Los Ranchos Mayor Brags Town Will Pay Zero for Bush Visit

Los Ranchos de Albuquerque's "Independent" Mayor Larry Abraham (right) bragged to the media today that his town's taxpayers won't pay a cent for the abundant extra "security" that will be used for George Bush's visit on Monday, August 27. Bush will attend an expensive private fundraiser and photo op (see invitation) for "Pajama Pete" Domenici's campaign at Abraham's home on 13 acres at 7205 Rio Grande Blvd NW in Los Ranchos. There will be no public events during Bush's visit here, yet Albuquerque and other New Mexico communities will have to provide and pay for extra police and other security services. Los Ranchos has no police force.

As reported in an Albuquerque Journal article:

Abraham said his village contracts with the Bernalillo County Sheriff's Department for four deputies who handle day-to-day law-enforcement duties there. But Abraham said the village is not paying additional money for security surrounding the Bush visit.

"Absolutely zero," Abraham said earlier this week. "We're not paying any outside police agencies."

Local police play a key role in security any time the president makes an official-business or campaign visit to a U.S. city, racking up thousands of dollars worth of personnel hours as they escort the motorcade to and from Air Force One, seal off busy streets and beef up patrols.

Monday's visit will involve an estimated 150-plus New Mexico law officers. Most will be from the Albuquerque Police Department and the sheriff's department, though State Police and officers from Rio Rancho, Santa Fe, Farmington, Taos and the town of Bernalillo will also pitch in.

"It's not something we could do on our own, either. It takes a large contingent," said Bernalillo County Sheriff Darren White, a Republican.

Albuquerque Mayor Marty Chavez agreed that providing security is "an expensive proposition," but added he's not complaining. "Presidents are always welcome in Albuquerque, whether I agree with them or not—and I certainly don't agree with this one," he said.

Another Republican campaign expense to be be borne by taxpayers -- this one by Americans as a whole -- is the cost of Air Force One. According to the Journal, flight costs for Air Force One were estimated at $56,000-plus per hour when Repub Rep. Heather Wilson got a fundraising visit from Bush in August of 2006. And just think, fuel costs have risen dramatically since then.

Attention Albuquerque Journal, Albuquerque Tribune and Santa Fe New Mexican: Wouldn't it be fascinating to see a breakout of what Bush's visit on Monday will cost national, state and local taxpayers? Wouldn't it be great if we had a daily newspaper as interested in obtaining that as we are?

Remember when presidents used to add at least one public event to their campaign trips to provide cover for their campaigning on the taxpayers' dime? Of course when you're a president as unpopular and arrogant as Bush, a public event would be more than a little problematic. Besides, Bush doesn't seem to feel any need to interact with the peasantry. Elite donors and controlled audiences guaranteed to be 100 percent loyal to the president are the audiences of choice for The Decider. That way he can remain in his bubble of denial and keep up the guffawing.

New Mexico Democrats and activists will meet at Kelly's Brew Pub on Nob Hill in Albuquerque on Sunday, August 26, from 1-3 PM to collect "Pajama Pete" pajamas and make signs. Demonstrators will gather for a protest of the Bush visit on Monday morning at 8:30 AM at the corner of Rio Grande and Green Valley in Los Ranchos. Click for my previous post about these events and look for future posts on other actions scheduled around Bush's visit to the Albuquerque area.