HomeMy WebLinkAbout09696RESOLUTION NO. 9696
A RESOLUTION DECLARING OCTOBER 22, 2002 AS "HOMETOWN SECURITY DAY" URGING
CONGRESS AND THE PRESIDENT TO PASS A HOMELAND SECURITY BILL AND TO
FINALIZE IMMEDIATELY 2003 FUNDING FOR HOMELAND SECURITY
WHEREAS, the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 have changed life throughout the
Nation and robbed Americans of their sense of security; and
WHEREAS, the attacks have far reaching implications for all cities and towns and their first
responders now on the front lines of hometown defense; and
WHEREAS, America's cities and towns have shouldered the full financial burden for
hometown security at a cost of approximately $3 billion since September 2001; and
WHEREAS, at significant cost to local taxpayers across America, cities and towns have met
their many new hometown security challenges by updating their emergency plans to meet multiple
new threats such as dirty bombs, biological and chemical weapons, taking on security duties at
commercial airports, identifying and assessing their vulnerabilities, and improving collaboration,
communication and information sharing within their regions and with state and federal government;
and
WHEREAS, cities and towns cannot carry this new financial burden alone much longer and
continue to maintain other essential local services without raising local taxes or cutting services;
and
WHEREAS, a recent NLC survey shows that for the first time since 1992, a majority of
cities and towns are less able to meet their financial needs because of a fall off in revenues due to
the economic downturn and the surge in spending for hometown security; and
WHEREAS, Congress and the President have squandered a rare moment of bipartisan
unity by failing to act decisively on federal homeland security coordination and funding; now
therefore
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF PUEBLO, that:
SECTION 1.
The City of Pueblo, Colorado hereby declares October 22, 2002 as Hometown Security
Day" to draw attention to the essential role of America's cities and towns as the front line of
homeland defense and the urgent need for a true federal -local partnership to carry out this new
responsibility.
SECTION 2
The City of Pueblo, Colorado urges Congress and the President to work out their
differences and pass a homeland security bill now to provide a federal framework for unified and
coordinated responses to terrorism.
SECTION 3
The City of Pueblo, Colorado urges Congress, with the full support of the President, to
finalize immediately 2003 funding for homeland security, particularly the $3.5 billion promised for
first responders and the $22 million per month reimbursement promised to cities and towns for
providing local law enforcement at the nation's commercial airports.
INTRODUCED October 15, 2002
BY Robert Schilling
Councilperson
APPROVED:
resident of City Council
ATTEST:
City C