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By MARK NIESSE Associated Press
The Associated Press
HONOLULU
The federal government Thursday eliminated nearly $5 million in annual anti-terrorism money distributed directly to Honolulu, just months before the city holds a summit of world leaders.
The Department of Homeland also reduced another $1.5 million from a separate grant that goes to the state government.
Honolulu officials said the loss of the money won't affect November's Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meeting because they relied on last year's grants to prepare for it.
"The city will not be less safe or secure," said Honolulu Department of Emergency Management spokesman John Cummings. "However, the city will not be able to accomplish as much as expected to further enhance the city's disaster preparedness."
City and state resources will be strained, said Ed Teixeira, vice director for Hawaii State Civil Defense.
"It will be a big problem for us," he said. "The loss of about $5 million to the city that could have been used to shore up their response capabilities will have a tremendous effect," he said.
The funding was used in previous years for emergency preparedness including planning, equipment and training for responders, Cummings said. The money bought items such as communications equipment, radio sets and computer software upgrades, Teixeira said.
"It means that if we needed a particular capability or asset, it may take a little longer. It means we have to make these tough choices," Honolulu Emergency Management Director Mel Kaku said last week in anticipation of the cuts.
Honolulu was one of more than 30 urban areas nationwide losing the funding, which was based on the federal government's assessment of terrorism risk in the area.
The city's grant was worth $4.7 million last year, but it will receive no money from the Urban Areas Security Initiative in the current fiscal year.
"I am very disappointed that Hawaii lost homeland security grant funding," said U.S. Sen. Daniel Inouye, D-Hawaii, chairman for the Senate Appropriations Committee. "Our proximity to Asia and the coming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation conference are reminders that Hawaii must maintain the capability to respond to any threat in order to keep our visitors and residents safe."
The grant program for cities was launched in 2003 in response to security threats in the wake of the terrorist attacks.
More than 60 cities have been awarded the grants since 2008, and Honolulu had received the funding every year since 2005, Teixeira said.
Money for the security initiative grants was cut by about $170 million as part of larger reductions that eliminated more than $780 million in grant money from the latest federal budget.
Only 31 high-threat urban areas, including New York and Washington, will still receive grants this year.
"We're all part of the U.S. If we're going to be attacked, we're not just going to be relegated to an attack on New York," Kaku said. "They want to strike terror and concern throughout the nation, not just in one location."
In all, Hawaii is eligible to receive a total of $13.5 million in Homeland Security grants for the current fiscal year even after the $6.5 million combined loss of grant money to the city and state, according to a statement from U.S. Sen. Daniel Akaka.
"The recent tsunami scare reminds us how important it is to support state homeland security capabilities," said U.S. Sen. Daniel Akaka, D-Hawaii. "With the APEC conference just months away, we need to be prepared."
State Homeland Security Grant Program funding dropped from $6.6 million last year to $5.1 million this year, he said.
Eighty percent of that money will be distributed to Hawaii's four counties, with the remainder allocated to the state government.
The state will likely have to reprioritize and reduce investments in emergency shelters and emergency supplies, Teixeira said.
May 19, 2011 09:18 PM EDT
AP: Hawaii's anti-terror funding cut despite APEC
Thu, May 19, 2011
By MARK NIESSE Associated Press
The Associated Press
HONOLULU
The federal government Thursday eliminated nearly $5 million in annual anti-terrorism money distributed directly to Honolulu, just months before the city holds a summit of world leaders.
The Department of Homeland also reduced another $1.5 million from a separate grant that goes to the state government.
Honolulu officials said the loss of the money won't affect November's Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meeting because they relied on last year's grants to prepare for it.
"The city will not be less safe or secure," said Honolulu Department of Emergency Management spokesman John Cummings. "However, the city will not be able to accomplish as much as expected to further enhance the city's disaster preparedness."
City and state resources will be strained, said Ed Teixeira, vice director for Hawaii State Civil Defense.
"It will be a big problem for us," he said. "The loss of about $5 million to the city that could have been used to shore up their response capabilities will have a tremendous effect," he said.
The funding was used in previous years for emergency preparedness including planning, equipment and training for responders, Cummings said. The money bought items such as communications equipment, radio sets and computer software upgrades, Teixeira said.
"It means that if we needed a particular capability or asset, it may take a little longer. It means we have to make these tough choices," Honolulu Emergency Management Director Mel Kaku said last week in anticipation of the cuts.
Honolulu was one of more than 30 urban areas nationwide losing the funding, which was based on the federal government's assessment of terrorism risk in the area.
The city's grant was worth $4.7 million last year, but it will receive no money from the Urban Areas Security Initiative in the current fiscal year.
"I am very disappointed that Hawaii lost homeland security grant funding," said U.S. Sen. Daniel Inouye, D-Hawaii, chairman for the Senate Appropriations Committee. "Our proximity to Asia and the coming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation conference are reminders that Hawaii must maintain the capability to respond to any threat in order to keep our visitors and residents safe."
The grant program for cities was launched in 2003 in response to security threats in the wake of the terrorist attacks.
More than 60 cities have been awarded the grants since 2008, and Honolulu had received the funding every year since 2005, Teixeira said.
Money for the security initiative grants was cut by about $170 million as part of larger reductions that eliminated more than $780 million in grant money from the latest federal budget.
Only 31 high-threat urban areas, including New York and Washington, will still receive grants this year.
"We're all part of the U.S. If we're going to be attacked, we're not just going to be relegated to an attack on New York," Kaku said. "They want to strike terror and concern throughout the nation, not just in one location."
In all, Hawaii is eligible to receive a total of $13.5 million in Homeland Security grants for the current fiscal year even after the $6.5 million combined loss of grant money to the city and state, according to a statement from U.S. Sen. Daniel Akaka.
"The recent tsunami scare reminds us how important it is to support state homeland security capabilities," said U.S. Sen. Daniel Akaka, D-Hawaii. "With the APEC conference just months away, we need to be prepared."
State Homeland Security Grant Program funding dropped from $6.6 million last year to $5.1 million this year, he said.
Eighty percent of that money will be distributed to Hawaii's four counties, with the remainder allocated to the state government.
The state will likely have to reprioritize and reduce investments in emergency shelters and emergency supplies, Teixeira said.
May 19, 2011 09:18 PM EDT
