$17,748 Bill For Beck Day Stuns Town

Glenn Beck Day in Mount Vernon was an expensive lesson for this small town, as it found out the cost of hosting a controversial celebrity. It’s on the hook for $17,748.85, mostly for 239 hours of police overtime. Isn’t that a little steep for a one-day event? “Honestly, I’m a bit surprised at how big the cost was,” says Alicia Huschka, the town’s finance director. Well, says Ken Bergsma, the town’s police chief, better to be prepared than not. The chief says the crowd of 800 to 1,000 demonstrators that greeted Beck for his early-evening appearance on Sept. 26 was the biggest protest he’s seen in his 32 years as a Mount Vernon police officer/ Seattle Times . More here .

Question: Whether you support or oppose a controversial, home-grown figure, would you have doubts about a mayor’s judgment if it cost $17,748 to honor him or her?