Campaign 2020: De Blasio's NYPD Security Detail Cost Taxpayers More Than $100,000 Before Blackout
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Mayor Bill de Blasio's presidential campaign is costing taxpayers plenty.
There are stunning new estimates about much New Yorkers have to pay for the NYPD security detail that follows hizzoner around the country, CBS2's Marcia Kramer reported Tuesday.
It's another black mark against Napoleon Bonaparte de Blasio, who inconveniently found himself in Waterloo, Iowa, when the lights went out in Manhattan on Saturday night. He had to rush back -- NYPD security detail in tow -- and had to pay top dollar for hotel rooms and airfare.
MORE: NYC Blackout: Mayor De Blasio Takes Heat For Being On Presidential Campaign Trail During Blackout
And while de Blasio 2020 paid for hizzoner's trip, taxpayers paid for the cops. Estimates by The City, a digital news service, put the cost for travel expenses for de Blasio's NYPD bodyguards since announcing his run, before the blackout, at over $100,000.
That was based on security details for the mayor and wife Chirlane McCray of at least 10 detectives, including two supervisors, who stayed at the same hotels and ferried the couple around Iowa, South Carolina and other early primary states.
That number is based on 18 nights in hotels, 28 flights and 29 days of meals for the detail.
CBS2's analysis shows that there just might be a better use for the money.
The $100,000 would give 800 low-income New Yorkers fair fare MetroCards, provide over 12,000 meals for seniors, provide 9,000 taxpayer subsidies for ferry rides, and house a homeless family and a homeless adult for a year.
"It's not fair to us, not fair to us. Just not fair. He should be here. Where was he when we had our blackout? Not around, right?" said "Nick," an Upper Easy Side resident.
MORE: Campaign 2020: NYPD Unions Not Happy With De Blasio's Two-Faced Attitude Towards Police In America
"Because he's a political figure he kind of has to be protected anyway," UES resident Brandon Scott added. "But yeah, I am kind of annoyed that some of my tax money is going for the wrong reasons, to get him to a political function in style. Feed homeless with that money."
"We shouldn't be spending this kind of money for his convenience," Linda Navarro said.
A campaign spokesperson referred questions to the Police Department. The NYPD said it has long-standing policy not to comment on the number of people who guard the mayor.
Most polls have the mayor getting about 1 percent of the vote.