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Friday, October 14, 2011

Occupy Philadelphia costs hit $230,000 for week one

We just got the updated numbers from city Budget Director Rebecca Rhynhart on the price tag for the Occupy Philadelphia protest.

For the first week, the city shelled out $230,000, mostly in police overtime to man the tent city that sprung up next to City Hall on Oct. 6. The other costs include setting up a police command center, as well as public property and sanitaiton expenses.

Rhynhart said that some of those expenses were one-time deals and that the overtime costs have been dropping, so the projected weekly expense going forward is $112,000.

These numbers do not include the use of straight police time -- redeploying officers already on duty. And Rhynhart said it wasn't yet clear if the costs would force the city to make further cuts to balance the budget.

Posted by Catherine Lucey @ 4:10 PM Permalink | 15 comments

Comments

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 6:47 PM, 10/14/2011

$230,000 going to the pockets of police officers who will likely invest it back into the local economy by purchasing amenities for their families such as food, clothing, Xbox, etc.... Not necessary an overwhelming evil.
Secondly, I don't remember any Occupy Protesters ASKING for police supervision... and I haven't heard of any violent or disruptive behavior that would entail a major police presence.
I'd be curious to know how many officers represent that 230K... if its 10 officers earning 230K, then I'd say the problem is more inherent to the police compensation system than to the protest.

— KingOfPhilly

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 6:56 AM, 10/16/2011

yes, amenities such as food,clothing,Xbox,etc....necessary and popular items that are created and brought to you by...corporations.

— bearsfriend

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 1:02 AM, 10/15/2011

If these were the Homeless, they would be gone in 5 mins........

— tiger

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 4:56 PM, 10/15/2011

no they would not. Philly has no backbone!

— Ben Fan

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 8:18 AM, 10/15/2011

With all of the Occupy groups camped around the country - why aren't they coming up with any implementable productive ideas to create jobs ?? Instead of whining and complaining and simply venting.... with all of these hundreds or (collectively) thousands camped out - where's their spark of productivity? Where is their FIRE to join minds, join ideas, and come up with something viable ?

— zen

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 11:20 AM, 10/15/2011

The Mayor has visited them several times, which he wouldn't do if they called themselves the "Tea Party". Unions and the Liberal Quakers give support too, which overall means that the Democratic Party controlled Philadelphia has already co-opted the Occupy Philadelphia movement for the Obama campaign.

— Ricardo38

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 6:58 AM, 10/16/2011

Ricardo shoots....Ricardo scores!

— bearsfriend

Comment removed.

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 1:38 PM, 10/15/2011

To King of Philly, Your example of 10 officers appears to demonstrate that you have not been near the tent city. The numbers of police officers is well above that paltry sum. Moreover, the fact that they are only including the overtime amounts into the cost figure is really low-balling any hope of an accurate amount. Those officers who are on their regular shift are being taken from someplace else in the city to baby sit these protesters. There are all kinds of brass and street supervisors whose hourly pay-rate is more than just a cop's hourly rate on location. Normally, these officers and supervisors would be assigned somewhere other than City Hall Courtyard. Herego, other locations in the city are now not as well patrolled as they were prior to the initiation of the "protest". To the point that the protesters did not request such a police presence, that is laughable! Muggers and rapists don't request a police presence either so should we abide by their wishes? Yes, it is true that the "Occupy Philly" crew seem to be generally a law abiding group. But how much of that civil obedience is due to the very visible police presence? I guess we could pull the police from the protest altogether and then find out. But that could really prove to be costly if the premise that they are independently a law abiding group is wrong on its face! I agree with the poster who posited that if the "TEA Party" staged such an event that we would be constantly hearing about the high costs to the city by allowing the protest to continue. This is truly a double standard. Be that as it may, make no mistake, this protest comes at a real expense to the city. Even if it remains as peaceful a protest as it has been.

— philaresident

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 5:24 PM, 10/15/2011

Can't believe you just drew an analogy between muggers/rapists & the peaceful protesters. The cops aren't gonna get rid of them. Not with all of that OT money to be made. That would be like killing the goose that lays the golden eggs.

— F. Harry Stowe

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 3:08 PM, 10/15/2011

It's a good thing the founding fathers didn't put a price tag on the right to peaceful assembly.

— Cindy Clark

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 4:53 PM, 10/15/2011

Why can't we get to City Hall? It appears to be barricaded. How does one get in to do city business? OPEN THE GATES!!!

— Ben Fan

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 5:19 PM, 10/15/2011

Why do they have so many cops working the protest?? They need maybe 3 or 4. The cops drawing those OT shifts are laughing all the way to the bank. What a scam. And take down those stupid barricades already!

— F. Harry Stowe

Comment removed.

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 9:26 PM, 10/17/2011

Call SEIU, AFSME, AFL-CIO and the Obama re-election campaign for reimbursement. These Marxists wannabes are nothing more than foot soldiers for all named above.

— Chantal

15 comments

About The Philly Clout Team

Chris Brennan, a native Philadelphian and graduate of Temple University, joined the Daily News in 1999. He has written about SEPTA, the Philadelphia School District, the legalization of casino gambling, state government, the mayor, the governor, City Council and political campaigns.

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David Gambacorta spent a small eternity writing about cops, drug dealers and serial killers. Now he’s writing about power and politics – which sometimes reminds him of the old crime beat. He joined the Daily News in 2005. And yes, he knows you’re not quite sure how to pronounce his last name. E-mail tips to gambacd@phillynews.com

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Catherine Lucey joined the Daily News in 2002 and has written about murderous drug gangs, political protesters and Harry Potter. After covering the 2007 mayoral election, she moved over to the City Hall bureau where she has been reporting on the Nutter administration.

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Jan Ransom, a native New Yorker, joined the Daily News in 2010 after graduating from Howard University. She has since written about the difficulty of filing police complaints, tax deadbeats and life after violent home invasions. She joined the Daily News City Hall Bureau in 2011 and has plunged headfirst into reporting on administration budget battles and City Council shenanigans.

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