"As Senator and now as Governor I have long said that political divisions and jurisdictions mean nothing to terrorists and that funding must be based on risk. I have also said that New Jersey's risk, especially along our border with New York City, must be looked at in a regional context.
"I am pleased that the Department of Homeland Security has decided to take a regional approach in acknowledging that New York City and Northern New Jersey are in the top tier of urban areas based on risk. These top six urban areas are now eligible to compete for almost $411 million out of a total allocation of $746.9 million in federal Urban Areas Security Initiative (UASI) dollars. We look forward to working with the committed men and women in our UASI cities and counties to complete our applications and make our best risk-based case for our fair share of these funds.
"We have already taken positive steps to work in a regional manner. Our Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness has held several preliminary meetings with our counterparts in New York City to work on cooperative initiatives that will better protect our citizens and benefit the security of the region. Today's announcement should spur further collaboration."
