Suburban Communities Spending Thousands On Security For Papal Visit
By Pat Loeb
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Now that Philadelphia has signed a contract with the World Meeting of Families, guaranteeing reimbursement for 12-million dollars in expenses related to the Pope's visit, suburban leaders are wondering whether they can get reimbursement too.
Towns that border the city are spending hundreds of thousands on their own security.
When SEPTA alerted Upper Darby that its papal visit transit plan was going to put huge pressure on the 69th Street area, Mayor Tom Micozzie didn't stop to think about costs.
"We went right to work," says Micozzie, "working on a plan to make sure that the residents coming through and the visitors to my community are safe."
That plan turned out to include road closures and extra manpower that he estimates could total some 200-thousand dollars. Now he's thinking about cost.
"I do have a responsibility to my taxpayers."
Micozzie was surprised to hear the World Meeting is covering Philadelphia's costs-- an offer not made to suburban communities. He's written to the group, asking about reimbursement but hasn't heard back and spokesmen did not respond to a request for comment.
Lower Merion will also be spending more than a hundred-thousand for the event.
Lower Merion spokesman Tom Walsh says the township expects to spend more than 100-thousand dollars on security around St. Charles Borromeo Seminary.
"No other suburban community will be impacted more than Lower Merion will be."
Some reimbursement may come from the state and federal government.