Schumer Blasts High-Threat Funding as "Double-Whammy" for New York - The Pie has Shrunk and New York Gets Smaller Percentage to Boot

SCHUMER BLASTS HIGH-THREAT FUNDING AS "DOUBLE WHAMMY" FOR NEW YORK - THE PIE HAS SHRUNK AND NEW YORK GETS SMALLER PERCENTAGE TO BOOT

Today, as the Department of Homeland Security announced funding for the major grant programs, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer blasted the New York allocations. The announcements are for FY2006 money; the Senate passed the DHS appropriations bill on October 18, 2006.

"This is a ‘double whammy' for New York," Schumer said. "Not only has the pie shrunk, but New York also get a smaller percentage of this inadequate pie. Five years ago the Administration said they were with New York, but today they have let us down. New York is under constant threat, and any argument that New York needs a smaller percentage of money does not hold water."

Earlier today, the Department of Homeland Security released funding allocations for its major state and local grant programs, including the State Homeland Security Grant Program (SHSP), and the High Threat Urban Areas Program (UASI) that gives money only to high threat urban areas. Funding for New York State and New York City was cut significantly from FY2005 to FY2006.

Schumer said that New York State and New York City received a disproportionately high cut. While all the major state and local grant programs were cut from $2.34 billion in FY2005 to $1.67 billion in FY2006, or a 29 percent cut, New York State's allocation was cut by 36 percent, from $290.2 million last year to just $183.6 million for FY2006.

Specifically for the Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI), the high threat money actually given out by the program was cut from $829.7 million in FY2005 to $710.6 million for FY2006, or a 14 percent drop. However, New York City's allocation was slashed by 40 percent, from $207.6 million in FY2005 to only $124.5 million. In FY2005, New York City received 25 percent of the high threat funding, but for FY2006, New York City will only recieve18 percent of the funding.

Schumer pointed out that the formula DHS used to calculate these allocations changed for FY2006 funding. In past years, DHS simply did a national risk assessment (based on population, critical infrastructure etc.) and plugged it in to a classified formula. This year, in addition to the risk assessment and formula, each state had to submit an application to DHS to demonstrate its needs and give an investment justification for what it planned to spend the money on. Each application was individually reviewed and money was given out based on those evaluations. Schumer said that had DHS used the formula for FY05, New York City would have received $177 million from the UASI program, rather than just $124.5 million.

Total funding for NYS for FY '05: $290,236, 310

Total funding for NYS for FY 2006: $183,673,552

http://schumer.senate.gov/SchumerWebsite/pressroom/press_releases/2006/PR164.High%20Threat%20Funds.053106.html