Here�s the payoff for Kelly�s political duplicity � a (so-called) DFLer�s support and campaign for the rightwing incumbent President. Kelly traveled the state campaigning for Bush, only to get this news a month after the election (punishment for Kerry�s taking Minnesota big time?):
Andy Driscoll Ward 2/Crocus Hill ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe from The Newswire: e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Homeland security funds cut in east metro Her�n M�rquez Estrada Star Tribune Published December 4, 2004 The federal government dropped a bomb on St. Paul and Ramsey and Dakota counties this week, withdrawing about $7 million in homeland security funding. "It is an unfortunate turn of events," said Judson Freed, who oversees emergency management and homeland security for Ramsey County. "They told us for sure there'd be another year of funding." The jurisdictions learned of the decision Thursday night when the Department of Homeland Security announced $855 million in grants for 2005 to help cities considered at highest risk of terrorist attacks. "It was quite a shock," David Gisch, Dakota County's coordinator of emergency preparedness, said Friday afternoon. "No hint, no nothing." While Minneapolis and Hennepin County got $5.7 million for 2005, St. Paul and the eastern counties were shut out. "To say the east metro doesn't have the same risks as the west metro makes no sense," said St. Paul Deputy Mayor Dennis Flaherty, who described the action as "a silly bureaucratic decision that somebody made in Washington, D.C." The only explanation local officials were given is that the Department of Homeland Security was trying to spread out the grants and include areas such as Honolulu that had not received money in the past. "Some of it does make sense," Freed said. But he and others said that the decision to cut came too late in the budget process and that they planned to ask Minnesota members of Congress for help in restoring the funds. Area officials said the loss of the grants won't affect county or city operations but will slow down training and equipment purchases. "The homeland security efforts ... are going to go on, but we are not going to move as quickly as we would like," Freed said Friday afternoon. St. Paul, Ramsey and Dakota counties got more than $7 million this year from the federal government for urban homeland security measures. The city got half and the counties 25 percent each. County officials said they were assured they would get roughly the same amount for 2005 and budgeted accordingly, Freed said. Among things area officials planned to do with the money was hire people to help address homeland security issues. The counties also were going to buy equipment for police, fire and medical personnel. "We see this as an abandonment of prior commitments made by the president and the Homeland Security Department," Victoria Reinhardt, the Ramsey County Board chairwoman, said in a written statement. "It's a bait and switch." Minnesota received about $22 million in homeland security funding for urban areas, with nearly all of the money focused on the Twin Cities, Ramsey, Hennepin and Dakota counties, which had coordinated their efforts. "We're not going to let this decision impact the relationships that we have in the public safety area," said Flaherty. Freed noted that St. Paul and Ramsey County are as close or closer (geographically) to Minneapolis than some Hennepin County municipalities. Heron Marquez is at [EMAIL PROTECTED] � Copyright 2004 Star Tribune. All rights reserved. _____________________________________________ To Join: St. Paul Issues Forum Rules Discussion Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] ____________________________________________ NEW ADDRESS FOR LIST: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To subscribe, modify subscription, or get your password - visit: http://www.mnforum.org/mailman/listinfo/stpaul Archive Address: http://www.mnforum.org/mailman/private/stpaul/
