Local officials expect to see funding decline
SM FIRE DEPT. — Even with the recent addition of $1.5 million in homeland security funding to the city’s coffers, public safety officials here say they still need millions more to adequately respond to a terrorist attack or other catastrophic emergency.
The City Council on April 11 approved of the $1.5 million urban area security initiative grant, bumping up its total homeland security funding to a little more than $3.2 million since the start of the no-match grant program in 2001. Emergency responders say the city could use at least twice that amount to purchase new equipment to protect firefighters and police officers from a biological or chemical attack.
“There definitely needs to be more funds available for emergency response, not just here in Santa Monica, but region-wide,” said Fire Chief Jim Hone, who is a member of a multi-agency task force responsible for assessing the needs of the region and submitting grant proposals to state and county officials.
“This is not just about our local community,” Hone added. “No one knows where the next event is going to happen, but I assure you, if something does occur, every fire and police department will be called to respond.”
Since the Department of Homeland Security began issuing no-match grants in 2001, elected officials from cities both large and small have complained about the lack of funding to pay for improvements to ports and overtime pay for emergency personnel.
“Everybody has been in a pinch over this,” said Mayor Bob Holbrook. “Cities are finding it difficult to pay for these extra security measures, overtime. It’s very expensive.”
City Hall is currently in the process of installing more than 100 security cameras along the Third Street Promenade and the Santa Monica Pier, a security measure deemed necessary by the Santa Monica Police Department in a post 9-11 world. The cameras, with a price tag of $1.3 million, will be paid out of the city’s general fund.
“We are hoping to get some part of a grant to help pay for this,” Holbrook said.
Federal officials said they are aware of the complaints and have tried to hand over more control to local government bodies to disperse funds in the manner that they feel provides the best benefit. There is also an annual review process that reevaluates which cities deserve more funding based on risk, said Branda Napper, a spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security’s grants program.
Ultimately, federal officials have the final say over how much money is dispersed to each state.
Napper said President Bush has requested billions in homeland security funding, but Congress has never allocated money at the levels deemed necessary by the president.
For example, in 2006 the president requested more than $1 billion in urban area grants, but Congress approved $675 million. For 2007, the president has requested $838 million. For homeland security grants, the president requested more than $1 billion, but Congress allocated $550 million, Napper said.
“In each case, Congress enacted less than what the president requested,” Napper said.
Hone said he and others are aggressively hunting for more grants to fill the need, but he is concerned with current proposals showing funding for grants dropping next year.
“There is just no way our demands are going to be met with the money they are planning to offer,” said Hone, who believes the need for funds in Los Angeles County this year alone tops $200 million. Los Angeles County has received $232.5 million in total grant funding since 2002, federal officials said.
Hone said a clearer funding picture will develop after June 2, when federal officials announce their budget.
In the meantime, Hone and others are looking at ways to reduce some of their requests and focus on the bare essentials. However, Hone said practically everything on his list is necessary.
“It’s going to be an interesting discussion when we have to bear down some of these requests which truly don’t meet the regional need and risk,” Hone said. “We already know that for the county we are going to need at least $18.6 million to outfit everyone with the minimally required equipment, and that’s not including communications upgrades and additional training.”
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on April 26, 2006. Read the original PDF.