By Joe Dwinell
Boston Herald
BOSTON — Boston City Council President Ed Flynn said he’s done with playing “politics with the safety of residents” and is asking the mayor to quickly resubmit her request to allocate $13.3 million in federal counter-terrorism funding.
Those dollars are for the Metro Boston Homeland Security Region, which includes Boston, Brookline, Cambridge, Chelsea, Everett, Quincy, Revere, Somerville, and Winthrop.
Freezing the funds comes as the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security have issued a new warning of “lone-actor” threats around the holidays due to the war in Israel against Hamas terrorists.
“Since the Hamas attack on Israel on 7 October, various foreign terrorist media organizations have called for lone actor attacks in the United States,” last week’s alert added. “Racially or ethnically motivated violent extremists have also increased calls for violence and celebrated attacks on the Jewish community.”
The Boston City Council has failed to release the grant money after a 6-6 gridlock that has state Sen. Nick Collins, a Southie Democrat, attempting to yank the city approval away and give it to the Legislature so the money can be spent.
Fire Fighters of Massachusetts President Rich MacKinnon said the funding is “vital,” adding the danger is all too real.
“I represent 12,000 firefighters and when we’re called, we’ll respond,” MacKinnon said, “but funding helps communities outside Boston remain staffed and trained.”
Flynn said he’s also ready to act.
“We must put politics aside and focus on the safety of our residents as a top priority,” he said in his letter to Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, seeking a second try at releasing the funds.
Wu has said she will resubmit her request once new councilors are sworn in Jan. 1, where two lame-duck councilors who were among those holding up the grant money will no longer be on the council.
One of those outgoing dissenters, councilor Ricardo Arroyo, is hitting back at Flynn saying it would be violating the rules to hold “any hearing … after the last regular council meeting of the municipal year.”
Arroyo adds in a tweet, “Take a break from politicizing and enjoy the holiday break with your family.”
The mayor’s spokesman, Ricardo Patron, said Thursday the next council will tackle the $13.3 million grant, where the “four new members” are expected to stamp it without delay.
“In 11 days, Mayor Wu will swear in a new City Council with four new members. Rather than reopen a vote more than a week after the Council President adjourned the session for the term, the administration is preparing to welcome the next Council and move important items in the new session,” Patron added in a statement to the Herald.
Henry Santana, John FitzGerald, Enrique Pepén, and Ben Weber are the four new city councilors on the 13-member body.
Flynn, in his letter to Wu, said he’s not waiting and if she does not resubmit, he will call an emergency meeting for next week and call for the vote himself.
“I understand how dangerous the world is and Boston is not immune from a terrorist attack,” he added, citing the 9/11 terror attack and Boston Marathon bombings — all launched right here.
Ed Davis, a security expert and former Boston police commissioner, agreed the money is vital.
“The council is playing too much politics with public safety,” he said, when asked about the grant gridlock. “I know the work the Boston Police Department does to fight terrorism is instrumental. They need this money.”
Also playing into this equation is Councilor Ruthzee Louijeune, who voted against releasing the grant money. She is predicted to be the next council president, giving her the power of the gavel.
Arroyo, Liz Breadon, Kendra Lara, Julia Mejia and Brian Worrell were the other councilors who voted against the grant. Tania Fernandes Anderson was absent.
Voting “yes” on the grant were Councilors Frank Baker, Gabriela Coletta, Sharon Durkan, Michael Flaherty, Flynn and Erin Murphy.
Patron added the Wu administration has been in contact with the other municipalities “and are confident there that will be no impact on operations or public safety” if the grant goes back before the council in the new year.
As for the FBI, the Boston office added they are “working closely with our law enforcement partners to share information and disrupt any threats that may emerge.” They did not comment on the grant, but urged “members of the public to immediately report anything they consider suspicious to law enforcement.”
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