National City sent a demand for payment letter to the Bernie Sanders campaign Tuesday after repeated attempts to collect money owed for a May rally the Vermont senator held at Kimball Park.

The original invoice requested payment no later than June 2. Since then city officials have sent a courtesy notice (June 7) and three subsequent delinquent notices to recoup more than $28,000 in out of pocket expenses for police, fire and public works overtime associated with the May 21 event.

The Oct. 11 demand for payment letter requested the $28,337.28 amount be paid by Oct. 17.

“As of today, payment of the (temporary use permit) cost is 120 days past due….If payment is not received by this date, the city will pursue all available legal remedies to collect this amount without further notice,” the letter stated in part.


Armando Vergara, the city’s director of neighborhood services, said his office has contacted the Sanders campaign by email and phone in addition to the letters.

“We got one email response basically stating they are not responsible for law enforcement fees — that’s the responsibility of the Secret Service,” he said. “The campaign staff is actually responsible.”

The cost of a temporary use permit, which is what Sanders’ campaign needed in order to hold its event at the park, is generally paid in full before the event is held, according to city officials.

“We deal with collections all the time...nothing to do with anyone’s campaign,” Mayor Ron Morrison said. “To us, this is business as usual. But we can’t do a special favor for this campaign.”


The event required city officials to pull things together in just three days. In fact, campaign staff and Secret Service officials asked the City Council on May 17 to add an emergency item to its agenda that night and approve it.

“We obviously wanted as a city to help accommodate Senator Sanders coming to the city, so we worked with their campaign with the hopes that payment would be forthcoming,” said City Manager Leslie Deese. “We’re hopeful this is simply an oversight by his campaign.”

The money came out of the city’s general fund.

Other California cities also felt “the Bern” of unpaid bills following rallies held by Sanders’ campaign.


Cloverdale was “declined” a $23,000 invoice for police and fire services associated with a June rally, which drew an estimated 6,000 people, according to a July 25 article from The Press Democrat.

The city was paid back in full in August, said Cloverdale City Manager Paul Cayler.

The Sanders’ campaign also still owes Vallejo about $31,000 of about $67,000 for expenses related to his May 18 visit that drew roughly 11,000 people from around the Bay Area, said Joanna Altman, assistant to the Vallejo City Manager.

In addition, the administration from the Solano County Sheriff’s Office confirmed Tuesday that the Sanders campaign owes its agency about $22,000 for the Vallejo rally and a June rally in Fairfield at the Solano Community College campus.


A $6,000 invoice incurred by the Sanders campaign for a May 22 rally in Vista was promptly paid to the Vista Unified School District, according to district officials.

No bills were submitted by the Vista Sheriff’s Office, according to the agency.