Philly taxpayers pick up $8M tab for Pope Francis visit

The visit of Pope Francis to Philadelphia in September looks to have cost taxpayers a grand total of $8 million, reports said.

Out of a total cost of$17 million that the city is paying for the weekend of the papal visit, the World Meeting of Families will cover $9 million, the Inquirer reported.

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A contract with the World Meeting of Familiesreleased by the city reportedly listed the estimated costs of Francis’ visit to Philadelphia from Sept. 25 to 27 at$12 million, and did not reportedly list any costs to the city.

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But Mayor Michael Nutter told the Inquirer that the contract did leave city taxpayers responsible for the funds that led up to and followed the weekend — such as metal detectors around the area, designs, and some costs related to policing the city during the event.

Nutter described these costs as “part of thenormal city responsibility and obligation when we have an event,” the Inquirer reported.