DENVER-
Denver and Minneapolis are each asking Congress for up to $50 million for security during the 2008 Democratic and Republican national conventions in their cities, double their earlier estimates, officials said Friday.
Elbra Wedgeworth, president of the Denver host committee for the Democratic convention, said the higher amount was based on the $50 million the federal government spent on security for the 2004 Democratic convention in New York.
Jeff Larson, acting executive director for the Republican host committee, said Minnesota’s senators would seek the same amount for Minneapolis.
Wedgeworth and Larson both said security costs could be lower than $50 million, and neither city would get more than it actually spent.
Rep. Diana DeGette, D-Colo., whose district includes Denver, on Thursday requested the money for Denver be attached to a Justice Department appropriation.
“We face unprecedented security challenges in the post 9/11 world, and we must take those challenges seriously,” she said in a news release.
Colorado’s three other Democratic representatives, Ed Perlmutter, John Salazar and Mark Udall, endorsed the request.
The federal money would be used solely for security. In Denver, the host committee is responsible for raising about $55 million more to pay for the event.
