Rep. Auchincloss pushes Boston City Council to approve once-rejected anti-terror grant
A $13.3 million public safety grant was narrowly blocked by Boston City Council last month, but Mayor Wu reportedly plans to re-submit a request for the funding soon.
U.S. Rep. Jake Auchincloss is urging the Boston City Council to approve $13.3 million in counter-terrorism funding that the body rejected last month.
Auchincloss, a Democrat who represents a district that stretches from Fall River to Newton and Brookline, sent a letter to Council President Ruthzee Louijeune Thursday calling on councilors to approve the funding when Mayor Michelle Wu re-submits a request for it this month.
The war between Israel and Hamas is making it clear that more resources are needed to combat terrorism in Massachusetts, said Auchincloss, who is Jewish.
“The Israel-Hamas War has heightened our region’s need for counter-terrorism security measures. Greater Boston is a national hub for the Jewish community. As antisemitism proliferates, counter-terrorism funding is more pertinent than ever. Impeding its disbursement could undermine the trust of Greater Boston’s Jewish community,” he wrote.
The funding in question takes the form of a grant to the Metro Boston Homeland Security Region by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The MBHSR consists of nine jurisdictions: Boston, Brookline, Cambridge, Chelsea, Everett, Quincy, Revere, Somerville, and Winthrop. The money would fund “planning, exercises, trainings, and operational needs, that will help prevent, respond to and recover from threats or acts of terrorism, including chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and explosive incidents,” according to Wu’s initial request from early December.
It was the subject of a hearing on Dec. 11, where officials laid out the specifics of how the money would be used. Former Councilor Michael Flaherty submitted a report afterwards explaining that the funding would also be used to respond to natural disasters as well as terrorism. Flaherty recommended that it ought to pass.
The docket failed to pass at a meeting on Dec. 13, with 6 votes in favor, 6 against, and one councilor absent. Louijeune voted against it, saying at the meeting that she believed more community input was needed before the funding was approved.
Louijeune’s office did not respond to a request for comment Friday.
Councilor Ed Flynn, who voted in favor of the funding last month, said Friday that he agreed with Auchincloss about the importance of the grant.
“As the capital city of the Commonwealth, Boston has the responsibility in leading emergency management services for surrounding cities, and acts as the fiscal steward of state and federal funding for the area. The $13 million in federal funding to prevent, respond to, and recover from threats of acts of terrorism is not only critical to the public safety of the City of Boston, but also our whole region. The safety and security of our residents must be our top priority. Now is the time to pass this important public safety grant,” Flynn said in a statement to Boston.com.
In his letter, Auchincloss cited recent testimony from the head of the FBI about “the possibility of Hamas supporters engaging in violence on the group’s behalf.” He also referenced data from the Anti-Defamation League that showed how antisemitic incidents have “skyrocketed” since the Oct. 7 attacks in Israel. Antisemitism had already been on the rise in the northeast before the attacks, according to the ADL.
Funding from this program was used last year in Brookline to pay for new public safety vehicles, community preparedness measures, training, and technology upgrades, Auchincloss wrote. The funding is “designed specifically for cities/regions at high risk for terrorist activity,” he added. Brookline is home to a significant Jewish population.
In addition, City Council has historically approved this funding unanimously, according to Auchincloss. A new City Council was sworn in at the beginning of this month, with Louijeune assuming the role of council president from Flynn. Two of the councilors that voted against the grant, Ricardo Arroyo and Kendra Lara, are no longer on the body.
Wu is planning to file a request for the funding again at the first council meeting of the year, The Boston Herald reported. That meeting is scheduled for Jan. 24. Wu’s office did not respond to a request for comment Friday.
In response to City Council’s decision to block the funding, state Sen. Nick Collins filed legislation that would remove the authority of cities and towns to approve some grants designed to support public health and safety. It would instead give the Legislature and governor the ability to accept the funding.
“That just doesn’t affect the people of Boston — this grant was to support other municipalities, including Brookline, Cambridge, Chelsea, Everett, Quincy, Revere, Somerville and Winthrop,” Collins said of the City Council vote to State House News Service. “We were a launching pad for 9/11 here in Boston and we all remember too well the pain of the marathon bombings in 2013.”
Collins’ office did not respond to a request for comment Friday.
By: Ross Cristantiello
Source: Boston.com