Res. No. 145-A
Title
Resolution calling upon the Federal Government to take all actions necessary, including amending the existing Federal Emergency Management Agency guidelines, to reimburse the New York City Police Department for all expenses related to the attack on the World Trade Center.
Body
By Council Members Vallone Jr., Addabbo Jr., Brewer, Comrie, Davis, Diaz, Fidler, Foster, Jackson, Jennings, Katz, Lopez, Nelson, Recchia Jr., Quinn, Reed, Rivera, Sanders Jr., Seabrook, Sears, Weprin, Yassky, Gallagher, Golden and Lanza
Whereas, In the wake of September 11, the New York City Police Department (NYPD) has expended millions of dollars on costs directly associated with the attack on the World Trade Center; and
Whereas, The NYPD and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) have applied to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for reimbursement for the costs associated with the terrorist attack; and
Whereas, According to OMB, $295 million dollars of the total NYPD Fiscal 2002 Modified Overtime Budget is directly related to the World Trade Center attack; in its November Plan, OMB reflected FEMA reimbursement of $181.3 million dollars and the February Plan proposed FEMA reimbursement of an additional $15.4 million dollars, with the balance of $98.3 million dollars, according to the February Plan, to be funded by Transitional Finance Authority (TFA) appropriations; and
Whereas, The City also urged FEMA to reimburse the NYPD for approximately $181 million dollars in World Trade Center related police full time normal gross expenses, yet OMB's February Plan indicates that TFA appropriations will fund these expenses as well; and
Whereas, At the preliminary budget hearing of the Public Safety Committee on March 18, 2002, the Police Commissioner indicated that the NYPD and OMB were still working with FEMA to insure that all costs submitted by the NYPD for September 11th-related costs would be reimbursed to the City; and
Whereas, Although FEMA has been helpful to the NYPD in submitting the required forms and deeming other related expenses eligible for reimbursement, it is not entirely clear that reimbursement of the overtime cost of enhanced security posts meet the current guidelines for reimbursement; and
Whereas, The NYPD continues to incur September 11th-related expenses on a daily basis, which include approximately 470 officers assigned to Ground Zero, downtown Manhattan, the City morgue and Fresh Kills landfill and approximately 480 officers assigned to enhanced security posts throughout the City; and
Whereas, Especially as this City faces a huge budget deficit, the City is entitled to reimbursement of all expenses related to the attack as expeditiously as possible; now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Council of the City of New York calls upon the Federal Government to take all actions necessary, including amending the existing Federal Emergency Management Agency guidelines, to reimburse the New York City Police Department for all expenses related to the attack on the World Trade Center.