Virginia Trails Only D.C. in Homeland Security Grants, Per Capita

Virginia received a total of $1.69 billion in security dollars from the Department of Homeland Security, the fourth-highest sum nationally and the second-highest per capita, says a new report from the Census Bureau.

According to the Associated Press’ Bob Lewis, Virginia averaged $229.46 for each of the state's nearly 7.4 million residents. Only New York, Texas and the District of Columbia received more DHS disbursements, salaries and wages, procurement contracts and grants than Virginia in fiscal year 2003, Lewis says, but on a per-capita basis, the District of Columbia fared better than any state, averaging out to $3,153 over a city population of 563,384. New York received $4.2 billion, Texas received $1.9 billion and Washington, D.C., got nearly $1.8 billion.

In Virginia, Lewis says DHS spent most heavily in Washington's suburbs, home to CIA headquarters and the Pentagon. Arlington County received $1.1 billion, the third-largest amount DHS directed to any locality in the nation. Albany County, N.Y., which received $3.8 billion, received the most for any city or county, with the District of Columbia No. 2. Fairfax County received $507 million in DHS spending, the fifth-largest amount.

To read the full report, click here: http://www.wavy.com/Global/story.asp?S=2399290