At an estimated $500,000 per day, protecting you, your family and your home at Trump Tower will total over one billion dollars during your four-year term. This represents an extraordinary financial burden for New York City taxpayers.

We the undersigned, including the Speaker of the New York City Council, Melissa Mark Viverito; your local City Council Member, Dan Garodnick; and the many, many ordinary New Yorkers whose taxes contribute to New York’s budget, strongly believe that the provision of security services for Presidents-elect must be the obligation of the federal government. And accordingly, we believe that the cost of that obligation must be borne by the federal government, not the City of New York.

We already stretch our municipal budget to provide basic services— like police, sanitation, and the education of 1.1 million public school students. These services would suffer if we must divert funds to police protection.

Further, should you or your family members choose to reside in Trump Tower for any length of time following your inauguration, the cost of security for that time also should be borne by the federal government. While NYPD is both equipped and able to participate in ensuring your and your family’s protection, we must not allow this cost to blow a massive hole in New York City’s budget.

Let’s end the suspense: We ask you to commit the necessary federal funds to reimburse New York for all costs of protecting you and your family— both before and after your inauguration as President of the United States of America.

As a lifelong New Yorker, you understand the importance of a vibrant local economy, and one that has the resources to operate. Make it clear today that New York City is not going to get stuck with the bill.