Actually there is supposed to be a special session coming up, the state treasurer(certain he is onboard) and the governor(I believe) are pushing that an accounting company or group that has no ties to the state(corruption woes) take over the money so that none is misspent. Its a shame that it took this but it looks like we may be finally starting in the right direction.Originally posted by MikeJ
seems like all the previous thread could dredge up out of the muck was 11 souls who wanted to scold the President for not getting off the pot quick enough. Wish it were that simple.
What I got out of the speech was:
1. No new taxes to fund rebuilding the Gulf Coast, it will be funded by slashing other federal programs that already have been slashed or eliminated to fund the War in Iraq.
And this will help the poor and average joe outside of the disaster area who want to better themselves with education and better jobs?
2. Government to create $$$ pot to:
a. develop a Gulf Opportunity Zone to create jobs.
b. give small businesses tax reliefs (and who will be the one to fund this? (other small business or those wishing to start one), and loan guarantees for minority owned businesses. (Hope they repay).
c. Begin a worker recovery program ==$5,000 stipend to evacuees for job training, education, and child care. By the time this happens the casinos and liquor stores should be open. OK this is nasty, I know, but after hearing what some used the first $2,000 debit cards, I hope some part of government will make sure the money is spent on what it is intended.
d. begin an Urban Homestead Act for low income persons.
So, if you were middle income, lost your home (or business), didn't have flood insurance, lost your job because your employer flooded out, ARE YOU now low income? (I hope so.) By the way, they are required to build on it. (Can they then sell it to a developer at a nice profit?) And then go to the casino and liquor store?
And now the choicest cut of all:
Permitting the Louisianna and Mississippi elected officials to guard the pot. And their history of honesty with government money (like the dike fiasco) is?????
I am glad to see relief, and humanitarian gestures but I have a teenager and two that were and I found out that until they actually sweated for a wage, it was not a good idea to just put a huge sum of money in their hands and expexct them to make intelligent decisions.
And, how about a little $$ rewards/compensation to those who have provided the humanitarian relief so unselfishly? Maybe even a tax break or something.
Also something that has not been talked about but has been a concern of mine is the imminent domain judgements in the Supreme Court, many of the neighborhoods in New Orleans are totally destroyed or condemned, will there be rich developers running in and taking peoples land to rebuild?
[Edited by joey791 on 09-16-2005 at 11:28 PM]