Thursday, March 10, 2011

9/11 bureaucracy still in business

From the NY Post:

I am advocating that the mayor, who controls half of the LMDC board, use his clout to secure half of the remaining LMDC war chest ($350 million) to be used to keep New York safe and secure over the next five years.

Despite the fact that there has been no successful terrorist attack on our city in the last nine years, New York clearly remains the No. 1 target for terrorists. The May 1, 2010, attempted car bombing in Times Square illustrates this.

NYPD Commissioner Ray Kelly has said there have been 11 failed terrorist plots against our city since 9/11. Continuing staff cuts to the NYPD and FDNY are a clear threat to public safety.

In February, Mayor Bloomberg reduced staffing levels on FDNY companies to save about $15 million a year. He has once again proposed closing 20 fire companies effective July 1 to save another $30 million, while the NYPD head count has been reduced by over 6,000 officers.

Crime statistics are rising in the wake of these cuts, and the mayor’s February staffing reductions have already left hundreds of families homeless and led to unnecessary fire deaths.

By simply earmarking $70 million per year for the next five years from the LMDC, the city can put more police officers on the street and keep firehouses fully staffed and open. This infusion of cash for public safety will ensure that New York remains the safest large city in America. Safety and security are the main ingredients for a strong and thriving economy. This is a smart investment at this time that will pay dividends for New York and its taxpayers.


For the life of me, I can't understand why NYC continually bleeds its first responder agencies dry. FDNY, EMS, NYPD, etc., should have the most money spent on their needs, should have the most personnel, and should have the most up-to-date, functional equipment. The city will certainly head down the crapper if there is no money for basic emergency services. No one wants to see headlines like this one or worry what will happen in the event of a large scale emergency (like the tornado/microburst or the Dec 26th snowstorm). Stop spending money on tweeding programs and losing out on revenue by providing developer tax breaks which only serve to overwhelm the systems in place and instead focus on crime and fire prevention.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

How do you address this? Never cut police, fire and sanitation services to remain successful, safe and sanitary to remain being the great city on earth!

Auntie Pasta said...

The LMDC was created by then Governor Pakati out of fear that a Democrat would be the next NYC mayor and that Greene would hand out the 9/11 billions from the Feds to the average person affected by 9/11.

The creation of the LMDC was a strategical move to ensure that the 9/11 Federal monies went to Republican owned companies and projects. Pataki appointed John Whitehead, one of his largest contributors to his campaign for NYS governor.

The money being used for the Fulton Street transit hub and the remolding of that area, is 9/11 money. It should have gone to help those of us affected by 9/11 instead it is being used to create a special economic zone below Canal Street.

Bloomberg's attempt to charge drivers to enter Manhattan was part of this plan. It was defeated.

The NYC Council has asked many times for the LMDC to be disbanded as they have no real authority or jurisdiction.

Anonymous said...

So Auntie Pasta didn't get a nice big slice of the 9/11 pork?

Boo f-ing Hoo..

Anonymous said...

By simply earmarking $70 million per year for the next five years from the LMDC, the city can put more police officers on the street and keep firehouses fully staffed and open.

Do you think Michael "union busting" Bloombitch actually LIKES Police?

GET YOUR HEAD OUT OF YOUR ASS!