There is something particularly unseemly about the cost of Thursday's inaugural events. In a time of war, President Bush's supporters are raising a record $40-million to celebrate his re-election. Bleacher seats for the parade cost $125 and are being scalped for much more. Tickets for more exclusive events are primarily for lobbyists and fundraisers. But Washington residents who have neither the means nor the partisan interest in the inauguration also are paying a high cost.
A larger than usual portion of the city will be shut down Thursday in the name of security, forcing residents to stay put and businesses to close. But those impositions are minor compared to the way the Bush administration is sticking the District with the bill.
Breaking with tradition, the White House does not want the federal government to reimburse most of the District's $17.3-million in overtime pay for police and other inaugural costs. The District has just $5.4-million to put toward the price tag; the White House has the gall to suggest covering the remaining $11.9-million with homeland security grants the city already has received.
The White House doesn't want the federal government to reimburse most of the District's inaugural costs.
The nation's capital should not be forced to use antiterrorism money or its own tax money to play concierge and security guard for what is essentially a private party. In government, requiring services without sending along the money to pay for it is called an unfunded mandate. To the rest of us, such arrogance is just bad manners.
