How much will all the inaugural events cost? It's hard to say. While most events that occur in the capital have a hard-and-fast budget, the inauguration's many moving parts, safety concerns and large geographic reach make it hard to quantify – especially before the main event. In 2009, ABC reported the total cost of Obama's first Inauguration was $170 million. While incumbent presidents historically spend less on a second inauguration, it's unclear what the total bill will be this time around. Analysis of some of the known appropriations so far puts the total at $12.037 million, but it will no doubt be a much larger price tag than that when everything is accounted for. RELATED: 12 Things You Didn't Know About the Inauguration One of the main chunks missing from this year's tab is the budget for the Presidential Inaugural Committee – the group responsible for using donated money to put together this year's celebrations, including National Day of Service, the Kids' Inaugural Concert, the Parade and the Inaugural Balls. In 2009, the PIC collected more than $53 million in donations, according to a report filed with the Federal Elections Commission 90 days after the Inauguration. While enthusiasm for Inauguration was running higher that year, it is possible the PIC will haul in more money this time around, as they have eliminated some of the self-imposed regulations on the kinds of donations they can accept. For his first Inauguration, President Obama did not take money from corporations or gifts that exceeded $50,000.
No comments:
Post a Comment