Dozens of Cities To Get Fewer Anti-Terror Dollars

Many cities across the country will find themselves with less federal money than in years past, and many won’t, as the Department of Homeland Security releases its list of homeland security grant recipients.

The Associated Press’ Devlin Barrett is reporting that more money will go to three larger cities – Houston, New York and San Francisco – from the $782 million in the Urban Area Security Initiative to help pay for equipment and training. Houston will get $37.5 million, a 50 percent increase from 2007. Also, 14 cities that were not on the list last year have been added.

However, Barrett also says many cities will see less money. Los Angeles will get about $2 million less than years past, and Newark, New Jersey, will get about $1 million less.

Most of the money goes to the seven areas considered at highest risk of terrorist attack: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Newark, New York, San Francisco and the District of Columbia.

“The grants come from one of the department’s most popular and debated post-Sept. 11 programs,” Barrett says. “Every year, the list pleases and angers elected officials based on which cities are added or dropped. Last year, the list contained 45 metropolitan areas, and Congress insisted the government consider as many as 100.”

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