With More Vacation Days and Separate Travel, Price of Obama’s Annual Hawaiian Holiday Rises

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Malia Zimmerman
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BY MALIA ZIMMERMAN – KAILUA, OAHU – The U.S. Secret Service has arrived, street barricades are in place, and the U.S. Coast Guard has stationed itself in the waters surrounding Kailua, Oahu.

That is a sure sign President Barack Obama’s security team is preparing for the first family to arrive in the small beachside community as early as Friday night for what is expected to be a 17-day vacation.

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The President and his family are traveling separately to Hawaii because he wants resolve the payroll tax cut issue before leaving Washington – and his wife does not want to wait.

But the advanced trip and the cost that comes with it – as much as $100,000 (flight and security) – adds to an already expensive vacation for the taxpayers.

Hawaii Reporter research shows the total cost for the President’s visit for taxpayers far exceeded $1.5 million in 2010 – but is even more costly this year because he extended his vacation by three days and the cost for Air Force One travel has jumped since last assessed in 2000. In addition, Hawaii Reporter was able to obtain more specifics about the executive expenditures.

The total cost (based on what is known) for the 17-day vacation roundtrip vacation to Hawaii for the President, his family and staff has climbed to more than $4 million. Here’s why.

TRAVEL: $3,629,622

The biggest expense is President Barack Obama’s round trip flight to Hawaii via Air Force One, a cost the GAO office estimated at $1 million in the year 2000. Contacted today, the GAO confirmed there is no report the independent office affiliated with Congress has prepared since 2000 to operate Air Force One and Air Force Two.

However, the U.S. Air Force provides the most current numbers of $181,757 per flight hour. Travel time for Air Force One direct from Washington D.C. to Hawaii is about 9 hours or $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 was not made available. 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.

Mrs. Obama’s early flight to Hawaii costs about $63,000 (White House Dossier), but add security and personnel for a total of about $100,000.

HOUSING: $151,200

Kailua Beach

The President and his family pay for their own beachfront rental (they are not staying in the Winter White House this year but rather a house on the same street further to the ocean point).

The Kailua 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 in Kailua.

That costs about $1,200 a day ($200 allocated per bedroom per day). Since security arrives one day early, homes are rented for 18 days.

That is about $21,600 per home for approximately 7 houses rented at a total cost of $151,200 for security to stay nearby.

HOTEL: $72,216

Moana Surfrider Resort

The President’s staff and White House Press Corps stay at one of Hawaii’s oldest and most elegant hotels, the Moana Surfrider. Hawaii Reporter confirmed they are again staying there this year. Besides its stunningly beautiful view of Waikiki, and its traditional architecture, it is one of the most pricey hotels in the state.

Government rates are $177 per night, but that only is available during certain times a year.

Rooms typically start at $250 but can cost on average as much as $450 a night, and are even higher during the holidays.  Hotel spokeswoman Marsha Weinert said she could “neither confirm nor deny” the president’s staff is staying there.

View of Waikiki Beach from the Moana Surfrider Hotel

A conservative estimate with rooms at the government rate of $177 per day (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 $72,216 in hotel bills for an estimated 24 staff.

LOCAL TAXPAYER COSTS: $260,000

Local police over time for the president’s visit has historically cost Oahu taxpayers $250,000 but may be more expensive this year with the extended vacation.

The city ambulance the accompanies the president 24 hours a day through his entire visit is $10,000, according to city spokeswoman Louise Kim McCoy.

 

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 Moana 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 17-day round trip vacation to Hawaii for the President and his family and staff and security is an estimated $4,113,038.

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 was able to provide those costs and referred Hawaii Reporter back to the White House spokesperson.

See related story and update: First Family Arrives in Kailua

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251 COMMENTS

  2. I love this qoute at the end of the article…” 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.”
    lol security concerns… for who????

  3. […] Obama Hawaii Vacation Will Cost Taxpayers $4 MillionBy Brian Koenig – December 18, 2011Posted in: Blog Archives While Obama is stuck in Washington fighting for his beloved payroll tax extension, Michelle and the girls have geared up to leave early (adding another $100,000 to the overall cost) on their Hawaii vacation  – and the total taxpayer bill clocks out at a whopping $4 million, according to the Hawaii Reporter: […]

  4. […] The Hawaii Reporter is on the story as the buzz in Oahu is all about the big bucks the First Family will be dropping on the taxpayer funded vacation. The total cost for the 17-day vacation to Hawaii for the President, his family and staff has climbed to more than $4 million. Here’s why. […]

  7. Every President takes vacation and needs security which has never bothered any of you in the past. You Reps are suppose to believe in allowing the Rich to enjoy the spoils…. Was it last year at Christmas when Rush was in Hawaii with his 55 million salary with his private jet. His pitiful job is running his mouth with no degree, tearing our country apart with Hillbilly hate speech for Barack. That is what should drive you nuts. Do you really think Newt and Romney are not flying around buying jewelry and ski fly away hob nob parties enjoying their connected spoils? While you are disparately about to vote them in office with a straight face. Or the greedy Sarah Palin now that she’s rich not having spoken a word against the influence peddler Newt, while silent on supporting a real Tea Party candidate ? It’s nice to see you really agree with us, in whining, that given a tough economy maybe we should all suffer a little to show empathy. Sooo, I guess you really are for TAXING the Rich NOW.

    • djj1 – hey dipwad, who cares what Rush flys around in or if he has a degree or not. Who cares what Romney and Newt buy, they are not federal public officials and their peccadilos cost us nothing. Comparing Obama and his posse to any of these folks you mention makes no sense whatever. Get your head out of the sand and check your pulse. You may be in a coma.

    • What an asinine comparison–people like Rush may have millions–but at least they spend their own money Emperor Obama and his family travel like royalty on the taxpayer’s dime

      • FACTS OF AIR FORCE ONE USAGE

        The first e-mail forwarded to us by numerous readers claims that “Obama flew in Air Force One 172 times, almost every other day” last year. That’s based on a blog post written by the Los Angeles Times’ Andrew Malcolm, who got his figures from veteran CBS News reporter Mark Knoller. But figures provided to FactCheck.org by the Air Force’s 89th Airlift Wing show that Obama traveled less on Air Force One last year, and in his first two years, than President George W. Bush did.

        The second frequently forwarded chain e-mail includes a column from Dale McFeatters of the Scripps Howard News Service. The column says that Obama — when he traveled to London in 2009 for an economic summit of the G-20 nations, not his most recent trip to London in May of this year — “arrived with 500 staff in tow, including 200 Secret Service agents, a team of six doctors, the White House chef and kitchen staff with the president’s own food and water.” But even assuming that the report is accurate, we also found government and news reports on the international travel of previous presidents that show they at times traveled with as many or more people as Obama reportedly did in 2009, and with similar personnel.

    • When did Bush spend 4 million on a vacation? When did Bush take relatives and friends on vacations? If he had you libs would have blown gaskets. The truth is that the current low lives usurping the White House are scumbags without any culture, class or regard for any decorum. BTW Rush PAYS for his own vacations!!!

    • djj1, get over it! You are not poor because the rich are rich! Ponder that when you’re not busy spewing dnc talking points. Most reasonable people raise their eyebrows when hearing they are footing the bill for multi-million dollar vacations – especially one for the man-child president whose job-killing policies have decimated the economy. Folks like you however apparently think such utter failure should be rewarded with sweet vacations. If you pay taxes at all, perhaps you can kick in a little extra this year. MicheleO, would it kill you to wait a few days ?!?! I know, I know – you are entitled !!!

      • So wasteful spending is what bothers you boys ? 4 mill is a pittance compared to that T cover your reputation war..The point is powerful men like CEO’S take 100 mil bonuses while they lay off 25 yr. employees and move the jobs to China. It’s all kinds of things that need to be addressed but you pretend that vacation is a big deal when all used Air Force 1. Laura Bush went to Africa 8 times. President Obama has taken 61 vacation days after 31 months in office. George W. Bush had taken 180 days of vacation after 31 months in office. Ronald Reagan had taken 112 vacation days after 31 months in office. Bill Clinton took the least vacation time: 28 days after 31 months in office. I think that if you take the time to do the proper research, you will find the correct answers and not jump on a political or media driven bandwagon.

    • Guess what, djj1? Obama has bankrupted not only the USA, but has helped bankrupt the entire free world. Rich people have not bankrupted us, Obama has. Do you even begin to comprehend how wrong it is for him to continue to shake down the American people to pay for his and his bloated wife’s 17 day — 17 day!!! — vacation after he has laid waste to our economy?

      • Well your folks are about to take over, So make em pledge to not take vacation or play Golf and they have to work 24/7 at the White House to prove how serious and hard working they are. Betcha this if forgotten unless Barack is re elected, If not we will be discussing the real issues like Watergate type things, torture, and a T dollar War.

  9. $4M is nothing. Chump change. Obama has added trillions of dollars to the national debt, and you’re worried about a lousy $4M? He’ll make that in a month on the rubber chicken circuit once he’s booted out of office. He is set to become the richest bellboy that ever was. He’s just getting used to the trapping of being a billionaire, like his religious leader Oprah Winfrey. Don’t let the $4M bother you. My only question is: why Hawaii? He already has a tan.

  10. I am thinking – marooned on a small Hawaiian Island with Tom Hanks and a rubber toy named Wilson – for about 14 months.

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