Now that Pope Benedict XVI has left NYC, it's time to pay the NYPD overtime bills. According to the NYPD, the State Department will reimburse the city for 50-60% of the costs associated with making sure the pope was safe throughout his 3 days in the city.
While the exact total will be released soon (Pope John Paul II's 1995 visit cost $4 million in overtime), Mayor Bloomberg emphasized, "This is one of those things were the expenses are relatively negligible, virtually impossible to measure, but the benefits will go on for a long time." Also, the NYPD's $5.5 billion budget does have money set aside for events like this. Last year, the State Department reimbursed the city $8 million of the $15 million spent for security for visiting heads of state (it's all part of the "moderately effective" Protection of Foreign Missions and Officials Program).
Newsday reports the city estimates the Pope's visit brought in $65 million in spending (hotels, food, shopping).
Photograph of the Pope in Popemobile near Central Park on Saturday by djmac20 on Flickr
