PITTSBURGH - The federal and state governments have agreed to provide $16.3 million to provide security at next month's Group of 20 global economic summit in Pittsburgh.
The White House has agreed to contribute $10 million and the state will provide $6.3 million, which includes a $1.8 contribution from state police.
The full cost of the Sept. 24-25 economic summit in downtown Pittsburgh has been estimated at $19 million, with the remaining $2.7 million to be picked up by the city and Allegheny county. But Kevin Evanto, spokesman for County Executive Dan Onorato, says the city and county will keep lobbying the federal government to cover that amount as well.
Local officials have said they hope to have as many as 4,000 police officers ready to keep order amid intense protests expected.
The announcement Friday came a few hours after Pittsburgh police chief Nate Harper met with representatives from more than 70 police agencies. They talked about how agencies would be reimbursed for costs and where visiting officers will stay during the summit.
