JOHNSTOWN, Pa. — Campaign visits earlier this year by Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump cost Johnstown and Cambria County a combined roughly $7,200.
Nearly all of the spending was related to Trump’s Aug. 30 rally, which drew about 6,000 people to the 1st Summit Arena @ Cambria County War Memorial in downtown Johnstown.
Johnstown earned $2,565.20 in overtime for firefighters and $2,546.75 for police officers, according to information obtained through a Right-to-Know request. The Cambria County Sheriff’s Office paid $826 in overtime.
Harris’ September 13 landing at John Murtha Johnstown-Cambria County Airport, motorcade and visit to Classic Elements, a gift shop, bookstore, cafe and wine shop downtown, made $347.02 in additional wages for the Johnstown fire and $ 953.36 necessary for the police. The sheriff’s department was involved in Harris’ arrest but had no additional charges.
Johnstown also received $600 in vendor fees for the Trump rally when merchandise stands popped up near the arena and in other neighborhoods. There were no vendors involved when Harris came to town.
“Vice President Harris and former President Trump’s visits to Johnstown show how important winning Pennsylvania can be on the road to the White House,” said Johnstown Mayor Frank Janakovic. “This shows why cities like Johnstown and its voters are important, because every vote counts in this election. The publicity and the people and businesses they attract to Johnstown and our region far outweigh the minimal cost to the city.”
The Cambria County Solicitor’s Office noted “that the Sheriff’s Office has not charged the (Trump) campaign.”
City officials asked whether Johnstown was reimbursed for the costs were either unsure or unresponsive.
Although the War Memorial is owned by the county, Trump’s use of the site was a private lease between the candidate’s campaign and ASM Global, which operates the site, according to the arena’s general manager, Jean Desrochers.
