Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
Homeland Security Doesn't Care About New York's Homeland
By
Jen Chung
Published Jun 2, 2006
Modified Mar 7, 2008
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
Jen Chung
Published Jun 2, 2006
Modified Mar 7, 2008
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
As New York state and city politicians attack the Department of Homeland Security over cutting the funds NYC gets for anti-terrorism efforts, the DHS has been fighting back by saying that New York City's proposal wasn't well-prepared. The NY Times writes, "Federal officials said yesterday that the city had not only done a poor job of articulating its needs in its application, but had also mishandled the application itself, failing to file it electronically as required, instead faxing its request to Washington." Ha! NY state and city officials say that, in fact, they did electronically submit the application - but you know that there's probably sniping about so-and-so's aide or intern screwing things up. But In fact, NYC, though in the "top 25% of urban areas at risk," was rated in the bottom 25% for the "quality of its application"! Our politicians, though, are saying that the DHS directed money to cities where reelections were coming up in the fall. The Daily News has a feature on Tracy Henske, the DHS official who "signed off on the cuts" - she's from Missouri and Missouri cities got increases in funding!
The united effort to show the DHS it's wrong allows Republican Representative Peter King and Democrat Senator Hillary Clinton to start a postcard writing project, to convince the DHS there, in fact, are landmarks and and monuments in New York City. And Senator Charles Schumer wrote an "angry letter" to DHS Secretary Michael Chertoff, leading Chertoff to say, "Attacking the secretary personally or threatening the secretary is not a way to drive funding decisions in this department or any other department." Maybe Comptroller Alan Hevesi should think about a speech involving Chertoff...
This will mean the city has to find new ways to finance police overtime and potential projects like the "ring of steel" in lower Manhattan. The NY Times has a good editorial about the problem, noting that high population states like NY, California and Texas frequently get screwed over in the process of doling out anti-terror funds; the Daily News damns Chertoff; and the Post lauds Rep. King's efforts to get money for NY; and And to put a cherry on top of all of this, a report from the Public Policy Institute of The Business Council of NY State says that NY State taxpayers pay much more than other states for state and local taxes. We're in a NY State of mind, all right.
Photograph from Bluejake
Tagged
alan hevesi
As
As New York
business
california
charles schumer
city
clinton
Comptroller Alan Hevesi
daily news
democrat
finance
hillary clinton
homeland security
jen chung
landmarks
manhattan
Michael Chertoff
money
new york
new york city
news
News: NYC
ny state
ny times
nyc
peter king
police
Representative Peter King
republican
senator charles schumer
Senator Hillary Clinton
taxes
terror
texas
The Business
the city
the daily news
The NY
the ny times
washington
Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
Forest Hills Stadium can keep its concerts under deal with neighbors
Neighbors had complained of traffic and loud concerts for years.
By
Ryan Kost
Published Oct 22, 2026 at 2:49 p.m. ET
NYC Council to grill Mamdani officials on collapsed Hunts Point Produce Market deal
Council Speaker Julie Menin called the $650 million plan "mission critical."
By
Elizabeth Kim
News
NYC Council to grill Mamdani officials on collapsed Hunts Point Produce Market deal
Council Speaker Julie Menin called the $650 million plan "mission critical."
By
Elizabeth Kim
NYPD arrests 17-year-old in fatal Midtown subway platform shooting
By
Charles Lane
Ex-Adams aide accused of pocketing kickbacks from community program funds
By
Samantha Max
MTA to begin 6-year project to upgrade signal tech on A and C lines in Brooklyn and Queens
By
Ramsey Khalifeh
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .