September 9 Event
Progress Report on Homeland Security Proves that One Year Later, Cities are Safer But Still Await Financial Assistance from Washington
By Lina Garcia
September 19, 2002
On September 9, the U.S. Conference of Mayors held a forum at the National Press Club with six mayors from across the country and released a progress report on homeland security in America's cities. The report found that the nation's cities are significantly safer than they were one year ago, but mayors are still waiting for financial assistance from Washington to help cover the massive costs they have incurred.
Akron Mayor Donald L. Plusquellic, Chairman of the Conference's Advisory Board, led the discussion and was joined by Baltimore Mayor Martin O-Malley, Philadelphia Mayor John Street, Reno Mayor Jeff Griffin, Laredo Mayor Betty Flores, and Gary (Ind.) Mayor Scott King. Mayors O-Malley, Griffin, and King co-chair the Conference's Task Force on Federal-Local Law Enforcement issues. As co-chair of the Conference's Task Force on Cities and Borders, Mayor Flores has led mayors- efforts to enhance border security.
During the forum, mayors expressed the view that they are still waiting for financial assistance from Washington one year after September 11. To secure our cities, mayors said they have —
Significantly tightened security and access to public buildings and utilities;
Conducted vulnerability assessments of potential key targets;
Expanded bio- and chemical surveillance efforts;
Conducted numerous readiness exercises to help prepare for possible emergencies and improve response capabilities;
Acquired more and better equipment for first responders (police, fire, EMS, and public health workers);
Improved emergency communications systems;
Helped improve security at airports;
Worked closely with the private sector to make cities more secure; and
Vastly expanded anti-terrorism public information and education efforts.
Akron Mayor Plusquellic said that the U.S. Conference of Mayors and mayors across the country agree that there are three critical areas that still need to be addressed and supported by the federal government: 1) funds to be channeled directly to cities for first responders; 2) full funding for the COPS and Local Law Enforcement Block Grant, and 3) increased communications between law enforcement offices at all levels. "Over the past year, mayors across the country have acted quickly in helping our first responders, the police and fire fighters do their job of protecting our cities but we still haven-t seen the support promised to us a year ago by federal officials," said Mayor Plusquellic.
Mayor Jeff Griffin of Reno said that when a call is made to 911, it's the first responders who must act immediately, not the governor or federal government. "I urge both the Administration and Congress to structure the Office of Homeland Security in a way that allows first respondersÉthe people that get on the phone when you call 911, to be funded first and properly," added Mayor Griffin.
Baltimore Mayor Martin O-Malley also stressed the sense of urgency for cities to receive federal support. "We-ve all been struggling to do as much as we can the past year, but we-ve asked our federal government to fund at least a fair share of our homeland defense and want them to honor their Constitutional duty, and to provide for the common defense and we wanted them to do it 365 days ago."
As mayor of a border city, Laredo Mayor Betty Flores stated that Washington has not heard the message that border cities are undoubtedly on the front lines of America's homeland security. "Just recently we had to raise our local property taxes by four cents in order to pay for added security," said Mayor Flores.
Gary (IN) Mayor Scott King said that while Congress has made numerous symbolic gestures to show their appreciation for the nation's first responders, cities have still not received funding for police and fire departments. Mayor King added, "The bottom line is that the time for rhetoric is over and the time for action is now and we-ve got to receive the business end of the promised partnership with the federal government."
Cities are in need of help and are still being asked to do more with less according to Philadelphia Mayor John Street. "As a result of 9/11, every time there's a large event in our city, the amount of security that we have to pay for is unbelievably high. Soon we-ll eventually be forced to raise local taxes and local taxes are a huge disincentive to invest locally," concluded Mayor Street.
After two surveys by the U.S. Conference of Mayors indicated cities were confronting huge, unexpected security costs, President Bush proposed $3.5 billion in new homeland security funding for first responders. Mayors strongly support this funding, though they believe it should be distributed directly to cities, where it can be most quickly and efficiently invested in local security efforts.
While progress has been made in improving federal-local information sharing, mayors still seek a further streamlining of intelligence sharing, new protocols regarding law enforcement cooperation, and a system for direct communication between federal and local law enforcement.
There was also some praise for Congress and the Administration from mayors citing —
1) Federalization of airport security screening, a step recommended by the nation's mayors immediately following the September 11 attack; 2) Efforts to create a new Department of Homeland Security, endorsed by mayors last year, even before it was proposed by the President; and 3) Improved communications and coordination between federal and local law enforcement, including more detailed information in conjunction with security alerts.
In October, 2001, the U.S. Conference of Mayors held a security summit for the nation's mayors, at which they endorsed a detailed "National Action Plan for Safety and Security in America's Cities." The Conference subsequently conducted surveys on cities- security costs and mayors- security concerns. All these homeland security materials are available online at www.usmayors.org.
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