At Hofstra University July 25, members of the United States Conference of Mayors, under the leadership of its new president, Hempstead Mayor James Garner, met with Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security Tom Ridge to discuss home security and homeland security funding for the municipalities. They then held a press conference.

President Garner opened the press conference by saying, "I want to thank Secretary Ridge for coming to Long Island and especially to Hempstead. I want to recognize and thank all of the mayors who stand with us today who represent the citizens throughout this country; Democrats, Republicans, Conservatives and Liberals alike, all speaking with one voice."

Garner continued, "Over the past two days I have convened a meeting with the mayors of New York to map out policy and strategy for the 2004 presidential campaign. We continue this meeting today in Hempstead with a discussion of homeland security, which remains top priority for mayors across this country."

He then said, "I am now pleased and supremely elated to introduce you to Homeland Secretary Tom Ridge. Since his appointment as White House Director of Homeland Security, the mayors have worked very closely with Secretary Ridge and he has attended many of our national meetings and has hosted us when the meetings are held in the White House."

Secretary Tom Ridge started his comments by saying, "You can't hide behind many people, but I can be comfortably hidden behind you" (Mayor Garner is at least 6'4"]. He added, "But, more to the point, I am proud to stand next to you. And, when you talked about the mayors speaking with one voice, they have in the past been unified and I am confident with your leadership the voices will not only stay unified, but will probably go up a few decibels."

Ridge went on to say that there are a lot of issues of Homeland Security that the mayors are interested in solving. "Today, the homeland is only as secure as the hometown is secure. There are no elected officials closer to the hometown than the mayors, county executives and supervisors.

"The Conference of Mayors has been very supportive from the day the president sent a measure to Congress to create the Department of Homeland Security. Congress has been supportive in creating the resources needed for equipment, etc. but the first monies Congress made available to the mayors and municipalities excluded overtime as an eligible cost. When the mayors are asked to increase the level of security, a labor-intensive expense, I shared their point of view, they should receive funding for overtime for that security. The mayors came forward and their voices were heard, loud and clear, and the monies were made available for overtime."

Garden City Mayor Barbara Miller, who attended the July 25th conference, said, Secretary Ridge, in discussing how communities could help secure themselves, indicated that he understood the financial impact of "raising the threat" on increased expense for municipalities for overtime for police and related personnel.

"He also indicated that he hoped that municipalities were receiving homeland security funding from the state in a timely fashion. He emphasized that the public, at the local level, can play an important role by reporting to their respective police departments any unusual or suspicious activity - no matter how trivial."

Ridge indicated that mayors have been supportive of an urban security plan. The Department of Homeland Security has been given flexibility by Congress to allocate resources to communities based on population and infrastructure. The mayors of those communities will help write plans within their state so that the department can look at the individual states and immediately see a state-coordinated effort that deals with equipment, mutual aid, etc.

"The mayors said, very appropriately, and I subscribe to their thinking 200 percent, once the plan has been created that is state coordinated and locally driven, you need to make sure that the dollars that go to the state capitals are then distributed to us, the mayors, and that the monies don't stay within the state government.

"I just want to say publicly that they are absolutely right and once we develop these plans and once the funding formula is set that will happen. Right now in some cases it's 20 percent to the state and 80 percent to the local government. It would be very inappropriate for the state governors to reprioritize what the mayors and their emergency people have submitted for their plan for security. Therefore, I pledge that if we have to make sure that in order for them to receive the 80 percent funding, we will withhold the 20 percent to the states, then we will. I don't think we will have to do that, but if we have to, we will."

A reporter wanted to know if some of the funding could be made available for metal detectors, based on the shooting that happened at City Hall in New York City the day prior to the conference. Ridge said, however, right now that is not included. He said that the main monies would go, as the mayors have requested, to pay for overtime for any heightened security required in their municipalities.

Ridge then ended the press conference and the group of more than 30 mayors, ranging from Miami to Vermont, proceeded to a luncheon at the Hofstra University Club.