wow!!!! police protection is sure expensive!!!! it cost $3 for every person that attended the march to have the cops protect us from ourselfs! (some estimates say 250,000 people marched and that lowers the cost to from $3 to $1.20 per person) Original Article Immigration march cost Phoenix over $300,000 Monica Alonzo-Dunsmoor The Arizona Republic Apr. 15, 2006 12:00 AM PHOENIX - Phoenix officials spent at least $309,000 to ensure public safety during the immigration march Monday that drew more than 100,000 people to downtown Phoenix. That's about $3 per person. "We invested the appropriate resources we believed were needed to provide for a safe and orderly event for the participants, the motorists and the general public," said David Ramrez, a city spokesman. The marchers rallied in support of legalization for millions of undocumented immigrants. There were no arrests or major incidents during the peaceful march that took participants from the state fairgrounds to the state Capitol, but police officers and firefighters were on standby. A bulk of the money, at least $256,124, covered overtime costs for public safety crews and support staff, including eight temporary workers who answered more than 360 calls to the city's traffic information line. The city also paid about $25,000 for barricades to close streets throughout the day of the march. "We had to keep traffic moving around the march, and keep people from parking in neighborhoods," said Mike Frisbie, a city traffic engineering supervisor. The cost of $3 per person was $3 too much for some residents. "Any other group or organization would have to pay for their barricades and for the police overtime," said Donna Neill, a community activist. "You can't take my tax dollar and use it when our community are in such need in other areas like parks or senior centers. That money is gone. It didn't produce anything tangible." Other costs related to the march: About $22,000 to serve 6,000 meals to public safety crews from the city and outside police agencies working the event. About $6,500 to print and distribute 30,000 fliers several days before the march to inform residents and businesses along the march route about the event and related street closures. "It's our duty to provide public safety at every level," Assistant Fire Chief Bob Khan said. "And the city did that seamlessly." Reach the reporter at monica.alonzo-dunsmoor@arizonarepublic.com or (602) 444-2478