According to the Baltimore Sun, estimates put the cost of the city's riots around $20M...so far.
The $20 million figure includes expenses for police and firefighter overtime, damage to city-owned property and payment to other jurisdictions that assisted with policing duties.Baltimore’s finance director, Henry J. Raymond, said that the city can cover the costs from its rainy day fund, but that it is only a temporary solution and that they are planning on requesting up to 75 percent reimbursement from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
That's right, Baltimore wants 75% of the costs of the rioting to fall on the backs of the American taxpayer.
"The city remains on strong financial footing,” Raymond told the newspaper. “Hopefully with the FEMA reimbursement, it will reduce the financial stress that we’re under. In terms of the city’s overall revenue structure, we’re on firm footing and we’ll move forward.”
Both the Mayor of Baltimore, Stephanie Rawlings-Blake and Governor Larry Hogan have asked for federal aid.
The $20 million estimate includes the purchasing of equipment, like riot gear and tear gas and for public works crews to clean neighborhood streets affected by the rioting. Not included is the cost to businesses that were damaged.
So included in the $20M figure are the costs submitted by various city agencies but not other costs like economic impact and lost tax revenue. Other lost revenue include "the loss of conventions, tourism, leisure spending, and revenue from Orioles games that were closed to the public, canceled, or moved to other cities."
