Cities Still Lack Homeland Security Funds

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/04023/264741.stm

<snip>WASHINGTON -- Two and a half years after Sept. 11, 2001, three of four U.S. cities, many of them cash-strapped like Pittsburgh, have not received money from the homeland security program that is supposed to help local police and fire officials prevent or respond to a terrorist attack.

One by one yesterday, an angry array of city leaders attending the annual U.S. Conference of Mayors meeting complained that the money appropriated by Congress is being distributed through the states and that bureaucratic red tape has kept most of them from getting a penny under the highly touted first-responder program.

A survey of 215 cities in all 50 states and Puerto Rico found that cities are paying for increased security by tightening already-overstretched belts in other areas and are not happy about it. The study, done for the mayors with funds provided by a security software firm called SentryPoints, found that 76 percent of 215 cities surveyed have received no money at all for improving their first response in the event of an attack or protecting "critical infrastructures,'' although Congress appropriated $1.5 billion.

Forty-six percent of cities have not been reimbursed for additional law enforcement requirements at airports. Of cities with ports vulnerable to attack, 64 percent said they are not receiving funds for the extra security which the federal government says they are responsible for providing, although there is $245 million set aside for it.

.... More bush* lies reveled. What did he say Tuesday? How much safer are we?!?

Is it just one more scam, like the Iraqi "reconstruction" money? Is it all winding up in the pocket's of Bush's friends? Is there anything in this administration that isn't a con job?

Inquiring minds want to know.