Des Plaines has put
off several projects, including building new fire and police stations, to
instead prepare for possible terrorist attacks.
That was the message
from acting City Manager Bill Schneider in his testimony Tuesday before a
committee of House Democrats in Washington, D.C.
U.S. Rep. Jan
Schakowsky, an Evanston Democrat who invited Des Plaines officials to testify
in the nation's capital, said she heard the message from Schneider and other
local officials loud and clear.
Schakowsky said she's
planning to support proposed legislation before the House to free up about $4.4
billion for local communities. But, she said, it's not enough.
"While local
governments are on the front lines, they simply don't have the resources that
it takes to do the job. That's because the federal government has short-changed
them," she said.
Schakowsky and other
Democrats heard from several leaders of towns across the country about the cost
of complying with federal guidelines on homeland security.
Officials from Los
Angeles, El Paso, Texas, and Elizabeth, N.J., also spoke about the costs of
training emergency workers to respond to chemical and biological attacks and
buying equipment needed to do it.
Local leaders were
invited to speak to members of the Democratic Task Force on Homeland Security,
a panel led by U.S. Rep. Carol Maloney, a New York Democrat.
In Des Plaines, a town
with a $120 million budget, officials estimated that when the nation's terror
alert status is raised to Orange, or high alert, they spend about $3,800 a week
on police overtime. The city has spent about $90,000 to-date on such overtime.
Also, city officials
next year plan to buy anti-terrorism-related equipment for police, fire and
public works employees at a cost of $429,900. Special terrorism-related
training for the so-called first responders is expected to cost about $279,000
next year.
To compensate, Des
Plaines officials have put off the purchase of a $375,000 fire truck and their
plans to build new police and fire stations, Schneider said.
"Ironically, without
federal infusion of dollars, public safety could be jeopardized as a result of
homeland security," he said.
Des Plaines officials
said they also have special needs because their police department works with
Chicago police to provide extra patrols for neighboring O'Hare International
Airport.
Schneider said the
extra effort to prepare has paid off in terms of being ready for such
emergencies.
"It's a shift in
resources to homeland security," Schneider said. "We've very ready. We're more
ready than other towns."
Schakowsky said she
hopes Tuesday's hearing and future meetings shed light on the need that local
governments have for money to prepare for disasters. She said she and other
Democrats are pushing for another $1 billion for local communities in addition
to the $4.4 billion already proposed.
"When you're talking
about a city with a total budget of $120 million, these are big bucks,"
Schakowsky said.
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