Election 2024 | Harris, the Trump events in Johnstown cost the city, county about $7,200 in total

JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – Campaign visits earlier this year by Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump cost Johnstown and Cambria County about $7,200 combined.

Almost all of the spending was related to Trump’s Aug. 30 rally, which drew about 6,000 people to the 1st Summit Arena @ Cambria County War Memorial in downtown Johnstown.

Johnstown incurred $2,565.20 in overtime for firefighters and $2,546.75 for police officers, according to information obtained through a Right to Know request. The Cambria County Sheriff’s Office paid $826 in overtime.

Harris’s Sept. 13 landing at John Murtha Johnstown-Cambria County Airport, deployment of RVs and visit to Classic Elements, a downtown gift shop, bookstore, coffee shop and wine shop, required $347.02 in plus for Johnstown fire and $953.36 for police. The sheriff’s department was involved in stopping Harris, but had no additional charges.

Johnstown also received $600 in vendor fees for the Trump rally as merchandise stands popped up near the arena and in other neighborhoods. No salesman was involved when Harris came to town.

“Vice President Harris and former President Trump’s visits to Johnstown show how important winning Pennsylvania could be to the path to the White House,” said Johnstown Mayor Frank Janakovic. “This shows why towns like Johnstown and its voters matter because every vote counts in this election. The publicity and the people and businesses they bring to Johnstown and our region far outweigh the minimal cost to the city.”

The Cambria County Attorney’s Office noted “that the Sheriff’s Office did not bill the (Trump) campaign.”

City officials who were asked if Johnstown was reimbursed for the expenses either did not know or did not respond.

Even though the War Memorial is owned by the county, Trump’s use of the venue was a private lease between the candidate’s campaign and ASM Global, which operates the facility, according to arena general manager Jean Desrochers.