Terror Alerts - NYC granted $168M in anti-terror funds

July 18, 2007, 5:32 PM EDT

WASHINGTON -- The New York City region was a big winner in the competition for new federal anti-terrorism funding, as the Department of Homeland Security announced it will send a combined $168 million to the area next year to purchase anti-terror equipment and pay for training.

In announcing nationwide grants totalling $1.7 billion in state and local conterterrorism funding plus $1 billion to improve communication systems used by emergency responders, Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff warned that to grant more money to high-risk cities like New York would force his agency to eliminate funding to smaller cities that could also be vulnerable to terror attacks.

The new funding won by New York includes a $134 million Urban Areas Security Initiative grant, a 7.7 percent increase over the $124.5 million the city received last year.

The city will receive an additional $34.8 million to improve local emergency communications to ensure that rescue workers are able to talk to each other while coping with disaster. Difficulties with communications between police and fire units hampered rescue efforts during the 9/11 collapse of the World Trade Center, and hindered the evacuation of New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina.

The increases came one year after the White House drew criticism for slashing its anti-terror funding to New York by almost 40 percent.

That led Mayor Michael Bloomberg to accuse federal officials of engaging in pork-barrel politics by diverting money to parts of the country where the terror risk was low.

Asked his reaction to Wednesday's grant announcement, Bloomberg said "Well, I think disappointed."

"I mean, I suppose every city in theory could be a target but I think the mistake that is always made is confusing where you're vulnerable to where you're likely to be attacked," Bloomberg said.

Rep. Peter King, (R-Seaford), called the increase a step in the right direction, but said the federal government still sends less to to New York than it did two years ago because of last year's 40 percent cut.

"I just don't think we're going fast enough," King said.

MARTIN C. EVANS - NEWSDAY