Wilmington Presidential Spending

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Post on Jan 23, 2025

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Decoding Wilmington's Presidential Spending: A Deep Dive

Hey everyone! So, I've been doing a deep dive into presidential spending in Wilmington, and let me tell you, it's a rabbit hole! I mean, who knew tracking down this kind of hyperlocal data could be so… challenging? I initially thought it would be a simple Google search, but boy, was I wrong. This wasn't just about finding out how much money gets spent during presidential visits; it's about understanding the impact. And that's way more nuanced.

This whole thing started when I was helping my cousin with his history project. He needed info on presidential visits to Delaware for a presentation, and, naturally, Wilmington being the biggest city, it became our focus. We were looking for stuff like Secret Service overtime, road closures, and the cost of security. Turns out, that data's surprisingly hard to pin down! It's scattered across different government agencies, and often buried in massive, jargon-filled reports. Seriously, I spent hours sifting through PDFs. I felt like I was in a real-life Where's Waldo, but instead of Waldo, it was the line item for "temporary restroom rentals during President Biden's visit."

<h3>The Challenges of Tracking Presidential Spending</h3>

First off, transparency is a big issue. While some federal agencies publish summaries of presidential travel expenses, they often lack granular detail. They'll tell you the total cost of a trip, but it's like trying to figure out how many marshmallows are in a jar without actually counting them. You get a general idea, but not the precise number. Plus, the way they categorize expenses is, shall we say, creative. So deciphering it takes a LOT of work.

Secondly, local costs are often overlooked. Presidential visits have a ripple effect on local economies. Think about things like increased overtime for police officers, fire fighters, and other first responders. Then there's the impact on businesses – hotels, restaurants, etc. Getting a handle on these expenses requires contacting multiple local government agencies, and even then, it's difficult. I had to file multiple Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests!

<h3>Where to Look for Clues (and Where You Probably Won't Find Them)</h3>

So, what did I find? Well, I learned that the General Services Administration (GSA) is a good starting point. They often publish details on things like venue rentals and logistical support for presidential events. However, their reports usually focus on the federal government's direct expenses. The GSA won't cover stuff like the costs incurred by the City of Wilmington.

The other places to try are the websites for:

• The White House: Believe it or not, they do publish some details on presidential travel, but it's usually very high-level stuff.
• Local news outlets: Local news often covers presidential visits and might offer insights into some of the local costs.

I found out that social media posts related to event planning are also quite helpful. Looking at those posts from local municipalities often gives better info than many official reports. Trust me; digging through the comments of a mayor's Facebook post yielded better results for specific expense breakdowns than any official government document. Go figure.

<h3>Tips for Your Own Presidential Spending Research</h3>

If you're planning to embark on a similar quest, here's my advice:

1. Be patient: This isn't a quick project. I actually wanted to give up many times.
2. Use multiple search terms: Try different combinations of keywords. Instead of just "presidential spending," try "Secret Service Wilmington," "road closures Biden visit," or even "Wilmington police overtime presidential visit."
3. Contact local government agencies directly: Don't hesitate to reach out to city officials. They're often much more responsive than large federal agencies.
4. Don't give up! The information is out there, even if it's well-hidden.

This whole process taught me a lot about the complexities of government data and the challenges involved in accessing public information. It was frustrating at times, but it was also a rewarding experience. I learned a lot and it made me understand how important transparency is. It’s something we should always be advocating for. Hopefully, this helps you too if you need to do similar research. Let me know in the comments if you have any questions or have your own stories to share!