New York City seeks U.S. funds for $1 million daily security costs for Trump

[December 03, 2016]  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Two members of New York City's council are calling on President-elect Donald Trump to provide federal funds to reimburse the city for the $1 million-a-day cost of protecting him and his family in their home in Trump Tower on Manhattan's Fifth Avenue.

In an online petition launched on Friday, Speaker of the New York City Council Melissa Mark Viverito and council member Dan Garodnick said the cost of the Trump's security should be borne by the federal government, not by the city.

"We ask you to commit the necessary federal funds to reimburse New York for all costs of protecting you and your family, both before and after your inauguration as president of the United States of America," it said.

A representative for the New York City Council said it had not received any response from Trump's team about the petition, which had more than 500 supporters on Friday.

Since Trump's surprise victory over Democrat Hillary Clinton in the Nov. 8 election, New York City police have increased protection for the president-elect and his family at their Midtown home.

Police have set up barriers and security details at the luxury skyscraper, which has been the headquarters for his transition team as he prepares for his inauguration on Jan. 20.

City officials have estimated the security cost at more than $1 million a day, which would total over $1 billion during his four-year term as president, according to the petition.

Trump has said that his wife and son will remain in New York after the inauguration so 10-year-old Barron can finish school.

New York Mayor Bill de Blasio has also remarked about the costs of protection Trump and his family.

Heavily armed New York City Police (NYPD) officers stand guard in front of Trump Tower where Republican president-elect Donald Trump lives in the Manhattan borough of New York, U.S., November 27, 2016. REUTERS/Darren Ornitz

"We are particularly concerned about overtime costs, and we think it's a very valid situation to turn to the federal government for the maximum possible reimbursement for those costs," he told reporters last month.

The petition said New York City's budget is already stretched by providing police, sanitation and education for city residents, all of which would suffer if funds were diverted to protecting Trump.

"Donald Trump's protection is creating a huge headache for everyone in Midtown, and must not come at the expense of New York City taxpayers," Garodnick said in a statement. "We are not going to compromise the security of the president-elect, but the feds need to step in and pick up the tab."

(Reporting by Patricia Reaney; Editing by Scott Malone and Steve Orlofsky)

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