By Ed Somers
March 29, 2004

The special task force created by Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge is working under an aggressive time-line to "unstick" the billions of dollars in federal first responder funding log-jammed in the states. The U.S. Conference of Mayors has raised continued concern regarding the state distribution system as highlighted in two monitoring surveys requested by the Conference of Mayors, and continues to call for direct funding.

The "Task Force on State and Local Homeland Security Funding" created by Secretary Ridge has representation from the Big 7 state and local organizations, and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) asked that the Conference of Mayors nominate four representatives.

Conference President Hempstead (NY) Mayor James A. Garner named the top three officers (himself, Vice President Akron Mayor Donald L. Plusquellic, and Advisory Board Chair Long Beach Mayor Beverly O'Neill) and Elizabeth Mayor J. Christian Bollwage, who chairs the Criminal and Social Justice Committee. Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney serves as Chair and Plusquellic as Vice Chair of the Task Force.

The Task Force has held three calls to date, including the first with Ridge on March 3. A staff-level meeting was held on March 8, and the first face-to-face principals meeting will take place in Washington on March 29.

One of the early focuses of the task force has been on tracking federal funding through the state and county levels of government, as well as problems with federal reimbursement requirements.

As established by DHS, the Task Force will conduct its work under the framework of the Homeland Security Advisory Council and its state and local officials, and Emergency Response Senior Advisory Committees. The current schedule calls for the Task Force to complete its initial work in May of this year.

Code Orange Reimbursement Still Available

While the official deadline of February 23 has expired, DHS is still accepting requests for overtime reimbursements from the most recent code orange alert.

Funding is being provided to pay for costs associated with increased security measures at critical infrastructure sites during the period of heightened threat alert of December 21, 2003 to January 9, 2004.

Funding requests are being sent through each state's Office for Domestic Preparedness State Administrative Agency (SAA), who will then seek federal reimbursement from funds provided through the Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) or Operation Liberty Shield Critical Infrastructure Protection Fund.

It was decided during the recent DHS Task Force staff-level meeting that states can submit partial applications while awaiting complete data from all local governments in that state.

DHS asks that cities with questions on this program contact their SAA point of contact.