Outside inquiry sought for Homeland spending
 
By Susan Carroll
The Arizona Republic
 
Republican state lawmakers are calling for an outside audit of the Arizona Department of Emergency Management's handling of federal Homeland Security funds.

Gov. Janet Napolitano ordered a review of the spending in April in response to an Arizona Republic investigation that found hundreds of thousands of dollars' worth of questionable purchases made with Homeland Security money. Napolitano, a Democrat, has been in a long-standing struggle with Republican legislators over illegal immigration and homeland security, politically sensitive issues heading into the next election.

Rep. Jonathan Paton, R-Tucson, and House Speaker Jim Weiers, R-Phoenix, said they want an outside auditor, not someone appointed by the governor, to do an investigation.

"I don't really think that having one branch of government investigate itself is adequate when the entire safety of the state is at stake," Paton said.

Jeanine L'Ecuyer, the governor's spokeswoman, said she had no comment except to say that the review is already under way and should be completed by August.

The Republic's review of thousands of pages of homeland security records and receipts found that some local governments made questionable purchases after 9/11 although most of the money was spent on state homeland security priorities.

With only three full-time employees to oversee $178 million in federal grants since 2001, state officials acknowledge that they have been overwhelmed by the massive infusion of money and have struggled to oversee spending. But they also said they followed federal guidelines, approved purchase lists and have made improvements.

With federal grant money, public safety agencies across the state bought ATVs, leather wallets and Q-Tips. Gila County purchased masks in case of a chemical or biological weapons attack, but never certified local law enforcement to use them. In Tucson, money was spent on "Neighborhood Watch" signs.

Some small towns received large amounts of money, even though they are unlikely terrorist targets. Colorado City, a town of about 4,100 near the Arizona-Utah border, received more than $103,000 in homeland security money and bought laptops to run Weapons of Mass Destruction and HAZMAT software. They also expensed $1,500 for shelves. The Colorado City fire chief did not return repeated calls from the Republic.

State officials said they have improved oversight of the grant programs by setting up regional advisory committees in 2004. They also plan to streamline the ordering of equipment with a new, Web-based system.

Weiers and Paton said the changes are not enough. They said lawmakers have been trying for years to get a detailed accounting of federal homeland security grants in Arizona but have had little success.

"There are some serious (security) issues that we're dealing with that that money could go toward," Paton said. "I know that the majority of it is going for important things, and it is being well spent. But when you hear about it not being well spent, . . . I have a problem with that. It's a waste."
 
azcentral.com
Originally published May 12, 2006
 
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