President Obama will have to pay for the costs of his campaigning in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, the city council decided today.

“When you are running a campaign, these are the expenses that have to be borne by the campaign,” City Councilor Ken Smith told the Portsmouth Patch. The new policy would apply to the Romney team, as well.

The motion only passed by a 5-4 vote after a “fierce debate” on the issue. “My feeling is at this point we should be so happy the president of the United States and the vice president want to come to the city of Portsmouth,” said Assistant Mayor Robert Lister.

Last month, the Democratic National Committee refused to reimburse a Connecticut town for the $14,000 in expenses caused by an Obama fundraising stop.