A Small Speck Of Sunshine

If it’s the weekend, it must be another visit to West Palm Beach by President Donald Trump.

Which means another weekend of Secret Service, staffers, and news media all packed in front of his Mar-a-Lago resort. Another weekend of closed-off roads, hurt businesses, and a protest or two in front of the president’s home.

Sigh.

When Trump was a private citizen - essentially, before last November - his visits to Mar-a-Lago drew little notice, and certainly didn’t have the far-reaching negative impact on the region. Four months later, it’s quite a different story. Palm Beach County officials are (rightfully) worried about the amount of law enforcement overtime being racked up every time Trump visits, and Palm Beach County business owners are (also rightfully) worried the regular visits will kill their operations.

For many residents, two months into a Trump presidency has meant business headaches and travel restrictions - both on the road and in the air. Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office deputies assist with security and traffic management when Trump comes to town, which includes rerouting traffic along A1A from Southern Boulevard to South County Road.

Because Trump’s visits are affecting both area business owners and local taxpayers, the county has requested reimbursement from the White House. Sheriff Ric Bradshaw estimates Trump’s visits cost $60,000 a day in deputy overtime; there are estimates each weekend visit have cost area taxpayers millions of dollars … and there appears to be no end in sight.

It’s not just the Mar-a-Lago area which is being impacted. At Palm Beach County Park Airport in Lantana, the airport shuts down whenever Trump comes to town; Federal Aviation Administration restrictions ban all flights out of the airport. This puts a serious hurt on all business things airport-related, from companies towing advertising banners targeting beachgoers in Palm Beach County and skydiver operations to flight schools and sightseeing flights. It’s unknown how many millions in lost business revenue will be the result of Trump’s constant trips to the Gold Coast.

Now, granted, there are some positives with Trump visiting on a regular basis. Tourism officials have reported hotel occupancy in central Palm Beach County has seen a slight uptick compared to last year during a recent Trump visit. And with every Trump trip, a slew of security personnel, federal staff members, and pool reporters covering the administration follow suit, staying in area hotels and dining out. And economic development officials are thrilled about the free publicity provided by reporters’ live waterfront shots.

But this appears to be a small speck of sunshine in a potentially four-year-long hurricane.

Perhaps the federal government will provide some sort of financial assistance to the county. Or find a way to restrict President Trump’s visits to the area. Or both. Until then, expect his expensive treks to West Palm Beach to continue, unreimbursed.