Holt decries lack of antiterror cash

South Brunswick is in critical need of first response funding

By: Jamie Simpson
   The federal government needs to do more if towns such as South Brunswick are going to be ready to respond to a terrorist attack, said U.S. Rep. Rush Holt.
   Rep. Holt, whose district includes South Brunswick, met Monday at the Monmouth Junction Firehouse with local officials and called on Congress and President George Bush to make more federal funding available to local emergency personnel, police, firefighters and first aid squads, to keep up with growing security demands.
   "Raising terror alert levels is not going to make us safer if our local first responders don’t have the resources and personnel they need," Rep. Holt said. "Homeland security begins with hometown security."
   Rep. Holt said South Brunswick is an example of a town that is underfunded in relation to security resources such as special terrorism training and protective gear, such as chemical masks, for the public.
   "Towns across America are less prepared than citizens want them to be," Rep. Holt said.
   According to Rep. Holt, last week Congress approved a bill that committed $3.6 billion to first responders, $100 million more than it appropriated in 2002.
   Rep. Holt said President Bush vetoed $423 million of the 2002 funding in August, bringing the amount of federal funding available to first responders in 2002 to $3.1 billion.
   According to a spokesperson for Rep. Holt, South Brunswick has yet to receive federal funding for first responders. That could be a problem, said Rep. Holt, considering the security concerns of the area, including nearby busy highways, rail lines and being close to New York City, the town is sorely underbudgeted, said Rep. Holt.
   "First responders deserve the resources they need to protect you," Rep. Holt said. "They don’t need empty promises by the administration."
   Rep. Holt said all aspects of local security are placed in the hands of the government.
   "The first responsibility of the government of America is to protect the citizens of the United States," he said. "It is unfair to ask New Jersey taxpayers to shoulder this responsibility, especially when Washington admits this is a national problem."
   South Brunswick schools Superintendent Sam Stewart was on hand to address the importance of emergency personnel funding, especially in relation to the schools.
   "South Brunswick is a growing community. We are faced with major issues of resources because of all of the extra students coming in," Dr. Stewart said. "We are very pleased that Congress came here to offer their support."