NEWBURGH – `The City of Newburgh is facing layoffs of firefighters as the second round of federal SAFER funds to retain them is about to expire.
US Senator Charles Schumer said if that is the case, more money must be secured to retain them and he will look into that.
“Originally I wrote the crime bill when I was a congressman; we put in more money for police officers and then our firefighters said, ‘what about us,’ and they were right,” he said. “And now, some of these grants are in danger; they want to cut them. The president has actually proposed cutting them, so Democrats and Republicans – there has always been bipartisan support to restore them – I think we will be successful.”
City officials have said Washington has told them that securing a third
round of the federal grants is nearly impossible. Schumer said he will
seek to change the law so that Newburgh could apply again.
