A $500-a-plate fundraiser for GOP Rep. Chris Chocola (Indiana-02) is creating an expensive headache for the cash-strapped town of Mishawaka.
President Bush will attend the luncheon at evangelical Bethel College on Thursday, and the town is expected to detail police to work security.
Local police, however, are crying foul.
From WNDU TV:
Fraternal Order of Police #91 President Pasquale Rulli, Jr. says,
"It's not about Bethel; it's about Chris Chocola. I think the key word everyone was keying in on here is the fundraiser part of this. Yeah, it's great he's coming here but it's costing a lot of money to raise money for somebody else."
... more on the flip ...
The mayor initially asked for 40 officers to accept voluntary overtime at time-and-a-half pay, but only one has agreed. If the mayor orders police to work overtime, they'll receive double their regular pay.
Rulli says officers voted not to accept the assignment from the mayor to prove a point, as Rulli explains, "He should probably let someone know this is hard on us instead of saying well, we'll find the money."
After all, the FOP points out the city is strapped for cash and couldn't afford raises for the majority of city employees this year. They wonder how Mayor Rea can come up with money now.
Meanwhile, Bethel's College Republicans are expected to provide 60-70 student volunteers to work the event. The remainder of the college's nearly 2,000 students will have to watch the President's appearance via closed circuit TV from elsewhere on campus--unless their meal plan covers a $500 lunch.