The metropolitan Los Angeles area saw a 10-percent drop in federal anti-terror funding on Wednesday under grants announced by the Department of Homeland Security.
The Los Angeles area will receive 72.6 million U.S. dollars during the next federal fiscal year, down from 80.6 million dollars in the current fiscal year, which ends Sept. 30.
But Orange County received a 13-percent boost, up from 12 million dollars to 13.8 million dollars.
San Diego, bordering Mexico, was awarded nearly 16 million dollars in federal anti-terrorism grants, nearly double what it received last year.
"Our goal is to effectively manage risk in a way that lessens the vulnerability of the entire country, while preparing the nation to respond effectively to major catastrophes," Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said while announcing a total of 747 million dollars for metropolitan areas under its Urban Areas Security Initiative program.
"The department remains committed to directing resources to areas that are most at risk and to ensure that our state and local partners have the training, equipment and resources they need to become better prepared," he said.
Janelle Erickson, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa's press secretary, said on Tuesday that Villaraigosa and Los Angeles police chief William Bratton were disappointed with the reduction.
"The fact that homeland security funding is based on political formulas instead of real threats jeopardizes our national security," she said. "No city with realistic threats from terrorists should be short-changed by the federal government."
The Urban Areas Security Initiative set aside the largest shares for the seven cities considered to be at the greatest risk of an attack: Los Angeles, New York, Washington, D.C., Chicago, Houston, Jersey City, N.J., and the San Francisco Bay area.
Funds are aimed at providing better training and equipment to local police, fire and emergency personnel, who usually serve as the first responders during terrorist attacks and natural disasters.
Source: Xinhua
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