Trump campaign must make a $145,000 deposit before Thursday's event in Tucson

TUCSON, Arizona (13 News) – Before former President Donald Trump could make a second appearance in Tucson, his campaign team had to make a deposit of $145,222.70.

The required deposit was made because Trump did not pay a bill for $81,837 from a campaign event held at the Tucson Convention Center in 2016.

The bill called for 180 police officers to patrol inside and outside the TCC for six and a half hours.

“You know, the former president has the right to go anywhere he wants in Arizona,” said Tucson Mayor Regina Romero. “It's up to the Trump campaign to pay their bills.”

The last time Trump was here, it became a violent affair with a protester who received a sneaky punch during the former president's speech.

But despite the violence, the most memorable thing about this 2016 event is that the campaign left town without paying its bill.

Tucson is just one of many communities where the Trump campaign held events but did not provide security through local police.

Mesa still owes more than $64,000. In El Paso, Texas, the bill exceeds $400,000.

“It's important to provide these services,” Romero said. “The bottom line is that the most important thing we have to provide as a government is the ability to protect the former president.”

“The city sent the campaign a letter six months after the event stating, ‘This letter serves as a request for payment,’ which was ignored.

Nevertheless, the city will again deploy police for another Trump event on Thursday. However, to avoid further embarrassment, the city has changed its rules.

It said all payments for use of city facilities had to be made up front. According to the city, the Trump campaign did this. A copy of the agreement between the two sides can be found here HERE and at the bottom of this storm.

“It's also fair that taxpayers get the reimbursement we need to provide these services,” Romero said. “These services are absolutely necessary, but we need to make sure he pays his bills.”

The city issued the following statement this afternoon:

“We now require users of the TCC to cover all costs associated with the public safety response so that taxpayers do not have to bear these costs. Users are required to deposit the city's estimated amount for the public safety response and the cost of using the TCC prior to an event. The Trump campaign paid the deposit for the estimated cost of $145,222.70 for use of the Music Hall this Thursday.”

Trump wasn't the only reason the city changed its rules and demanded payment.

Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders ignored a $45,000 bill in 2016.

The city decided not to spend huge amounts of legal fees to sue for debts from both campaigns. The city thought it would be easier to change the rules.

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