Chicago Mayor Richard Daley says the city won’t have to foot the bill for security around President-elect Barack Obama’s transition office downtown. The Chicago Tribune estimates that security could add up to nearly a million dollars. Daley says the federal government will reimburse the city for overtime paid for officers.
DALEY: You need safety of the President-elect Obama. Let’s realize. We’ve taken the responsibility and they’re going to compensate or reimburse us for that.
Police spokesperson Monique Bond wouldn’t go that far. Bond says federal government reimbursement is likely. A spokesperson for U.S. Senator Dick Durbin says the Illinois congressional delegation is working out details with Obama’s transition team and federal officials.
The mayor and members of his property tax advisory council took questions from the media about helping struggling homeowners, the special election expected in Illinois’ 5th Congressional District and a proposed high school designed to support GLBT high school students.