NY GRANTS FUNDS TO IMPROVE EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS STATEWIDE

[R0am3r]

Good news for 57 counties in New York. From the article: The 2019 Statewide Interoperable Communications Grant program allocated $45 million to nine Regional Communications Consortiums, which focus on improving emergency communications between counties, state and federal agencies.

You can read the entire article here:

NY grants funds to improve emergency communications statewide

Funding has been awarded to 57 counties across the state to enhance emergency communication networks.

www.wktv.com

 

[N2YQT]

Imagine the system we could have if the state stopped hoarding the 911 money...

 

[Wackyracer]

They are not hoarding it....According to the FCC, in 2018 New York collected almost $190 million from 911 fees. That report shows the state diverted more than 90 percent of that money." "Lawmakers want to prevent New York State from diverting 911 fees

 

[GTR8000]

They are not hoarding it....According to the FCC, in 2018 New York collected almost $190 million from 911 fees. That report shows the state diverted more than 90 percent of that money." "Lawmakers want to prevent New York State from diverting 911 fees

I think you're misunderstanding that article. Do a Google search on "New York State diverting 911 fees" and read some of the articles from other sources that explain the situation more in depth. The state is, in fact, "hoarding" the 911 fees by diverting a very high percentage into the state's general fund (where it can be spent on literally anything), instead of putting it all specifically towards public safety.

 

[Wackyracer]

I think you're misunderstanding that article. Do a Google search on "New York State diverting 911 fees" and read some of the articles from other sources that explain the situation more in depth. The state is, in fact, "hoarding" the 911 fees by diverting a very high percentage into the state's general fund (where it can be spent on literally anything), instead of putting it all specifically towards public safety.

Putting it in the general fund is not hoarding it.....that's how they spend it on whatever they want because it is no longer earmarked, leaving it in the 911 fee account and letting it build up over a few years would be "hoarding" or technically saving it.

 

[n1chu]

Missing the point... “hording” and terms like it is just semantics. I don’t care what you call it, it matters not. 911 fees were/are intended to finance comms, the systems employed... NOT any other whim the state legislature deems appropriate when they channel it into the general fund. Ct. Is in a bind with the highway infrastructure due to the same issue where state gas taxes earmarked for bridge and road repair were diverted into the general fund-likewise with the state lottery... ALL monies were to go to educational improvements, an incentive to get the lottery bill passed. And once passed, they decided it should all go into the general fund! I’m not sure, but they may have even passed a law against earmarking, something that has again come up in order to sell the state on overhead toll readers.

 

[Wackyracer]

Missing the point... “hording” and terms like it is just semantics. I don’t care what you call it, it matters not. 911 fees were/are intended to finance comms, the systems employed... NOT any other whim the state legislature deems appropriate when they channel it into the general fund. Ct. Is in a bind with the highway infrastructure due to the same issue where state gas taxes earmarked for bridge and road repair were diverted into the general fund-likewise with the state lottery... ALL monies were to go to educational improvements, an incentive to get the lottery bill passed. And once passed, they decided it should all go into the general fund! I’m not sure, but they may have even passed a law against earmarking, something that has again come up in order to sell the state on overhead toll readers.

It doesn't work that way, 100% of the money for any of those programs was never going to what NYS said they appeared to be for, the 911 stuff says 41% goes to the general fund, the lottery school funding is capped at a certain amount and the rest goes into the general fund, I would suspect the gas tax has similar clauses in it that our elected officials have managed to screw up.

Part of the problem is the cost for current and retired state employees, these cost are crushing or towns and have created huge property tax bills, the state is the largest employer and to top that off our officials are addicted to spending so they need a unlimited supply of cash and they still run at a deficit.

This is not just my opinion I sit on a Citizen Budget advisory committee in my NY town and wrangle with a nearly $100mil town budget that more then 2/3 of it goes to current and retired employee...its a finiacial crisis decades in the making ....mostly under the Democrats control, which for my town has been more then 60yrs..

 

[n1chu]

Without getting into the political blame game, it’s much the same in Ct. And I have no doubt if the legislature were majority republican, it would be the Democrats screaming for fiscal control. When you are the minority party it’s all about knocking the majority party, otherwise known as the “King of the Mountain” off the hill.
Good talk. But I’m not going down that rabbit hole-not the correct forum for it.

 

[richee2000]

over $5 million to NYC... I wonder if this is the start of a NYPD 700 mhz p-25 system....

 

[GTR8000]

over $5 million to NYC... I wonder if this is the start of a NYPD 700 mhz p-25 system....

They give these grants out every year, this is nothing new. This is the fourth year in a row NYC has received $5+ million from this grant program.

DHSES OIEC Grant Program Map

 

[ten13]

over $5 million to NYC... I wonder if this is the start of a NYPD 700 mhz p-25 system....

NYC, contrary to what the local politicians are saying, is thisclose to insolvency, so there's no doubt that this Fed money will go into the general treasury of the city. Some are calling it a "return to the 1970s" today which, to those too young to remember, resulted in this: