It's not that the candidates' speeches are boring, or that the people of Green Bay don't enjoy being a part of the democratic process. The problem is that hosting the stampede of elephants and donkeys over and over again ends up costing local governments a fair amount of money. For example, every time one of the candidates' planes touches down, the town of Ashwaubenon, where the region's airport is located, drops about $8,000 on police overtime and logistical support. "Both campaigns have millions of dollars in the bank," says Jerry Menne, a village trustee. "If they're going to throw that kind of money around, then we should get some help."
The local sentiment is the same in other swing states: The presidential hoopla is fun, but maybe not worth the trouble. The candidates typically swoop into town on just a few days notice, preceded by bossy Secret Service agents who tell local authorities what to do. Vacations are ruined, overtime is maxed out, all rescue workers must report for duty. One day in August, the entire police department of Davenport, Iowa, kept watch as Bush and Kerry crossed paths at rallies within a few blocks of each other. But while the candidates stumped and their supporters cheered, three local banks were robbed in one hour.
Some cash-strapped cities have begun sending the campaigns a bill for their services. LaCrosse, Wisconsin, calculates that a Bush rally on May 7 cost the city about $60,000. Democratic Mayor John Medinger wanted to bill for the whole amount. But the city council stripped out all security-related expenses, reducing the invoice to $7,822. The Bush-Cheney campaign paid it. "We didn't budget $200,000 this year for campaigns," Medinger says, noting that Cheney and Edwards both have visited LaCrosse, too.
To be sure, many towns take the attitude that it's always an honor to have the candidates in town--perhaps even good for business--and they'll gladly put up with the headaches. Bowling Green, Ohio, put on that brave face when Kerry and Edwards visited together in August (at a cost of $19,000). Out of bipartisan fairness, the city also ate the $8,000 bill when Bush's bus rolled through town, but did not stop, a few weeks later. But now Bowling Green has decided it doesn't want to be put upon anymore. The next time any of the candidates comes through town, Bowling Green is going to ask his campaign to sign a contract spelling out what expenses the city will be reimbursed for. John Fawcett, the city manager who cancelled a vacation because of Kerry's visit, isn't sure if the new approach will work. Frankly, he hopes it won't ever be tested. "We celebrate the fact that we saw both candidates," says Fawcett. "Now we're happy to have other communities see them."
