Ninety percent of cities have yet to receive federal first-responder funds, study says
Ninety percent of surveyed cities have not received federal first responder/critical infrastructure funding, according to a report that the Washington, D.C.-based U.S. Conference of Mayors (USCM) released Wednesday. The study shows that states have been slow to disburse the $1.5 billion in first responder funds, which are one component of federal homeland security funding, to cities, as federal law requires them to do. “9/11 does not ring at the statehouse; it rings at City Hall,” said USCM President and Hempstead, N.Y., Mayor James Garner in a statement. “Cities are the first to respond in a crisis, but last in line for funds. We need direct funds. We call on Congress and the [Bush] administration to help.” The study also details the percentage of cities receiving other types of homeland security funding. For more information, visit
http://www.usmayors.org/uscm/home.asp
.