I have been following the reports and letters regarding Trump’s visit to Aspen on August 10. As some have shared, it is absolutely true that the policy of the Pitkin County Sheriff’s Office is not to charge taxpayers when presidents and candidates visit Aspen. This has been the case since the early 1990s.
In the 12 years I served as sheriff, I have believed that taxpayers should never bear the cost of protecting dignitaries while a campaign raises (literally) millions of dollars for their candidate or party. Sheriff Bob Braudis before me held the same opinion, and we have billed Republicans and Democrats alike.
There was one exception: if the dignitary spoke publicly, he was not charged. But none of them ever spoke publicly to the citizens of Pitkin County, and all of them were charged.
I was surprised and disappointed to see a press release touting the $69,000+ bill the host did not pay, even though it would have been a continuation of this long-standing, effective fairness policy. I am surprised that local newspapers and Pitkin County County Commissioners have not asked why Sheriff Buglione did not bill the hosts who invited Mr. Trump. The new sheriff has been heavily endorsed by the Democratic Party – I wonder what local Democrats think of him attending the event, shaking Trump’s hand, and then treating him to the visit “for free.”
This will undoubtedly result in a budget deficit, and the Pitkin County Commission will have to decide how to balance it. I hope they take a close look at the sheriff’s 2025 budget to see where he can cut costs so taxpayers don’t have to pay for his rookie mistakes.
Sheriff Joe DiSalvo (retired)
Palm Springs, California
