Toledo taxpayers footing bill for presidential campaign visits - 13abc.com Toledo (OH) News, Weather and Sports

Ohio was the number one battleground state in the nation, and Toledo was ground zero.  And that is costing taxpayers money.

The Republican and Democratic presidential campaigns knew Ohio, and specifically Toledo, would decide the election.

And the candidates came here, often.

To keep the candidates safe, impressive police manpower was needed along with paramedics from the fire department.

And that meant $150,616.73 in overtime expenses.  The city's Director of Public Safety says Toledo wants all candidates to be safe.  Shirley Green told 13abc reporter Bill Hormann, "We have to provide security from the transportation route to the venues and if the candidate stay overnight, we have to provide security at those venues as well."

The Secret Service is the lead security agency but they get a big assist from police department's like Toledo's.

Councilman D. Michael Collins (I) has been a police and fire overtime watchdog.

And once again this year, overtime has blown a hole in the budget.

But that doesn't matter to political campaigns who want their candidates pressing local flesh.

Collins says, don't look for the candidates to pay for that security, either.  "Campaigns do not reimburse the local venue with the responsibility of police protection.  That is on the taxpayer."

So you spent an extra $150,000 protecting the presidential candidates.  It's a necessary expense but it's an expense that will not be paid back.

Toledo City Council will likely approve allocating an extra $550,000 for police overtime.  That will cover the added expense of presidential candidate security... and pay for the overtime required during the summertime crime increase.