Occupy LA

Couldn't pass on this one.

Taxpayers' bill for Occupy L.A. protest rises to $4.7 million

A new report says Occupy Los Angeles cost taxpayers at least $4.7 million, two-thirds of which was spent policing the protest.

The report by City Administrative Officer Miguel Santana says the Los Angeles Police Department spent $1.3 million monitoring protesters during the course of their two-month demonstration outside City Hall, and $1.3 million evicting them. An additional half a million dollars was spent by city security officers, according to the report.

The tally of city costs is $2 million higher than an estimate reported in February. Officials say the higher figure reflects newly reported costs to police the protest and the tab to restore the City Hall Park and several monuments damaged by protesters. The city has received more than $400,000 in donations and rebates to restore the park, Santana said.

His report comes as the City Council deliberates Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa's proposed budget, which calls for hundreds of layoffs and job eliminations to help close a $220-million budget deficit. City Councilman Mitchell Englander said the costs of the protest to the city should make city officials hesistate before they endorse similar movements in the future....

Well we know the Tea Party didn't cause this kind of damage because if they did it would have been plastered all over the LA Times. But they to their credit they did mention this and this. But some reason it's on their blog and not on their paper site....couldn't be? Not a chance!