How much do Americans spend on an inauguration?
A. Inaugural balls are funded privately, and spending varies from administration to administration. George W. Bush’s 2005 celebration included nine inaugural balls and was the most expensive in history at over $42 million. Bill Clinton’s first inauguration cost about $30 million, which was comparable to the inaugural costs of George H.W. Bush in 1989. The mayor of Washington, D.C., has predicted that security and services for the 2009 inauguration will cost the city some $50 million, the same amount Congress provided to both Denver, Colorado, and St. Paul, Minnesota, to host the Republican and Democratic conventions earlier this year.
