolis police.
— LOS ANGELES: More than $120,000, for services such as recreation and parks, street services, security and city attorney work. May rise after damage to park surrounding City Hall, where nearly 500 tents are set up, is fully inspected; damage is estimated at $200,000. By comparison, the Michael Jackson memorial concert cost the city $1.4 million.
— CHICAGO: About $49,000 as of Nov. 2. Police department's projected costs are $48,767, the majority of it in overtime.
— AUSTIN, Texas: About $9,800 as of Nov. 15, for cleanup to the plaza in front of City Hall. Police department did not respond to request for cost information.
— PROVIDENCE, R.I.: About $9,000 as of Nov. 15, including extended hours and maintenance for restrooms and police overtime.
— DES MOINES, Iowa: About $7,800 as of Nov. 15, mostly for police overtime.
— BURLINGTON, Vt.: Several thousand dollars in overtime after investigation of an apparent suicide at the encampment and demonstrations that followed.
— ST. LOUIS: About $2,200, for overtime and other costs to parks employees.
— WASHINGTON, D.C.: About $1,000 as of Nov. 15, for less than 20 hours of police overtime.
— DALLAS: No extra costs reported.