Whitney Houston Funeral: $187,000 Bill For Newark Residents

Whitney Houston‘s funeral has resulted in a $187,000 bill for residents of Newark, New Jersey. The highly publicized funeral was swarmed with attendees which left Newark Police scrambling to erect barriers to prevent unruly fans from rushing the funeral procession.

The bill, which represents the overtime pay of police officers utilized during Whitney Houston’s extravagant funeral, represents 5% of the annual Newark Police Department’s budget.
It seems a bit ridiculous that Newark residents would have to pickup the tab for an event which they were not involved in planning. Were there prior warning that the city’s residents would be slapped with a hefty $187,000 bill, it seems quite likely that the locals would have been in disagreement with those planning the lavish funeral which took place after the renowned singer passed away. CBS quoted one resident as having said:

“If they wanted to go that for, do that much, they should have been the ones providing for it.”

Police were called in to help maintain control over the vast crowd which had amassed outside of Newark’s New Hope Baptist Church where the funeral was held and the justification and necessity of their presence was conveyed by city councilor Mildred Crump who was quoted by CBS having said:

“If they [Newark Police] had not been there someone may have been trampled, seriously hurt.”

Are you surprised to find that Newark, New Jersey residents are displeased with the considerable bill that they have been left with in the wake of Whitney Houston’s death and subsequent funeral?