Donald Trump’s unpaid bill has been in effect since the end of the 2019 campaign

ALBUQUERQUE, New Mexico – There was drama ahead of former President Donald Trump’s Thursday rally.

First, the city of Albuquerque blocked use of the convention center, citing ongoing repairs. Expo New Mexico reportedly gave the same response to the campaign.

After deciding on the airport’s location, the state land authority did not allow it to park on leased state land outside the Isleta Amphitheater.

People were parking nearby on Thursday morning, but they weren’t particularly happy about it.

“The situation they have created with parking is unbearable and I hold the city authorities, the administration, the state administration responsible for the crisis they are creating with this parking nightmare,” said Tom Laiche, a Trump supporter.

As KOB 4 reported earlier this week, Mayor Tim Keller’s office says Trump still owes Albuquerque nearly half a million dollars.

Despite visits from other high profile figures to our city over the years, 4 Investigator Brittany Costello says such bills are rare.

Keller’s office says the city has billed campaigns in the past. But the example they gave us was $1,000, not half a million. Trump’s bill began to gain interest after a 2019 stop in Rio Rancho.

The city of Albuquerque provided security for his stay at a downtown Albuquerque hotel.

Keller says the city paid for street closures and City Hall, $7,000 for barricades, $133,000 for city workers and $71,000 for police.

A spokeswoman for the mayor told us the city has hosted campaigns in the past that require additional time and equipment, citing President Biden’s campaign rally at the Westside Community Center. The city says it charged the Democratic Committee $1,000 for this.

Former longtime Albuquerque Mayor Martin Chavez told us Thursday that during his time the city’s policy was to charge fees for the use of city facilities, but never for police protection, as Keller did.

Chavez could only think of one outstanding bill for presidential candidate George W. Bush. The city couldn’t find that outstanding bill for Bush. We will inform you if we receive it.

The city is not charging former Trump for Thursday’s visit.

Las Cruces reached an agreement with the Air Force 20 years ago after cargo planes that were part of the president’s visit caused an estimated $2 million in damage to the airport’s runway.