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Dems trying to cut costs around convention

People wave flags as Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) accepts the Democratic Presidential nomination on the final day of the Democratic National Convention at Invesco Field at Mile High in Denver, Colorado on August 28, 2008. (UPI Photo/Alexis C. Glenn)
1 of 2 | People wave flags as Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) accepts the Democratic Presidential nomination on the final day of the Democratic National Convention at Invesco Field at Mile High in Denver, Colorado on August 28, 2008. (UPI Photo/Alexis C. Glenn) | License Photo

CHARLOTTE, N.C., Feb. 7 (UPI) -- The Democratic National Convention Committee spent $724,000 on salaries in the fourth quarter of last year, U.S. Federal Election Commission records show.

The Charlotte (N.C.) Observer said the FEC reports offer a glimpse into the costs behind the September convention, which is expected to pump $150 million into Charlotte's economy.

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Democratic National Convention Chief Executive Officer Steve Kerrigan said the committee is spending nearly $10 million less than what was spent in 2008.

The DNCC spent $1.2 million in the last three months of 2011. Nearly 60 percent went to salaries for staff members. Some $365,000 was spent on payroll services.

The money comes from a U.S. Treasury grant of $17.7 million from taxpayer-checkoffs that is awarded to each party for their national conventions. Congress last year awarded each host city $50 million for convention security and nearly $37 million has been raised by the host committee. New party rules bar donations from corporations and lobbyists and limit the size of individual contributions.

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