Posted on 11/29/2012 1:23:48 PM PST by STARWISE
Residents living near the beachfront homes where President Barack Obama and First Family vacation with their friends every year since 2008 were alerted on Monday to some specifics of the Obamas' holiday vacation plans.
The report delivered to residents living along the ocean and canal that surrounds the multi-million dollar homes at Kailuana Place where the President stays, informed them of restrictions that will be implemented for 20 days beginning December 17 and running through January 6.
In a matter of weeks, Kailua residents will see the familiar street barricades fronted by U.S. Secret Service agents and Navy Seals and the U.S. Coast Guard stationed in canal and ocean waters.
The President, who spent some of his childhood years in Hawaii, brings his wife, two daughters, Sasha and Malia, with dog Bo in tow, each holiday season. They settle into the small town community known for its spectacular sparkling beaches, warm turquoise ocean, rolling surf, country shops and restaurants and friendly people.
The homes where they stay are just a two-minute drive from Kaneohe Bay and the Marine Corps Base Hawaii, where the Obamas and friends can access private white sand beaches and military workout facilities.
While many residents welcome the First Family, others are disheartened by the restrictions put on air, water and road travel while the President and family are in town, especially because it is the holiday season and many families on vacation want to use their boats or surf and paddle in the welcoming ocean waves fronting the Kailua homes.
In addition, the President's caravan of at least 22 vehicles including an ambulance can easily overwhelm the community that typically has single lane streets.
Adding to the controversy surrounding the President's visit is the cost of the trip.
With the staff, special forces, local police presence and equipment, the President's visit adds up annually to at least a $4 million vacation courtesy of the Hawaii and federal taxpayers.
While the President and his friends pay for their own rental homes, taxpayers pick up the cost of security and waterfront housing for the Secret Service, Navy Seals and Coast Guard as well as staff accommodations at a plush beachfront Waikiki hotel.
TRAVEL: $3,629,622
The biggest expense is President Barack Obama’s round trip flight to Hawaii via Air Force One.
A Congressional Research Service report released in May 2012 said the plane typically used by the President, a Boeing 747, costs $179,750 per hour to operate. The U.S. Air Force has listed the cost of travel as high as $181,757 per flight hour.
Travel time for Air Force One direct from Washington D.C. to Hawaii is about 9 hours or as high as $1,635,813 each way for a total of $3,271,622 for the round trip to Hawaii and back.
The cost for USAF C-17 cargo aircraft that transports the Presidential limos, helicopters and other support equipment to Hawaii has never been disclosed in the years the President has traveled to Hawaii. However, the flight time between Andrews Air Force Base and Hawaii is at about 21.5 hours roundtrip, with estimated operating cost of $12,000 per hour.
(Source: GAO report, updated by C-17 crew member). The United States Marine Corps provides a presidential helicopter, along with pilots and support crews for the test flights, which travel on another C-17 flight. That is $258,000, not including costs for the 4 to 6 member crew's per diem and hotel.
The rentals are fronted by the ocean and backed by a canal. So, the taxpayers must cover the costs for housing U.S. Secret Service, U.S. Coast Guard and Navy Seals in beach front and canal front homes around where the President stays.
Last year, that added up to about $200 per bedroom per day, or $21,600 per average home for a nearly three week period, with special forces renting at least 7 homes. Security arrives ahead of the President costing taxpayers about $176,400 for the length of the visit.
The President’s staff and White House Press Corps typically stay at one of Hawaii’s oldest and most elegant hotels, the Moana Surfrider. Besides its stunningly beautiful view of Waikiki, and its traditional Hawaiian architecture and decor, it is one of the most pricey hotels in the state and government rates are not available during the holiday season.
Rooms start at around $270 but can cost as much as $370 a night for an ocean view before Christmas, and climb much higher around the new year.
A conservative estimate with rooms at $270 (excluding a 9.25 percent Transient Accommodation Tax and a 4.712 percent General Excise Tax on each bill, meals, internet charges and other charges) means the taxpayers are covering more than $129,600 in hotel bills for some two dozen staff.
LOCAL TAXPAYER COSTS: $260,000
Local police are paid over time for the President’s visit, which has historically cost Oahu taxpayers $250,000.
The city ambulance the accompanies the President 24 hours a day through his entire visit is about $10,000 to city taxpayers.
UNKNOWN COSTS
There are several costs the White House annually refuses to release, citing security.
For example, the President’s security usually rents an entire floor of an office building in Kailua on the canal during the president’s stay.
There are security upgrades and additional phone lines to several private homes where Obama and friends are staying. That includes bullet proof glass installed, home security systems disabled, new security measures put into place and additional phone lines added.
There is the cost for car rentals and fuel for White House staff staying at a Waikiki Hotel.
And there are additional travel costs Secret Service and White House staff traveling ahead of the President.
The total cost (based on what is known) for a 20-day round trip vacation to Hawaii for the President and his family and staff and security is more than $4 million.
Hawaii Reporter annually has requested details on the cost of the President’s trip, but the White House will not release any figures, citing security concerns. A spokesperson has maintained the costs are "in line" with other presidential vacations.
Hawaii Reporter has sought to determine the cost of vacations for the current president and last two presidents but the Government Accountability Office referred Hawaii Reporter back to the White House spokesperson.
He’s gone to Hawaii at least once every year of his presidency. How often did he go before? What enterprising reporter is ever going to ask the question - compare the family’s prior vacations to the high life they have been living since his ascendancy to the throne?
I truly wonder if his children had ever been to Hawaii before he was elected.
You are one sharp cookie. What’s your oppinion on record gun purchases? Are the people over reacting? If not, how soon will guns be needed?
Well, at least nobody will be inconvenienced other that the people that voted for him....they deserve him and Moo.
While he’s in Hawaii, somebody please get the Secret Service guys to convince 0b0z0 to give the sport of water boarding a try. Then we’ll get the truth out him on his birth certificate and a whole lot of other stuff.
“He has a home in Chicago. This Hawaii thing is a big expensive joke.”
What do you think the chances that bronco and moochelle will be able to coordinate their schedules and catch the same flight?
TY for the ping. Been wondering last several weeks where you were. Started to pray for you. Hope you are well.
BTW: I haven’t had time to confirm, but Rush announced this statistic today:
We spend 1.4 bil on Obama and his family; Brits spend 58 mil on royal family. I think he said per year, but, if so, I don’t see how that is possible. OTOH....
Annual vacation is once a year - that does NOT apply to the anti-Americans.
“Wearing us down.”
The Obamas have certainly tried their very best to wear us down. I’m to the point where I try to IGNORE them; since there’s nothing to be done about it. - What goes around comes around; and his and Michelle’s contempt for the American people is undeserved.
Nixon won reelection, too, and all he had was Watergate. It’s time one of the many major scandals blossomed and bore fruit. There’s Benghazi and Fast and Furious just for starters.
I suspect that they might have been one family vacation to HI whit the kids before, probably only lasting 5-7 days. Now that most costs re covered he takes 20 day trips.
Whoa, you mean he wasn't BORN in Hawai'i? /cackle
That's pretty bold of them to write that, don't you think?
4 million? In what context? Is that the cheapest Presidential vacation in history? The most expensive?
when I think of our Marines guarding this group, it makes me sick....how did he ever get elected in the first place...never mind...I forgot....he was “selected”...
penalty okay...but what about the added taxes for this year.....we’ll get crushed...even though we don’t have alot.....
ditto and ditto.....especially don’t want to hear complaints from those who didn’t vote because they’re so “pure” or voted for some stinking third party...because they voted for bammey boy...
No matter what he spends, or where he goes, his major and most miserable problem is that he has to take himself. He can’t escape himself anywhere on earth, and no telling how unpleasant that has to be.
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