Quote: (07-31-2012 11:47 AM)UgSlayer Wrote:
So they deserve to get stuck with the bill because they're rich?
Not just that, the city should be responsible for providing police protection for dignitaries and national figures. That's what society is: order and infrastructure. That's what you pay for. Despite the ultra-conservatives' fantasies, this ain't no third-rate foreign nation where everything is privatized and you have to provide your own everything, like security.
But, it goes both ways. This isn't just about who's rich.
When Michael Jackson died and there were massive crowds in Downtown Los Angeles for the funeral, some city council members tried to pull that bullshit--"the estate should pay." The mayor came back from some trip abroad and shut up that noise, publicly, saying that the city is responsible for that shit. I think he said, "we're a world-class city, not some small town." Despite the economic crisis, he wasn't going to nickel-and-dime a grieving family, just because the deceased happened to be a mega-star.
Not only is Newport Beach the city here, responsible for running things, they're a rich city. They should be responsible on both counts. This comes out of city coffers, not an individual's pocket.