From NY Post:

N.Y. POSTCARDS FROM THE EDGE

By GEOFF EARLE and NILES LATHEM Post Correspondents

June 2, 2006 -- WASHINGTON - Ticked-off New Yorkers are sending Homeland Security boss Michael Chertoff a message - "Wish you were here!" - in a postcard protest against the 40 percent cut in federal anti-terror aid to the city.

Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton teamed up with Rep. Peter King yesterday to mail Chertoff the first of an expected avalanche of picture postcards of New York landmarks - after the feds concluded there are none worth protecting in the city.

The Clinton and King cards - depicting the Empire State Building, Statue of Liberty, Brooklyn Bridge, Shea Stadium and Metropolitan Museum of Art - began with, "Dear Secretary Chertoff, Just a quick note from one of New York's many national monuments and icons."

In their postcard featuring the Brooklyn Bridge, the message reads, "Did you know that the longest single span of the Brooklyn Bridge is 1,595 feet and that it sees 144,000 vehicle crossings everyday?"

The message on the back of the postcard featuring Shea Stadium reads, "Since its opening, Shea Stadium has attracted more than 73 million fans!"

The postcard featuring the Statue of Liberty says, "Since 1886, the Statue of Liberty has been a symbol of American liberty and ideals. But did you know that the length of Lady Liberty's hand is 16 feet and five inches?"

In each of the cards, they signed off with, "Wish you were here! Hillary and Pete."

Clinton, a Democrat, and King, a Republican who represents Long Island, want to deluge Chertoff with cards to protest his department's determination that the New York funding cut is justified.

A federal analysis shockingly claimed there are no national symbols or icons in the Big Apple.

The postcard campaign came amid other developments in the anti-terror aid uproar:

* Chertoff hit back at critics, saying, "Attacking the secretary personally or threatening the secretary is not a way to drive funding decisions in this department or any other department."

* President Bush's spokesman insisted the cuts were justified because New York City has already gotten plenty of federal support.

* Sen. Charles Schumer fired off a letter to Chertoff, demanding answers about how the allocations decisions were made.

* Mayor Bloomberg suggested the money may have been spread around the country like pork for political reasons.

Yesterday, King, who chairs the House Homeland Security Committee, said Chertoff was living on borrowed time. "He has to explain why he should keep the job," he said.

Two other New York congressmen, Reps. John Sweeney (R-Saratoga) and Joe Crowley (D-Queens), have called for Chertoff's resignation.

Chertoff said his agency had to look out for the most threatened cities, but also "to make sure we are not neglecting those cities that have not had that initial base" of funding.

"It's not going to be enough for a community to say, 'We are the No. 1 risk, give us money.' They are going to have to show how they are going to spend the money," he said, speaking at a Washington think tank.

Chertoff said requests like the NYPD's for help with overtime and expenses get less weight than a city seeking a new communications system.

White House press secretary Tony Snow defended the shocking decision to boost anti-terror aid to far-flung cow towns like Omaha, Neb. - despite employing a new, supposedly "risk-based" formula.

"The idea that somehow you're being unfair to New York by still giving it more money than any city in the United States of America, I think is to create a false issue and maybe even a false area of friction," he said.

King said he plans "very extensive hearings" later this month on how the funding decisions are made.

Meanwhile, FDNY Chief Sal Cassano said he fears funding cuts will jeopardize all the progress in the department.

"We've taken almost five years to build up to where we are now since Sept. 11," he said at a City Council hearing. "We don't want to take any steps backward."

Further analysis of the anti-terror funds reveals that some sparsely populated Western states are winning the funding lottery.

Each New York state resident is getting $2.78 in homeland funds - including the substantial but reduced funds for New York City.

But each resident of tranquil Vermont gets $17.24, while snowbound Alaskans get $11.54.

Additional reporting by Stephanie Gaskell