Subject: [NEXTEL-1] NYC shouldn't have to beg

From: NEXTEL-1
Date: Fri, 04 Jun 2004 21:35:29 -0400

NYC shouldn't have to beg
May 22, 2004 2:42pm
The Journal News

Bloomberg on target in blasting the ``pork' in security funding

Testifying before the 9/11 commission in New York City Wednesday, Mayor
Michael Bloomberg was aggressive playing defense much of the time,
responding to critiques of his plan to improve emergency-response
efforts. Released only the week before the independent commission
brought its probe to New York, Bloomberg's plan to better coordinate
police and fire responses had been faulted as too complicated by panel
members and others.

When the mayor went on the offense, he picked the right target and
landed a solid blow.

"Pork barrel politics at its worst" and "shortsighted ``me first'
nonsense" were highly appropriate ways for Bloomberg to describe the way
federal homeland security money is distributed. The government
shortchanges high-need locales, headed prominently by New York, because
it insists on spreading money around following a leave-no-congressional
district-behind formula.

New York state, he told the commission, received $5.47 per capita in
homeland security grants last year, while American Samoa got $101.43 per
person.

OK, maybe Bloomberg took too easy a shot picking out American Samoa.
With a population of little more than 70,000, it wouldn't take much of a
grant to result in a sky-high per-capita number.

The problem with the distribution of homeland security funds is that it
doesn't take potential terrorist targets into account, or how far behind
a locality is in getting its security in shape. The money is doled out
based on a state's population, with a politically grounded guarantee
that each will get at least 0.75 percent of the total money available.

Tom Ridge, the secretary of homeland security, took up Bloomberg's
complaint when he spoke to the commission the same day. A year ago,
Ridge had agreed that the funding formula was "inappropriate." It should
be based on security needs, not population, he said.

It was disappointing he didn't repeat that point in New York City, whose
security funding would be cut nearly in half under the proposed 2004
federal budget. Ridge was sympathetic, saying the administration hopes
to convince Congress to earmark new security money for selected cities,
including New York City. But he didn't endorse scrapping the political
formula that is at the heart of the funding shortage.

Speaking of equity . . .

We trust that the Bloomberg administration will keep the principle of
fair distribution in mind as city and Westchester officials try to iron
out a problem that is delaying the effective implementation of an
improved emergency communication system in the county.

As staff writer Keith Eddings reported yesterday, the Federal
Communications Commission assigned Westchester about a dozen radio
frequencies to enable emergency responders to communicate freely with
each other. The $15 million improvement was to be in place about a year
from now.

The project is behind schedule because tests discovered hampering
interference from other systems, including New York City's. The FCC,
with no other frequencies to hand out, told Westchester officials to try
to convince New York City to give up or share some of its 600
frequencies. Talks are ongoing.

"We have their water supply here," said county Chief Information Officer
Norman Jacknis, explaining the city's self-interest in helping the
county. "Indian Point. We have a variety of things that closely tie New
York City and Westchester."
As in many areas, Westchester and the city indeed are in this together
when it comes to security. Surely they must work together to find a
solution.

Copyright © 2004 The Journal News

http://www.hoovers.com/free/news/detail.xhtml?ArticleID=NR20040521700.15_58c00012e355ec7c

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