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Homeland Security Pays Dividends for AlaskaPosted on Oct 31, 2008
(Page 2) “We’re a small city, so we’re not a large target, hopefully,” a public works director told the Anchorage Daily News in 2005 for a story headlined “Homeland security has been good to Mat-Su.” “The only thing we’ve experienced is minor vandalism on the (water storage) tanks.” The Wasilla Police Department had only eight officers when it was created in 1993, not long before Palin became mayor, and it remains small today with about two dozen officers in the 13-square-mile city. The man Mayor Palin appointed to be the city’s police chief, Charlie Fannon, later became a consultant and grant writer for Wasilla, helping to oversee its major homeland security purchases, including the tower. The extra funds Wasilla received for raising the tower are part of a boon of federal money awarded to the city aside from the grants already acquired from the Department of Homeland Security. City budget documents show that Wasilla had a total operating budget in 2008 of $13.7 million. But it received for its small police department $986,643 in federal aid for radio repeaters and to outfit its patrol cars with wireless mobile computers, which connect to police headquarters and an emergency dispatch center. Advertisement The city didn’t expect to use any of its own money for those projects. “There are so many applications, I think we’re only limited by our creativity in the areas of homeland security, emergency response, EMS and fire,” Fannon, the grants consultant, told the Daily News in 2005. Wasilla is by no means the only rural, lightly populated Alaska town benefiting from the post-9/11 surge in federal largess. The city of Whittier, 60 miles southeast of Anchorage, has a population of only about 175 people, but it boasts of attracting tourists and various cruise lines. It spent $28,400 in federal grants to purchase two SABRE 3000 anthrax detectors, $24,000 on an “incident command vehicle” and $15,000 for two Kawasaki 4x4 ATVs with winches, state records show. There’s never been a reported case of anthrax infection in Alaska history, according to the state’s Department of Health and Social Services. The western Alaska port city of Bethel, with fewer than 6,000 people, spent $6,287 to buy a “surveillance shotgun listening device,” $44,000 on seven ATVs and $22,000 for video surveillance of its water treatment plant. The fishing village of Dillingham in southwestern Alaska, which contains about 2,500 people, spent $2,050 on an “impact-resistant door” and $202,000 on a wireless surveillance system that blanketed its downtown and port areas with 80 cameras. The cameras so irked some local residents leery of government intrusion that the longtime mayor who pursued the devices, Chris Napoli, resigned under persistent criticism in 2006. The borough that surrounds Wasilla, Matanuska-Susitna, also benefited from federal funds. It has more governmental responsibility than Wasilla, overseeing schools and fire emergencies, for example. It is an area of south-central Alaska about the size of West Virginia and has roughly 80,000 people. According to an examination of state spending records, of the nearly $3 million it received in Homeland Security grants since 2003, the borough spent $66,200 to install surveillance cameras and a key-card entry system at two fire stations in Wasilla, $25,000 on infrared cameras, $14,277 on four laptops and $2,193 on 15 bullhorns. Borough officials also acquired a $410,000 mobile command communications vehicle specially outfitted with a four-wheel-drive chassis to accommodate Alaska’s rugged terrain, and a conference room with a projector screen and an incinerator toilet that operates without water. An additional $60,000 in grant funds was needed to outfit the new truck with interoperable radios that could reach the state’s emergency communications system, and $70,769 more was spent installing a satellite system for Internet access and video conferences. Dennis Brodigan, the borough’s emergency services director, said in an interview with CIR that the fire department had trouble figuring out where to store the new command center, so now it’s kept in a commercial building next door to a Wasilla firehouse. At least $9,000 in grant funds has covered leasing expenses so far, records show. The Mat-Su Borough isn’t without the threat of natural disasters. An area of the borough southwest of Wasilla known as Big Lake sustained one of the state’s most destructive wildfires in 1996, a blaze that left hundreds of people without homes. In the late summer of 2006, major flooding downed bridges and washed out roads further north. The region is also vulnerable to seismic activity. Brodigan said the truck would enable first responders to maintain connections with central command from distant corners of the region during emergencies. “We get high winds about four times a year on the average,” Brodigan said. “And when I say high winds I mean 80 and 100 miles an hour, and they don’t come in and leave a few hours later. They stay for days. So everything we’ve bought so far will serve us not only for larger disasters but actually day in and day out.” The idea of buying the vehicle came in part from Palin’s former police chief, Fannon, and was supposed to serve as an extension to a new emergency dispatch center that Wasilla finished building in 2004, considered a major achievement of Palin’s mayoral term along with the construction of a sports complex. Elsewhere: . CommentsAre you a Truthdig member yet? Login now, or register with Truthdig. Add Your Comment
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A Progressive Journal of News and Opinion. Editor, Robert Scheer. Publisher, Zuade Kaufman.
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By hippy pam, November 4, 2008 at 6:28 pm #
And I sure hope their “STAR” candidate gets to return to Alaska..as..A LOSER…........
Report thisBy Clash, November 1, 2008 at 6:17 pm #
It is really good to know that we have sent so much money to Alaska from the home land security fund, while armed mexican sodiers cross the border in military vehicles with mounted machine guns protecting drug traffickers and doing who knows what in john mcains home stae of Arizona. So much for the war on drugs and home land security.Just another good joke from the people who brought you the fall of America.
Report thisBy Dr. Knowitall, PhD, PhD, October 31, 2008 at 8:06 pm #
Outraged:
President Sarah Palin
Report thisBy Outraged, October 31, 2008 at 7:40 pm #
Since it is Halloween, I thought I say something REALLY scary…..
**** VICE-PRESIDENT SARAH PALIN ****
Report thisBy davidperi, October 31, 2008 at 4:18 pm #
Michael Moore on http://www.democracynow.org said later in his 1 hr interview with Amy that if that ain´t socialism what is…commenting on how every Alaskan received money from tax revenues. The Republicans really have a twisted view on socialism.
Report thisBy LoisO, October 31, 2008 at 2:57 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)
I guess Palin doesn’t consider it Socialism if HER constituents benefit from this re-distribution of wealth.
Report thisBy Inherit The Wind, October 31, 2008 at 1:11 pm #
Cichawoda, October 31 at 7:52 am #
I live in a donor state (puts in more dollars into the Fed than it gets out) and I think the beggar states suck. I am also surprised that this is not more of an issue with donor state voters. Alaskans, most of the Bible belt states live off of the larges of the states they hate. It’s time to ask for our money back.
***************************************
Ask?? Heck, DEMAND our money back! Since Bush was a big practitioner of the “spoils system” I think we should take it back—let EVERY state get as much back from the feds as it puts in. And if there’s less, divide the burden equally. So, nobody in Alabama or Alaska should be seeing $1.80 to $2.00 for every dollar they are taxed, and we in NJ should get back $1 for every $1 we send, not $0.65!
Report thisBy Hulk2008, October 31, 2008 at 1:07 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)
Since this is Halloween, it’s ironic that I recently found an article describing a study about attitudes among liberals and conservatives. Turns out that liberals tend to be less “afraid” overall - more trusting, sometimes almost to the point of being too trusting. Conservatives go to the other extreme - fearing all things real and imagined even when unwarranted. Just look at the “base” that shows up at the campaign rallies: the liberal Dems all want their rallies to be love-ins while the Repubs use all kinds of divisive hate-filled diatribes. To our dismay, the last 8 years (and maybe beyond) have been a crescendo of increasing division. The neo-cons have been able to play out, at taxpayer expense and at the expense of our personal freedoms, the building of overwhelming offensive military capability. They are pleased to be able to swat a gnat with a megaton warhead. And they seem to never be satisfied with mere “overwhelming” - they strive to go beyond.
Report thisLet’s hope the pendulum will begin to swing the other way ..... and with luck, will not swing past the middle. Could be the only “silver lining” in the economic storm clouds.
By ThisIsNotADrill, October 31, 2008 at 12:44 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)
The biggest reason that idiots have been installed in Alaska is because of HAARP. Soon-to-be-former Sen. Stevens and Gov. Palin. (How low can they go.) Anyone with an inkling of IQ would cause problems for HAARP. Also other similar facilities around the world. So of course money is getting pumped into Alaska. It’s got the single biggest WMD on the planet.
Report thishttp://blog.wired.com/defense/2007/12/secret-document.html
http://portland.indymedia.org/en/2004/12/305741.shtml
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haarp
By Cichawoda, October 31, 2008 at 11:52 am #
I live in a donor state (puts in more dollars into the Fed than it gets out) and I think the beggar states suck. I am also surprised that this is not more of an issue with donor state voters. Alaskans, most of the Bible belt states live off of the larges of the states they hate. It’s time to ask for our money back.
Report thisBy Rodger lemonde, October 31, 2008 at 11:32 am #
(Unregistered commenter)
You betcha! wink wink
Report thisBy Groovesmoothly, October 31, 2008 at 11:04 am #
I’m pretty sure that is a small necessity to have a HAZ-MAT team/truck when you are the meth capital of the great white tundra. Several years ago in Dallas a neighbor got busted growing some weed. The DEA thought it was a meth lab they were busting and they had a full HAZ-MAT team brought in from Oklahoma in case it blew-up. In the end the only thing that blew-up was their case due to faulty warrants and the Feds bailing when they only found 8 plants in a closet.
Report thisBy Big Wes, October 31, 2008 at 9:31 am #
In the beginning of the DHS grant process, the State Homeland Security Grant program allocated money to each state based upon a formula. This money was administered by the states and passed along to local jurisdiction through various methods (formula or competitive grants). There are also a number of “competitive” grant programs sponsored by DHS and FEMA. I think these are where the rural states had an “unfair” advantage against their urban counterparts.
I’m a grant writer in a rural state and I’ve worked with many of the DHS-funded grant programs. I see these programs as a way of “compensating” for years of underfunding of public safety agencies in rural areas. Emergency services were never really a priority until 9/11 and then the federal and state governments realized most communities were woefully equipped and prepared. Suddenly, these DHS grants open up and small communities in the middle of nowhere are getting hundreds of thousands of dollars for equipment because they were pitifully equipped and had no real means of remedying this disparity with local funds. The communities I work with made wise investments in things like Enhanced 911, but the way the guidelines were written and the money was being distributed, there was a huge potential for money to be thrown awayon crap projects.
Of course politics plays a huge role in the process as well. Politics influenced the writing of the guidelines that governed the distribution of funds. If a rural state had influential federal representatives, it would get Homeland Security dollars. As an insider into the process, I can say that in the area where I work, the money was used to make enhancements to public safety that most communities needed, but could not afford. In 2006, the county where I live lacked enhanced 911, so if you called 911 and could not speak to dispatcher, you were screwed. I feel safer know that if I dial 911, the dispatchers now have access to premises information via a computer display. I think projects like this are worthy of the investments. Whether Podunkville needs four wheelers and mobile command centers with every bell and whistle is debatable.
Report thisBy Purple Girl, October 31, 2008 at 8:54 am #
Reason this admin colluded with the Georgian Pres to spark a conflict? Why McCain has their Lobbyist on staff as a ‘campaign’ advisor?
Report thisReason the Picked this obscure no name as VP who already has delusions of granduer?
Of course how many of US actually Knew who Cheney was until he slitered out from under his shadowy rock. I’d never noticed him, and I have been accutely aware of a trend towards WW3 since Reagan.
No wonder they are claiming ‘Foreign Policy’ experience they have been gearing her stae up for a launch for the Next big War.
No wonder she ‘KNOWS’ we are no on the count Down to Armegeddon, she’s been intrical in it’s build up.
I often say I am an atheist, one for convenience not to have to explain my philosophy, but also to make it clear I do NOT beleive in their dogma they equate to their ‘God’. But in a weird way I am almost wishful their so called ‘Judgement day’ is at hand, but Not by Their ‘God’. I relish the idea that it is What will deem them Unworthy and Damned. Or at least I know I will not be getting on the same ‘bus’ as them thus I will not have to spend eternity with them- a bonus even if I were Hell bound.
By Dr. Knowitall, PhD, PhD, October 31, 2008 at 7:24 am #
More and more, I’m believing that if legislation is going to be passed to make it possible for municipalities and individuals to dip into the Federal treasury and people don’t take advantage of it, they have little justification in complaining about banks dipping into the Fed. treasury (our money) for a trillion buck lollipop or the DOD doing the same.
That’s why I fully support earmarks and pork. As long as it’s there, and our gov. wants to be altruistic, take advantage. If you don’t like it that this state or that city got a 1/2 million for one project or another, call your rep and ask him/her “when the hell are you going to get us something?” This is America, for god’s sake. Or, if you’re a moral-type person, call him/her and give ‘em hell for being so free with your hard-earned tax money. And then, grovel.
S.P. can help assure her re-election as Alaska Gov. by promising that it’s her goal to not only get more federal pork for Alaska, but to bring home the whole damn pig.
Like the guy said, if we don’t take it, someone else will. Spread the Wealth. Yea, socialism.
Report thisBy Inherit The Wind, October 31, 2008 at 7:17 am #
Red states love to talk about cutting out government programs but they are the first in line for EVERYTHING they can get.
Most red states are being subsidized by us blue staters: For every dollar we send the Feds in NJ, they spend about 65 cents in NJ. For every dollar Alaska sends the Feds, THEY get $1.82. In red state after red state this is true.
They are happy to be rugged independents and spit at coastal liberals as “lib’rals” and “socialists” but they’d be Third World without us!
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