Mayors of U.S. cities on Wednesday accused state officials of commandeering billions of dollars the federal government has earmarked to beef up municipal security in the aftermath of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. States consequently are putting added pressure on already distressed city budgets and potentially compromising security, mayors said. “Unfortunately, terrorists don’t have to fill out forms in triplicate,” Tom Cochran, executive director of the U.S. Conference of Mayors, said in written remarks. “Without direct funding to cities, I am afraid we could be facing homeland insecurity.” Nine out of 10 cities, for example, complain that states are holding back on distributing a $1.5 billion pot of federal funds for first response and infrastructure security, the mayors’ group said in a report issued on Wednesday. The report is based on a survey of 168 cities in all 50 states regarding 10 federal funding programs that total more than $4 billion, the group said. Full Story
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