CE Astorino and Sen. Schumer call for more anti-terror funds for WestchesterNoting that New York is the nation's number 1 terror target, U.S. Sen. Charles E. Schumer and County Executive Robert P. Astorino made a joint call Friday for the federal government to provide more counter-terrorism funding to Westchester County and the entire metropolitan region.

"It is just common sense to put the resources where they are needed most," Astorino said during a joint news conference with Schumer. "New York City and Westchester are inextricably linked in the fight to keep residents safe from terror attacks. Our roads, rail lines, water supplies, energy sources, communication networks and businesses are tied together. So we must work with our regional partners to make sure there are no weak links in our security."

Astorino called on the federal government "to do its job by providing the necessary funding" to New York City and its suburbs.

Schumer said that in 2005, New York received 25 percent of all federal Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) funding to combat terrorism. This year, he said, the percentage was down to 18 percent.

In 2010, New York received $151 million from a funding pot nationally of $832 million. Bringing New York up to 25 percent of that total would mean an additional $57 million for New York as a whole, including an additional $1.7 million for Westchester.

The county executive noted that Westchester has used its UASI funding wisely and responsibly. Federal funds assisted the county in purchasing a new helicopter for the Department of Public Safety.

As a result, the county police Aviation Unit conducts daily patrols over the Indian Point nuclear power plants, the Tappan Zee Bridge, the Kensico Dam and other critical infrastructure identified as potential terror targets in Westchester.

UASI funds have also been used to upgrade training and equipment for the county Police Bomb Squad, which will soon be designated a Level 1 bomb squad. That designation means the Bomb Squad is capable of responding to any incident involving a chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear or explosive device.

The Bomb Squad is also trained to deal with vehicle-borne devices like the one discovered recently in Times Square.

"That car bomb, by the way, most likely was driven through Westchester from Connecticut before it ended up on the streets of Manhattan," Astorino said.

"We are not talking about pork-barrel spending here," he said. "This is a critical need to address a critical threat to our safety."