County gets less than third of homeland security funds

Jen Lawson

Tuesday, July 1, 2003 | 11:27 a.m.

Gov. Kenny Guinn's homeland security adviser vowed to change the funding method that resulted in Clark County receiving less than one-third of the $6.7 million granted to Nevada by the Homeland Security Department.

A state panel -- comprised mostly of members from areas outside Southern Nevada -- awarded Clark County $2.1 million for anti-terrorism efforts, despite the fact that 70 percent of Nevada residents live in the county.

While it's unclear whether the allotments could be recalculated, Jerry Bussell, Guinn's homeland security adviser, said he intends to make sure Clark County isn't shortchanged again.

Bussell authored a bill that goes into effect today that calls for the disbanding of the Nevada Division of Emergency Management panel.

In its place, the state is forming a Homeland Security Commission that will decide how future anti-terror funds are distributed throughout the state by taking population and tourist traffic into consideration, as well as threat level and vulnerability to terrorist attacks.

"Let me make this very clear. I am going to change this funding (method)," Bussell said. Assembly Bill 441 "was written so this doesn't happen again."

Bussell said the commission will have more representatives from Clark County to ensure it gets its fair share of anti-terror funds in the future. Later this year, Nevada is slated to receive a $17.8 million Homeland Security grant.

He pointed out that Las Vegas has a "ghost population" -- 4,000 to 6,000 new residents who move into the area per month -- and it could take up to six months before they show up in population figures. Southern Nevada also has the nation's seventh busiest airport and 18 of the world's 20 largest hotels, and Las Vegas receives millions of visitors a year.

Also, at a federal trial earlier this year in Detroit, Arab immigrants had a videotape of Las Vegas which federal prosecutors said was a possible terror target.

"I am going to recommend to the governor that (Sheriff) Bill Young and a number of other officials from Las Vegas serve on the commission," Bussell said. Clark County "is where the money should be."

Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., is expected to introduce legislation this week that will change the formula that sets forth how the Department of Homeland Security allocates funds, Bussell said.

Instead of looking solely at population, the legislation would require the Homeland Security Department to take into account the actual number of people who also visit the state.

Of the $6.7 million awarded, about $1.5 million will go toward training and exercises at the state level; $475,000 will go toward state anti-terror planning; and $950,000 will go toward the purchase of equipment for state agencies, according to the state's department of homeland security.

The remaining funds -- about $3.8 million -- are split among counties across the state.

Clark County requested $2.9 million, and stands to receive the most funding, about $2.1 million. Smaller counties such as Churchill, Lander, Nye and Pershing will receive no funding from this grant.

Of the Clark County funds, almost $258,000 will go toward a county-wide radio system that will allow police, fire and emergency management personnel communicate, said Deputy Chief Mike Ault, who is in charge of Metro's policies and planning.

Almost $570,000 will go solely to Metro, Ault said.

About $532,000 will go toward high-end respirators for officers responding to toxic attacks; $30,500 will pay for top-of-the-line binoculars for Metro's search and rescue helicopters; and $7,200 will be used to buy emergency management handbooks for supervisors.

Ault said even though the funds aren't enough, the county requested just $2.9 million "because we knew there would be other opportunities for more funding."

The county decided to take care of first-responder needs with this wave of funds.

"We're getting above a Yugo, but we're not getting the Cadillac," Ault said. "This money doesn't cover what we need, but it's enough to get some first-responder needs met."