SPRINGFIELD, Ill. • This time, Springfield Mayor Frank Edwards is going straight to the top.

Edwards has written President Barack Obama seeking the balance of the bill the city ran up for police when the then-candidate visited in 2008 to announce his running mate.

The (Springfield) State Journal-Register reports that the city submitted a bill for $68,139. It's still owed $55,457.

The interim mayor says there appears to be confusion about whether the Secret Service or the White House owes the money.

Edwards wrote that "sometimes only the executive himself can cut through such inter-departmental differences of opinion."

He says he's not trying to embarrass anyone, but times are tight.

Obama visited the Old State Capitol in August 2008 to announce Joe Biden as his running mate.

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