By Anthony Rifilato
With 30 mayors in tow from across the country, Garner, the newly elected president of the U.S. Conference of Mayors, and Ridge announced that millions of dollars in federal funds will be allocated to local mayors in order to buy vital security and emergency equipment such as radiological detectors, chemical and biological suits, and possibly metal detectors, following last week's shooting of New York City Councilman James Davis at City Hall in Manhattan.
"At the end of the day, the homeland is secure only if the hometown is secure," said Ridge.
Nationwide, the Department of Homeland Security has made available more than $4.4 billion in funding for grants since March for state and local governments to enhance terror response preparedness, according to the department's official Web site.
So far, New York State has received $250 million to be used for equipment, training, planning and exercises with local communities and first responder groups, mainly local police and fire authorities. Although Ridge and Garner did not mention the amount of funding New York will receive for this latest initiative, President Bush has requested over $3.5 billion in 2004 for grants to states and cities nationwide to prepare for and respond to terrorism.
Ridge explained that the latest security initiative will be "state-coordinated" but "locally driven." Twenty percent of the funding will be allocated to the state, while 80 percent will be meted out to local governments once the state issues its own security plan.
"If we send a big check to the state capital, we want to make sure the mayors get what they need. We will work with them every step of the way," said Ridge.
A debate between state and local officials erupted shortly after the Sept. 11 attacks over who is better prepared to deal with a serious attack or emergency, which saw mayors and governors wrangling over control of terror preparedness plans and the accompanying federal funds. Ridge said that "the best statewide plans will engage mayors because it has to be locally driven."
While supportive of Ridge's latest initiative, the U.S. Conference of Mayors has been lobbying for direct funding to local governments instead of relying on the state to channel federal dollars. The conference also asked that funding be allocated for prevention of future attacks, and that money for overtime for police and firefighters be authorized within a federal aid package, although Ridge said that Congress has excluded overtime as an eligible cost for security funding.
"The overtime really hurts us," said Garner.
Following last week's shooting at City Hall, Ridge was asked if metal detectors would be included in the funding. "Those decisions are left to local officials," he said. "Right now we're looking to help with training and exercises." But Ridge later explained that if plans from the state warrant money for metal detectors, those will be included in the security aid package.
Ridge and Garner said that once the statewide plans are received, the Department of Homeland Security will be able to better assess New York's security needs.
"In the post 9/11 world, local communities haven't waited for the government to act," Ridge said. "The security and level of preparation on Long Island is more robust and comprehensive than ever before."
Local mayors, such as Edward Cahill, the mayor of Valley Stream, agreed. "We have an emergency management team," said Cahill, who explained that Valley Stream coordinates emergency efforts with four other villages: Freeport, East Rockaway, Malverne and Lynbrook. Cahill also said he hopes the funding will help his community implement more sophisticated communications capabilities, such as its own FM radio station to communicate with residents in case of a large-scale emergency.
Cahill hopes the state will distribute funds fairly and in a timely manner. "I think eventually [funding] will get down to us," he said. "If it funnels down to us, it will be put to good use for equipment and training."
