AUSTIN -- The state's bill for providing security for Gov. Rick Perry's failed presidential bid is nearly $800,000 and growing.
A Department of Public Safety report released Thursday showed that the cost of the security detail for Perry and his wife, Anita, was $798,031 from September through part of November.Most of that was for out-of-state trips. The security tab for Perry's travel outside Texas was more than $1.1 million from his November 2010 re-election to this November. Security costs from November until Perry dropped out of the Republican presidential campaign last week will be in future DPS reports.For security reasons, the DPS does not reveal how many state troopers accompany the governor or how far in advance they arrive at the destination. The report lists only broad expenses for airfare, food, lodging, fuel and other expenses.Expenses for Perry's security detail are paid mainly through the state highway fund, which includes the state gasoline tax and vehicle registration fees.Perry traveled to 48 out-of-state destinations, most of them to the early-voting states of Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina. Security for a September trip to South Carolina, Iowa and back to South Carolina cost $45,122.The trips also included travel to promote his anti-Washington book, Fed Up!, and to carry out duties related to his then-chairmanship of the Republican Governors Association.Perry has said he promotes Texas wherever he goes."Gov. Perry is governor no matter where he goes and the Department of Public Safety has a policy of providing security for governors and their families everywhere they travel as they have back several administrations. These policies are determined by DPS and not the governor's office," Perry's spokeswoman Lucy Nashed said in a statement.This week, state Rep. Jessica Farrar, D-Houston, wrote a letter to Perry urging him to "reimburse Texas taxpayers for the money spent on travel leading up to your withdraw[al]."Have more to add? News tip? Tell us
