RELEASE: Gottheimer Claws Back $250K in Federal Dollars for Public Safety in Palisades Park

Above: Gottheimer Highlights $250K in Federal Dollars for Public Safety in Palisades Park.

PALISADES PARK, NJ — Today, Thursday, October 29, 2026, U.S. Congressman Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5) highlighted that he clawed back $250,000 in new federal funding from Washington for Palisades Park first responders, helping upgrade emergency communications, expand counterterrorism training, and strengthen public safety while delivering real tax relief for local families.

“Keeping our families safe shouldn’t mean raising their property taxes,” said Congressman Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5). “That’s why I clawed back $250,000 in federal Homeland Security funding for Palisades Park’s first responders to upgrade emergency communications and expand counterterrorism training. I’ll keep fighting to bring our tax dollars home from Washington to support our police, fire, and EMS, and to lower the burden on local taxpayers.”

Watch Gottheimer’s full remarks here.

By clawing back federal dollars to North Jersey communities and first responders, Gottheimer is helping lift high costs off local budgets, reducing the burden on Passaic County taxpayers to pay for essential public safety equipment and helping lower property taxes for local families.

This investment builds on Gottheimer’s years-long work to claw more federal dollars back to North Jersey from Washington. This year alone, he has secured roughly $21 million in Homeland Security grant funding across Bergen, Passaic, and Sussex Counties for law enforcement, first responders, and the houses of worship and nonprofits that need protection. 

Since 2017, he has clawed back more than $17 million in COPS grants for police departments across the Fifth District, including $2.9 million for upgraded first responder radio systems in West Milford in 2023 and $750,000 for new officers in West Milford in 2024. Since coming to Congress, Gottheimer has helped increase the return of federal funds to the Fifth District by more than 357%, delivering an average savings of about $750 for each household in the Fifth District.

Gottheimer was joined by Palisades Park Mayor Paul Kim, Council Charlie Shin, Councilman Christopher Kwak, Police Director Michael Gardner, Police Captain James Rotundo Jr., Palisades Park Chief George Beck, Officer Bob Lee, Palisades Park Citizens Association.

Below: Gottheimer Announces $250K in Federal Dollars for Public Safety in Palisades Park.

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