-Brands decision to slash funding “irresponsible”-

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New York City Comptroller William C. Thompson, Jr. today called on President George W. Bush to reverse course and restore counterterrorism funding for New York City and increase financial support for area port and transit security.

Alarmed at the federal Office of Management and Budget’s (OMB) plan to cut funding, Thompson said: “This ill-considered plan significantly imperils high-risk targets including New York City.”

The Comptroller noted that a recent White House memo stated that high-risk cities have largely satisfied their emergency need to boost security, but Thompson said that isn’t the case with New York City.

“There can be little doubt that New York City remains the nation’s top terrorist target and that City residents must remain ever-vigilant against terrorist threats,” Thompson said. “Slashing Homeland Security funds to New York City in light of this highly elevated risk is quite simply irresponsible.”

You can read the full letter at Thompson’s web site at www.comptroller.nyc.gov. The letter also was sent to Michael Chertoff, Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, and Jim Nussle, Director of the Office of Management and Budget.

In the letter, Thompson noted that if federal Homeland Security funds are pared the City will be forced to maintain its current level of security funding through the use of local taxpayer dollars, burdening the City’s finances at a time when the economy is slowing.

Thompson pointed out that the current level of funding already is “woefully inadequate.”

Earlier this year, Thompson’s office reported that the city’s transit system is substantially behind being brought into a State of Good Repair more than 21 years later than projected. As a result, essential passenger safety equipment – including fan plants, alarm boxes and track lighting – are outmoded and in need of replacement.

“For the nearly eight million people who ride New York City’s subways, commuter trains, and buses every day, the risks of inadequate funding remain significant,” Thompson wrote. “Indeed, far from reducing New York City’s homeland security funds, the OMB should be bolstering aid to the City.”

Thompson called on the OMB to increase Homeland Security funds to the City and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. He said further funds could be generated by House-approved legislation to yield New York City $7.3 billion over four years to boost rail and bus security (although that measure has stalled in the Senate).

“I strongly urge you to support this legislation, and to leave intact New York City’s current allocation from Homeland security,” Thompson wrote. “The first priority of government is to ensure the safety and security of its residents.

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