 | |
| |
TechnologyDaily Mobile
Security Remains Daunting Task For States
by Chloe Albanesius
The nation has not done a particularly good job at defining homeland security at the state and local levels, a National Governors Association (NGA) official said Tuesday.
Federal and state officials have "very different perspectives on homeland security issues," NGA homeland security director Gerald Murphy said at a security financing forum sponsored by Equity International.
A number of states are further ahead than others in terms of intelligence gathering, but there is "some frustration over the extent to which they receive timely and actionable intelligence," he said. Homeland security is "the most daunting public policy challenge [I have faced] in my 23 years working in the public sector."
That is primarily because local, state and federal agencies that previously did not work together are being asked to cooperate on a massive undertaking, he said. "Asking to coordinate across three levels of government [poses] enormous challenges," Murphy said.
A recent survey of states found that their top priorities are ensuring that communications systems used by emergency personnel can interact with other systems, developing intelligence fusion centers, and identifying and protecting critical infrastructure.
All of those goals need adequate funding, Murphy said. But while working with the Homeland Security Department task force on state and local funding earlier this year, he said he and other members found that states and localities were working with a system conceived before the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
"Everyone at the state and local level wants to be as prepared as they can be, and they want to be prepared today," Murphy said. The current grant structure, however, "is not designed for the immediate expenditure of dollars." Congress and some states have heeded certain task force recommendations, but more work needs to be done, he said.
Virginia Communications Plan Chosen As Model
Virginia Gov. Mark Warner on Tuesday announced that SAFECOM, the federal Homeland Security office working on the interoperability of emergency communications systems, chose Virginia's statewide strategic emergency plan as the model it will recommend to other states.
Virginia's plan will take effect Friday, following the close of a two-day Richmond conference on interoperability. The plan "was developed by those who are on the front lines every day," the Democratic governor said in a statement. "This plan will enhance tactical and strategic interoperability, aiding our first responders in those critical minutes following a tragedy."
Meanwhile, New Jersey Gov. Jim McGreevey was unsuccessful in his bid to get President Bush to reject the fiscal 2005 spending bill for homeland security. McGreevey, who will resign in mid-November, sent a letter Friday to Bush requesting that he "reject this bill ... until it contains adequate funding for New Jersey and the other states that most need it."
Bush signed the measure, H.R. 4567, on Monday. The Democratic governor said the new law is "deeply flawed" and contains provisions that are "not based in reality." McGreevey's office said the statute reduces funding for New Jersey by 11.6 percent, to $77.3 million.
He criticized the grant system used in the bill because it is not based on the risk of terrorism in particular states. He noted that Wyoming, which has far fewer people than New Jersey and is not viewed as much of a terrorist target, receives $26.34 in per-capita first-responder funding, while New Jersey receives $4.67 per capita.
Poll Workers Told Not To Offer Paper Ballots
Election workers in at least three California counties are being instructed not to offer voters the option of using a paper ballot instead of an e-voting machine, the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) said Monday.
Despite the fact that Secretary of State Kevin Shelley said in May that voters would have the "paper or plastic" option, election workers are being told to only provide paper ballots if voters specifically request them. Poll workers and representatives of voting commissions in Orange, Riverside and Santa Clara counties confirmed with EFF that they are executing the policy.
The approach is undermining Shelley's mandate and people's trust in the process, EFF staff attorney Matt Zimmerman said.
In other news, Utah earlier this month unveiled a Web site that provides information on voter registration, absentee ballots, polling locations and ballot information. Election officials wanted to make "every effort to cut down the time and effort" required to participate in the voting process, Lt. Gov. Gayle McKeachnie said in a statement.
Illinois Continues Push On Drug Imports
Despite reports this week of overloaded Canadian pharmacies refusing to fill bulk prescription drug orders from U.S. pharmacies, Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich on Wednesday continued his statewide campaign to promote the state's drug-importation program.
The I-SaveRx program enables citizens to purchase more affordable drugs from Canada, England, Ireland and Scotland. The Democratic governor was in the cities of Danville and Clinton touting the program. "You shouldn't have to choose between putting food on the table or being able to afford the medicines you need," he said.
In other news, the two Louisiana congressmen running for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Democrat John Breaux clashed Monday over the subject of drug imports, The Advocate reported.
Republican David Vitter accused Democrat Chris John of selling out to Washington interests when he opposed drug importation. John said Vitter is trying to distract people from his own record of voting against importation. The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee recently launched a $1.5 million advertising campaign attacking Vitter's record.
Meanwhile, William Reynolds, the county executive in Racine County, Wis., said he opposes a resolution from county board Supervisor Daniel Sharkozy that would allow employees, retirees and other municipalities to purchase prescription drugs from Canada or other countries, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported.
Reynolds said he is not interested in an illegal plan that could pose a safety threat to residents. The resolution has been referred to the intergovernmental committee and executive committee.
Judge Lets Florida Case Against AT&T Proceed
A consumer lawsuit against AT&T for allegedly overcharging customers can go forward, a Florida Circuit Court judge ruled Wednesday.
Attorney General Charlie Crist filed a lawsuit against the telephone company April 30, after consumers complained that they were being charged for services they did not request and were hit with sales pitches when they tried to complain.
AT&T moved for a summary judgment against the consumers and asked that the case be moved to the jurisdiction of the Florida Public Service Commission. Leon County Circuit Judge Nikki Ann Clark denied AT&T's request, ruling that Crist's allegations are not so complex that they require the state commission to rule on the issue.
"We believe that [consumers] were played as pawns in a marketing scheme to enhance AT&T's bottom line," Crist said in a statement.
NEW FEATURE
-Advertisement-
-Advertisement-
-Advertisement-
