💲Governor Murphy hosted a fundraiser for President Joe Biden

💲Dozens of police officers and rescue workers ensured security

💲The visit caused overtime costs for Middletown

MIDDLETOWN – The mayor says this community had to raise nearly $24,000 because it provided extra security at President Joe Biden's fundraiser at Gov. Phil Murphy's home Saturday night.

Biden landed at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst late Saturday afternoon and flew on Marine One to the former Fort Monmouth in Eatontown. From there, he and his entourage of Secret Service agents, White House and campaign staff, the First Lady and his granddaughters traveled in a motorcade to Murphy's Middletown estate.

Perry told New Jersey 101.5 he will demand a refund from the Biden campaign on Tuesday, but has no hope of getting anything back. The congregation never received a refund for a 2022 fundraiser at the governor's mansion.

“The message I can convey is that Middletown is always ready and willing to protect the president. But when it comes to out-of-state events, it goes the extra mile,” Perry said. “And when you can raise $3.7 million at a fundraiser, a $23,000 check to the city's taxpayers for 55 police officers and 279 hours of overtime is a no-brainer in my opinion.”

Perry is concerned about the impact of overtime costs on his municipality's budget. Overtime costs are included in Middletown's annual budget, but additional costs create uncertainty.

“We have to pass a balanced budget. And if there are unexpected costs and cost drivers caused by outside forces that we really have no control over, like a hurricane, that's one thing,” Perry said. But if a president comes to power and doesn't stop any of the Army Corps of Engineers' major flood control projects or sit down with our veterans at VFW, whatever the case may be, that's another thing.”

ALSO READ: Biden visits Murphy's New Jersey home and defends his debate performance

Trump did not pay Wildwood for the 2020 rally

The Trump campaign donated $54,000 to Wildwood shortly after receiving city approval for the former president's May 11 political rally. The amount was agreed to with the city as a lump sum. The campaign made no payment to the city for Trump's 2020 rally, when he was president, and the city never billed them, according to city spokeswoman Lisa Fagan.

Emergency workers in Middletown were also greeted by two different groups of protesters. A group of pro-Trump supporters gathered first and left. A pro-Palestinian group took their place, yelling what Perry called “embarrassing” rhetoric.

“I was standing just 20 to 30 feet away during the Palestinian protest. I heard incredibly disturbing, not just rhetorical statements, but incredibly horrible things about our police officers. And then people and the public want to know why people don't want to be police officers anymore,” Perry said.

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