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Want to Know Where the Hurricane Relief Money Went?

The Institute for Southern Studies has released a report suggesting some ways out of the various social, physical, and financial quagmires caused by hurricanes Katrina and Rita. The paper also dedicates a section to that ubiquitous question, "Where did the Katrina money go?" A few answers:

Amount that Bush administration says has been spent on Gulf Coast recovery since 2005 hurricanes: $116 billion

Estimated percent of those funds that are for long-term recovery projects: 30

Amount of FEMA's 2005 disaster relief budget that was spent on administrative costs: $7 billion

Percent of the 2005 relief budget that represented: 22

Of $16.7 billion in Community Development Block Grants earmarked for long-term Gulf Coast rebuilding, percent that had been spent as of August 2007: 30

Of $8.4 billion allocated to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for levee repair in Louisiana, percent that had been spent as of July 2007: 20

As of June 2007, value of controversial "cost plus" Katrina contracts given out by three federal agencies, which allows companies to charge taxpayers for cost overruns and guaranteed profits: $2.4 billion

As of August 2006, value of Gulf Coast contracts that a Congressional study found were "plagued by waste, fraud, abuse or mismanagement": $8.75 billion

So the answer to that ubiquitous question in devastated areas—"When will I get my f*cking check?"—still appears to be, "Don't hold your breath."

For more details, check out the report.

Comments

checks came and were spent on lottery tickets and drugs.
i used to live in Slidell. i saw the money and ran.

Posted by: john of sparta on 08/31/07 at 10:59 AM

Some numbers that look pretty suspicious to me:

Amount spent on Gulf Coast recovery since 2005 hurricanes: $116 billion

Value of Gulf Coast contracts a Congressional study found were "plagued by waste, fraud, abuse or mismanagement": $8.75 billion

If the Federal Government (Bush's, Clinton's, Reagan's, Carter's, doesn't really matter) spends $116 Billion, and only $8.75 Billion of the spending is "plagued by waste, fraud, abuse or mismanagement", then the gubm'nt has increased it's honesty and efficiency ten-fold!!

Posted by: gvc on 08/31/07 at 1:42 PM

Folks, we are talking about a Federal Government led by the Shrub and Louisiana, led by the bribe/kickback.
Declare New Orleans a National Memorial and start a new city above sea level.

Posted by: JamesL on 08/31/07 at 6:05 PM

JamesL is onto something here.

New Orleans would probably get more money as a "national historic site" than as a Democratic-leaning city in a Democratic-leaning state.

At least till 2008.

For the time being, everyone can move in with Trent Lott and help share his rebuilding efforts. He's one of the few folks who can up the ante on his legal actions against the insurance companies by pushing federal legislation.

Why, the mere threat of doing that might help him win the day in court.

And ex New Orleans residents who move in with him (or pitch their tents or their FEMA trailers on his lawn) would see him every week, no doubt, and could urge him on. It would certainly provide him with an incentive to fix up the city so he could get the squatters out of his property.

Posted by: RememberThe9th on 08/31/07 at 7:37 PM

The failure of the federal government is not only in the choice of greed over the ethical response to human tragedy ,but also in the failure to address the pressing need to reverse the damage to the ecosystem of the Mississippi Delta region. Some areas need to return to nature, and become wetlands to recieve the stilt of the river,and the rebuilding of the city needs to take place above sea level for the safety and well being of all.

Posted by: Brenda S. on 09/04/07 at 8:53 AM