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Audit Forces NJ To Return Portion of Federal Homeland Security Grants

TRENTON, N.J. (CBS) -- New Jersey has been required to return more than $2 million in federal homeland security grants, following an audit.

To keep this in perspective, the state received more than $186 million in the fiscal years 2007, 2008, and 2009 (see related story).  And the inspector-general at the US Department of Homeland Security found that most of that money was spent "effectively and efficiently."

But the refund was required because the State of New Jersey did not set what the audit called "measurable target levels of performance."

"It was a paperwork problem, and although we returned two million dollars, technically all of that money -- save for $7,800 -- came back to us and is available to us to spend," says New Jersey homeland security director Charles McKenna.

And if you want a sign of how well New Jersey handles an emergency, McKenna suggests you look at the response to Hurricane Irene this summer.

Reported by David Madden, KYW Newsradio 1060

 

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