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Yesterday, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano toured LAX and the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach with local officials to her side asking to money to upgrade security infrastructure in the area.
"In meeting with Secretary Napolitano today, I urged her to place more of a focus on Port security because any interruption in Port operations would be devastating to this country," LA City Councilmember Janice Hahn said in a statement. "I expressed that the Port is currently being shortchanged out of security dollars. Customs brings in $12 million a day, and I'd like to see a percentage of that money stay at the Port, where it's generated."
Venice Congresswoman Jane Harman agrees. "A lot of good security improvements are being abandoned" because of funding shortfalls, the LA Times quoted her saying., Harman pointed out that a $60 million airport border fence remains incomplete. Napolitano, who was in town to also announce the new Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC), said she would look into the local funding issues.
Next month, a large shipping company will move to Seattle as costs and restrictions increase in Los Angeles.
