And it may be a hefty chunk. Mr. Perrone, may I have a new Apple laptop?

I’ve spoken with Cosmo Perrone, director of security for the Port of Long Beach, and I am here to tell you that figuring out what the port is going to get–in fact, just figuring out what the port got last year–is a tricky business. But here goes: The ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles will soon be splitting $8 million in supplemental funds. Also, the California Maritime Security Council is currently reviewing the distribution of $40 million (the spoils of Prop. 1B) to California’s 11 ports. And the omnibus bill sets aside $400 million for port security throughout the US, so Long Beach can expect to receive a chunk of that.

How much will Long Beach get from each of these sources? Hard to say. When will the money arrive? Hard to say. How will the money be spent? Hard to say. It’s state government, federal government, and countless layered, interdependent grants which have been submitted by the truckload to a multitude of agencies. It’s all very complicated, and I am very happy that I don’t work in government. Despite the unknowns, the port does have a wish-list. More on that very soon.

Tags: Cosmo Perrone, DHS, Port of Long Beach, Rachel Powers, security