LIEBERMAN’S FAILURE TO DELIVER REAL HOMELAND SECURITY HITS CONNECTICUT HARD

LIEBERMAN TOUTS INFLUENCE AS CONNECTICUT GETS LEAST AMOUNT OF HOMELAND SECURITY FUNDING IN NORTHEAST:

According to the Congressional Research Service, Connecticut is receiving a lower amount of federal homeland security grants per capita than any other state in the Northeast, despite Lieberman serving as the senior Democrat on the Homeland Security Committee. Specifically, in 2005, Connecticut got just $6.86 per capita in funding from federal homeland security grants. By contrast, New York got $15.54 per capita, New Hampshire received $12.85 per capita, Vermont received $23.83 per capita (nearly 4 times CT’s total), Massachusetts received $9.77 per capita, and Rhode Island received $14.55 per capita. In all, Connecticut is 38th lowest in terms of homeland security funding. [Source: Congressional Research Service report, 12/13/04]

LIEBERMAN TOUTS INFLUENCE EVEN AS HOMELAND SECURITY CUTS HIT CONNECTICUT HARD:

Lieberman has touted his seniority on the Senate Homeland Security Committee as something that has helped Connecticut. But as the Hartford Courant reported on the eve of the 5-year anniversary of 9/11, “Connecticut’s portion of Homeland Security funding is shrinking rapidly.” Specifically, “In 2004, the state got more than $20 million from the federal government. In 2005, the amount was reduced to $12.46 million. The state’s 2006 take will be $2.8 million. Some towns will get as little as $3,000 in Homeland Security funding in 2006.” In all, the state has seen federal homeland security funding slashed by 86 percent. [Source: Hartford Courant, 9/10/06]

BRIDGEPORT SECURITY GRANTS SLASHED BY 85 PERCENT:

The Stamford Advocate reports that “Bridgeport Mayor John Fabrizi said his city’s federal funding has shrunk from $932,000 two years ago to $136,000 this year.” [Source: Stamford Advocate, 8/26/06]

STAMFORD SECURITY GRANTS SLASHED BY 88 PERCENT; MAYOR SAYS IRAQ TO BLAME:

The Stamford Advocate reported that “Five years after the worst terrorist attacks on American soil, the city’s share of homeland security funding is plummeting. Stamford’s share of the federal funds distributed by the state Department of Emergency Management and Homeland Security dropped 88 percent from 2004 to 2006. It went from $764,247 in 2004, to $413,458 in 2005, to $93,418 this year.” The newspaper noted that city officials confirmed they will have to cut back on training local first responders. Mayor Dannel Malloy “blames the Bush administration for giving too much focus—and too many resources—onto the war in Iraq.” He said, “I think our commitments overseas are draining our abilities to respond at home.” [Stamford Advocate, 9/10/06]

NEW HAVEN CUT OFF FROM URBAN SECURITY GRANTS:

Despite Lieberman sitting on the Homeland Security Committee that oversees homeland security eligiblity and funding, in 2006, the Yale Daily News reported that “New Haven has again been left off the list of cities eligible for a U.S. Department of Homeland Security grant targeted to help urban areas.” New Haven originally received some money from the program, but because of budget cuts and subsequent changes in eligibility requirements, the city was cut off. Lieberman has issued press releases decrying the moves – but he has not used his senior position on the Senate committee overseeing the program to actually do anything about it. Worse, he skipped a critical vote in 2003 to better-fund programs targeting homeland security money to high-threat urban areas. The first and only grant was originally used to improve “communication networks between fire, police and emergency medical services” but because of the budget cuts and eligibility changes, the city “has been unable to execute all of its plans.” [Source: Yale Daily News, 1/6/06 Senate Roll Call Vote #302, 7/24/03]

DESPITE LIEBERMAN’S SENIORITY, CONNECTICUT GETS STIFFED ON TRANSIT SECURITY:

According to the Stamford Advocate, Connecticut is now receiving less than 1.5 percent of federal transit/rail security grants targeted at the tri-state area. Robert Wilson, executive director of the South Western Regional Planning Agency, told the newspaper, “I would expect Connecticut would get more than this. This is just a crumb.” New York is receiving $29.5 million, New Jersey is receiving $7.5 million and Connecticut is receiving just $510,000. This, despite the fact that, for instance, the New Haven Line carries about 110,000 passengers a day. [Source: Stamford Advocate, 11/6/05]