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The Scoop On Security Grants
by Chloe Albanesius
New Hampshire Gov. Craig Benson has vowed to distribute the state's share of federal homeland security funding to areas based on risk rather than population. He instructed the Safety Department last week to produce a plan that would allocate money on a competitive basis.
"I want to make sure that every cent of federal anti-terrorism money is spent wisely, that none is squandered, and that we focus on the greatest threats first," Benson said in a release.
The Republican governor expressed concern that federal funding for states like New Hampshire will dwindle in the future as grants focus more on urban areas. He pledged, therefore, to use current funds to strengthen the state's hazardous materials and special-operations teams, and he called on officials to "continue our interoperability project until every police officer, firefighter and emergency medical service worker in the state has mobile radios in their vehicles and portables at their fingertips that allow them to communicate with all other first responders in the state." He requested that towns and cities that do not use all of their security funds by year's end contribute that money to the interoperability fund.
Elsewhere on the security front, Indiana's governor announced that the state's emergency management agency has divided among 54 counties about $8 million awarded to the state in April. A portion of the funds will be used for training, equipment and first responders, while the remainder will go toward projects that strengthen cross-country and statewide communication and preparedness, according to an agreement with local public-safety officers.
Those projects include: a $2.2 million aerial mapping project; $2.82 million to create an interoperable wireless communications system; and $589,000 to fight agricultural terrorism. "These grants help ensure the firefighters, law enforcement officers, emergency management officials and medical teams have the tools and training they need to prevent and respond to potential disasters or threats," Gov. Joe Kernan said in a release.
He criticized pending congressional appropriations bills that would cut first-responder spending. He pushed for Congress to maintain this year's $1.7 billion level, lest a funding drop "unfairly pit urban areas against rural ones," he said.
Virginia Gov. Mark Warner also announced that the towns of Chesapeake, Chesterfield, Chatham and Rixeyville will benefit from the state's third of four $150,000 federal grants for firefighters.
Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox appointed Robert Ianni to serve as the state's first director of homeland security and special projects. Ianni has 28 years experience as an assistant attorney general and will focus his efforts on Michigan's legal responses to security issues. He also will coordinate among the nation's attorneys general on homeland security, Cox said.
And following a Homeland Security report issued earlier this month on the state of grant funding, the National Governors Association (NGA) pledged to implement the study's recommendations in order to ensure the more efficient distribution of funds to state and local first responders.
The organization resisted criticism of the grant process. "With little prior technical assistance, it has taken stakeholders considerable time to understand the complexity of the grant process," Gerard Murphy, director of NGA's homeland security and technology division, said in a release. "With checks and balances at every turn, the fact is this is a two-year grant program that, by its very nature, is designed to be deliberate."
States Ponder Streamlined Sales Taxes
The Utah legislature on Monday decided to delay until July 1, 2005, the implementation of legislation to streamline the state's sales-tax system. The bill, S.B. 3001, was set to take effect Thursday, but officials want a more detailed plan.
"We agree on the concept of allowing small businesses to receive more training on the provisions and to allow more time for software development to aid in implementation of streamlined sales tax," Gov. Olene Walker said in a statement. When a detailed plan is drafted, Walker pledged to "issue the formal call."
Meanwhile, Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm on Tuesday signed a bill, H.B. 5005, approving the state's participation in the Streamlined Sales Tax Project (SSTP) starting Sept. 1. Michigan also planned to enter the program July 1, but a Senate amendment offered June 8 pushed that date back two months.
And Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue signed legislation, H.B. 1437, allowing the state to join SSTP as a voting member, but the state still must pass legislation simplifying its tax code as mandated by the program, according to the National Governors Association.
Attorney Generals On 'Do Not Call' Watch
California Attorney General Bill Lockyer has announced a settlement regarding the first lawsuit filed for a "do not call" telemarketing violation in the state.
American Home Craft was accused of calling more than 120 California residents whose names were on the do-not-call list of people who do not want to receive telemarketing calls. The company was ordered to comply with state and federal do-not-call laws and implement a compliance procedure. It also will pay $45,000 in civil damages, $30,000 to cover the cost of the case and $25,000 in restitution to the inconvenienced residents.
Virginia's do-not-call registry, meanwhile, takes effect Thursday, according to Attorney General Jerry Kilgore. Telemarketers are banned from calling residents whose home and mobile phone numbers are on the national do-not-call list. Under the law, consumers can bring cases against violators in general district court.
North Carolina Attorney General Roy Cooper on Monday announced that his office reached a settlement with Carpet DryClean for do-not-call violations under his state's law. The company will stop leaving illegal, recorded messages and pay $25,000 in damages to the state, Cooper said.
And Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott issued a warning to the state's senior citizens recently, telling them to beware calls from people who claim to be from consumer protection groups. The callers tell people their personal information has been posted on 14,000 Web sites but that the "consumer group" will remove that information if given credit-card or banking information.
Minor Legislative Glitches Stall Anti-Spam Bill
A New Jersey anti-spam bill patterned after a Virginia statute that mandates jail time for people who send unsolicited commercial e-mail was returned to the state Senate after the Assembly made minor technical changes.
Matt McAlvanah, the press secretary for Sen. Joseph Coniglio, the bill's sponsor, said changes are non-controversial and likely will not be challenged. But with the current legislative schedule, a vote probably will not occur until September, he added.
Companies Get Tech Tax Credits, Grants
The Indiana Commerce Department awarded four technology companies $1 million for producing state-of-the-art, energy-efficient manufacturing systems or products, Gov. Kernan said.
Grote Industries, Piezo Technology, Reilly Industries and Webb Wheel each will receive $250,000. Grote and Piezo plan to use the money to install automated manufacturing lines; Reilly will install equipment that utilizes 30 percent less natural gas; and Webb Wheel will implement new technology designed to save more than $200,000 in energy costs.
In other news, Wisconsin Gov. Jim Doyle announced that Waukesha-based MetalTek International will receive $163,000 in Technology Zone tax credits, a program designed to help stimulate high-tech growth. In November, Doyle signed legislation making the Technology Zone program more accessible to small and startup businesses.
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