The Mayor of Erie, PA, Joe Schember, is requesting that former President Donald Trump pay in advance for an upcoming rally in the city. This request comes after the city claimed it was not reimbursed $35,000 for overtime costs incurred during a previous Trump rally held at the Erie Insurance Arena in 2018. The money was meant to cover the expenses of city workers, including police officers, who worked to ensure the success and safety of the “Make America Great Again” rally.
According to reports, the city made a formal reimbursement request for the $35,129 from Trump’s campaign committee after the 2018 event, but they have not received a response or payment to this day. The city believes that since Trump has raised millions of dollars for his campaign, he should have no trouble paying the costs owed to cities like Erie.
“I think we have to try, and I feel like my team feels the same way. We’re going to see whether we can get some payment from them in advance this time. It’s important to do this because we’re talking about taxpayer money being used to help make his visit more safe.”
The issue of unpaid reimbursements to cities is not unique to Erie, as a 2020 report revealed that around 14 cities were awaiting reimbursements from Trump’s campaign, totaling $2 million. The matter of unpaid debts has been reported on in various media outlets, with some highlighting that Trump still owed millions to cities by the end of his 2021 term.
John Oliver, the president of Erie’s tourism and promotion agency, stated that they did not find significant economic impact from the 2018 rally. Nonetheless, Mayor Schember’s team is still pursuing payment in advance for the upcoming event, citing taxpayer money being used to ensure the rally’s safety.
