from the Bill Todd for Mayor of Columbus campaign:

MAYOR COLEMAN MISSING IN ACTION ON HOMELAND SECURITY

Bill Todd blasts Mayor and City Council President for Ignoring Homeland Security Meetings

(Columbus) Based on minutes from the meetings of the Franklin County Criminal Justice Planning (FCCJP) Board, the two top-elected politicians in Columbus, Mayor Michael Coleman and Council President Michael Mentel failed to personally attend any of the meetings of the key homeland security board. Both Coleman and Mentel are appointed members to this critical Board.

“While I understand emergencies happen from time-to-time, I find it unacceptable that Columbus’ Mayor and Council President never attended meetings scheduled months in advance and covering such an important issue as homeland security,” Bill Todd stated. Mike Coleman’s habit of blaming others doesn’t work anymore. He didn’t show up, he didn’t lead, and he therefore couldn’t produce results and now the City is left to suffer.”

According to the Franklin County Comprehensive Strategic Justice Plan, the FCCJP Board “is responsible for comprehensive countywide planning and directing the mission of the Office of Homeland Security & Justice Programs,” which is responsible for administering the Department of Homeland Security’s urban areas grant program for Columbus.

“The absence of the top City officials on this vital homeland security committee at a time when our funds are being slashed dramatically demonstrates a total lack of leadership,” Todd said. “This is what happens when one party controls the City. Serving as Mayor is more than just cutting ribbons.”

Bill Todd challenged Mayor Coleman, and Council President Mentel to detail all communications and meetings they personally have had with officials at DHS since the 2006 allocation announcement. “I want to know what these politicians personally have done and will do other than cast blame away from themselves to improve Columbus’ ranking – after all, this is one of the few cities that actually had terrorist living and plotting in it. Our fall makes no sense. Columbus’ first responders and citizens deserve better”

After the September 11, 2001, attacks, the Congress directed DHS to allocate funds to the highest risk urban areas in America. Columbus has seen its funding cut in half from the 18th largest recipient in 2004 to the 42nd this year. No other eligible city has fallen as precipitously as Columbus. Columbus is the largest city receiving the fewest funds. The chart below shows how Columbus fell over the last four years.

Attachments:
12_13_06-meeting-cancellation.pdf
criminal-justice-board-meeting-briefs.pdf

And not to mention that Coleman was busy appointing a close friend who is an apologist for radical Islam to a blue ribbon committee that deals with preparing Columbus to respond to terrorist attacks. But why would the mayor have time to care about terrorism, when Coleman is busy building taxpayer funded streetcars to move rich people from the Short North to German Village and was busy keeping his felon wife’s ass out of prison for lying under oath and fudging timesheets at the Ohio Department of Development?