Politics & Government

(Updated) Obama Event at University of Iowa Costs More Than $55,000

President Barack Obama's visit to University of Iowa this month came at a cost, about half of which - the security costs - was borne by the university. Other expenses included $2,200 for catering.

Updated with additional details:

Some called President Barack Obama's visit to the University of Iowa on Sept. 7 "historic," but making history also apparently comes at a cost.

The event, in which Obama, First Lady Michelle Obama, Vice President Joe Biden and his spouse Dr. Jill Biden spoke on the Pentacrest lawn in Iowa City, cost more than $55,000, according to records released by the university today in response to a public records request.

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The total cost is likely more, though.

"(The) $55,000 is just the UI-related expenses," UI spokesman Tom Moore said in an email. "The other expenses were between the campaign and their vendors. We don’t know that amount, which is undoubtedly more."

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University of Iowa expects to get reimbursed for about $30,000 of it. Reimbursed costs includes $2,200 for catering, $4,300 for telecommunications and $18,920 in labor.

But, the university will have to absorb another $25,000 for police support for presidential security, including $14,700 in overtime. The other $10,374 was "regular shift cost dedicated to the event," so those are costs the university would have incurred with or without the president's visit. These costs are paid for by the university's general fund, which primarily comes from student tuition and taxpayer funding.

The university has recouped $25,000, so far, while an additional $5,000 in expenses have not yet been reimbursed. The Obama campaign has repaid its portion of the expenses. The remaining bill is due from AT&T and the White House press office, White House press corps, and transmission pool), Moore said.


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