DeGette seeks $50 million for Democratic convention security

M.E. Sprengelmeyer, Rocky Mountain News

Thursday, March 15, 2007

WASHINGTON — Rep. Diana DeGette has asked the House Appropriations Committee to set aside up to $50 million for security costs for the 2008 Democratic National Convention in Denver.

The request still must go through a lengthy approval process, and is being made in conjunction with an identical request for Minneapolis, host of the 2008 Republican National Convention.

The $50 million per city figure is twice as much as congressional leaders originally requested for the convention host cities of Boston and New York City in 2004.

Boston eventually spent $35 million on security for that year’s Democratic National Convention and New York city spent $50 million for the Republican National Convention, DeGette spokesman Brandon MacGillis said.

DeGette said she requested the higher amount because, "What I don't want to be doing is coming back in a controversial supplemental (spending) bill and trying to get this money after the fact."

The money would not be given to the cities' host committees directly, but instead would create a pool to reimburse local agencies for security costs.

DeGette is being joined in the spending request by fellow Colorado Democrats, Reps. Mark Udall, D-Eldorado Springs, John Salazar, D-Manassa, and Ed Perlmutter, D-Golden.

Security spending is just one piece of the puzzle that convention organizers need to put in place.

Denver’s host committee also is continuing to raise funds for other convention costs. Meanwhile, Democrats are hoping to smooth relations with labor. A recent letter from union officials asked that the convention be moved out of Denver because of Gov. Bill Ritter's veto of union organizing legislation that labor leaders backed.

"Labor issues are a continuing concern," DeGette said. "I have a lot of faith that they can be worked out."