Remember the flames of outrage that scorched the federal vomitoriums in 2006 over preparedness grants released to localities by the Department of Homeland Security? High target cities like New York and Washington received much less money in the 2006 grant round compared to 2005. Whoever produced New York City's threat and vulnerability matrix apparently identified no "national monuments or landmarks" in the Big Apple. I'm sure The Daily Show had fun with that.
Jon Stewart [smirking]: My expression indicates how ridiculous I believe this notion to be.
[audience laughs hysterically despite lack of punchline.]
Those dark days are over, thanks to our overlords in Congress who never met an expectation for the public sector they couldn't lower. The target funding levels for the FY 2009 Homeland Security Grant Program (HSGP) was released late last year. Scroll down to Page 13. The State Homeland Security Program (SHSP) is a subset of the HSGP and the "core" preparedness grant program. To wit:
States should apply for 110 percent of the targeted allocation. FEMA may increase or decrease final SHSP allocations by up to 10 percent based on the effectiveness analysis.Since each state's target allocation is listed on the page, and they'll only lose 10 percent of the targeted allocation when applying, Congress has effectively eliminated any incentive for the states to craft useful plans for the money. If Missouri knows Congress wants to give it $11.3 million, all the Show-Me State needs to do is file an application that's 10 percent above $11.3 million. At worst, MO gets 100 percent of 11. 3 million.
And wasn't this the same program that Democrats (and Long Island Rep. Peter King) complained about when the GOP controlled Congress? That small and empty states got money that should go to states with obvious urban targets? Applications were due last month. If history serves as a guide, award announcements will go out in May or June.
Michael Lucinski
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