Wildwood Mayor: Taxpayers Shouldn’t Pay for Trump’s Rally

When President Trump comes to Wildwood on January 28th for a rally with Congressman Jeff Van Drew, tens of thousands of people will flood into the city and with that comes a large price tag.

So, who pays for it all?

Wildwood Mayor Pete Byron says it shouldn't be the taxpayers of his city.

Byron tells NJ.com, "Do I think that our taxpayers should foot the bill for this? Absolutely not. I will do my best to get a final tally, and I will certainly pass that on to the local Republican organization, and I hope that we get some sort of reimbursement for the event."

Wildwood, with a population of about 5,000 year-round residents, is expecting up to ten times that number of people for the rally.

Cape May County Administrator Elizabeth Bozzelli told NJ.com the Cape May County Prosecutor’s Office, Sheriff’s Office, and Office of Emergency Management would be involved in the event, along with all of the first responders from the City of Wildwood.

Byron said that although the president’s visit is political, the Democrat says party affiliations should be thrown out the door and people should come to the city to enjoy the historic moment. "I don't think it really matters if you're Republican or a Democrat or nonpartisan. I think we should just bask in this opportunity," he said.

It's hard to calculate the economic benefit that President Trump's visit will mean to Wildwood and the surrounding communities. Hotels and motels that are usually closed will be open. Restaurants and other establishments will enjoy a huge economic boon, especially in the middle of January.