Memo to Donald Trump from state Assemblyman Jack Ciattarelli: Fore!
TRENTON -- With President Donald Trump set to spend the weekend in New Jersey, state Assemblyman Jack Ciattarelli said he may propose creating a special tax that would be levied only against Trump National Golf Course in Bedminster as a more reliable way to reimburse local and county law enforcement for security costs.
"He should reimburse the towns," said Ciattarelli (R-Somerset), a Republican candidate for governor. "And if not, a special tax district is one of the options" to recoup the out-sized costs of guarding a sitting U.S. president and whatever foreign leaders he entertains.
Earlier this week, Congress passed a spending bill under which Bedminster would be eligible to seek a share of $41 million in reimbursements that U.S. localities can request for costs associated with protecting Trump since assuming office.
But that continuing resolution to fund the federal government only runs through September, and New York City could swallow much of it.
Bedminster readies for Trump visit
New York City reportedly spent $24 million protecting Trump Tower from election day through the inauguration, according to New York Mayor Bill de Blasio's office, and today spends $127,000 to $146,000 a day to protect Trump's family even when the president isn't in town.
The president also spent more than half of his weekends away from the White House at his Mar-a-Lago golf resort in Florida during his first 13 weeks in office.
The conservative legal watchdog Judicial Watch this week reported that just two of President Trump's flights there in February and March cost taxpayers $1,281,420.
Bedminster Township officials estimate that if President-elect Trump visits his golf club in Somerset County for seven weekends each year, it will cost the host town $1 million over four years in overtime costs.
Ciattarelli and Patrick Scaglioni, deputy director of the Somerset County freeholder board, both stressed their preference would be for the federal government to reimburse the costs, but making Trump National Golf Course a special tax district could occur due to their of concern about whether Congress will be a reliable source for timely reimbursements.
Meanwhile, state Sen. Michael Doherty (R-Warren), who represents Bedminster, said while it was important for the federal government to reimburse the locality, he was inclined to oppose any new special levy until he heard what Bedminster's local town council and mayor would had to say about the special Trump-only tax district Ciattarelli is mulling.
Citing the recently approved funds for reimbursement by Congress, he dismissed concerns about payments beyond those as "creating controversy where there is none."
Sizable holes were been blown through local police budgets in both New York City and Palm Beach, Fla. this winter thanks to Trump's frequent visits to his Mar-a-Lago resort and Trump Tower properties.
The Associated Press reported last month that after spending more than $60,000 a day during presidential visits to the "Winter White House" at Mar-a-Lago and an additional $250,000 during Trump's recent meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Palm Beach county commissioners had enough.
In April, Palm Beach County commissioners reportedly began exploring turning Mar-a-Lago into a special taxing district to force Trump to pay back localities for the cost of protecting the president.
The U.S. Justice Department this week said it would consider reimbursing New Jersey, New York and Florida for the extra costs of protecting Trump when he visited the Trump National Golf Club between his election as president in November and taking the oath of office in January.
But even with the federal reimbursement for security costs, Trump's expected visits will carry other negative consequences for Bedminster.
Because the FAA grounds all air traffic within 10 miles of wherever the president is, Bedminster's Somerset Airport will be shut down during his weekend visits.
Steve Parker, the mayor of Bedminster, is the CEO of Somerset Air Services, which operates its airport and runs both air charters and a flight school at Somerset Airport, noted Scaglioni.
"It's going to decimate his business," Scaglioni said.
Parker did not return calls seeking comment.
Claude Brodesser-Akner may be reached at cbrodesser@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @ClaudeBrodesser. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook.