June 01, 2012 08:41 PM UTC

Noted: Locals Love Paying For Campaign Stops

• 0 Comments
• by: Colorado Pols

The Craig Daily Press reports from the glitter-strewn aftermath of Mitt Romney’s whistlestop:

Although estimates from Moffat County will not be available until the end of next week, Vanatta said the total cost to the city and its taxpayers [of Romney’s visit] worked out to be $25,649.

Routt County reported expenses of $1,680 not including the sheriff and undersheriff’s time, Vanatta said.

“I never would have anticipated in my wildest dreams that I would be interacting with the U.S. Secret Service as a government functionary in Craig, Colo.,” Carwile said. “For an event of this magnitude, of this significance for the community historically, it was well worth it.”

…Considering Craig’s population is 9,464, according to the 2010 Census, hosting the event cost city taxpayers $2.71 each, [Craig road and bridge director Randy] Call said.

“I have to look at it this way – I don’t care if it had been (President Barack) Obama or anybody else,” Call said. “It’s history for Craig because we’ve never had anyone of that caliber here, so why worry about it? It all averages out.”

It’s the right attitude to have about these things, of course, and we’d agree that the exposure Craig got from Romney’s visit–particularly of its strong local economy–was well worth the expense. Even if Romney’s actual campaign might not think so in hindsight.

But in every presidential election cycle, politically stilted complaints about costs to local taxpayers for the preparations, extra staffing, and other accommodation of a candidate’s visit flow freely, perhaps even more in the case of an incumbent president running for re-election.

So remember, folks, according to this conservative Republican coal town, paying for extra cops and Port-a-Potties, and we assume waiting for motorcades, is your patriotic duty.