How much is President Obama’s second inauguration going to cost?
The total price tag isn’t clear yet, but it will likely be less than the 2009 inauguration when Obama raised $53 million in private donations for his historic swearing in as the country’s first black president. Already the events are scaled back to three days, not four, and there will be only three official inaugural balls, not the 10 of last time, according to the Associated Press. No Mall rock concert is planned either. But taxpayers will pay some of the bill beyond the money that Obama raises. The federal government reimbursed the District of Columbia $44 million after the 2009 inauguration to cover the added expense to local police, the cost of repaving Pennsylvania Avenue and communications costs. But an additional price tag borne by taxpayers is the cost is for the federal security steps taken, including staffing by Secret Service and military personnel.
