The 9/11 Gravy Train

Kudos to the NY Daily News for its investigative series, launched Sunday, on how billions in 9/11 funds have been misspent (hat tip: BizzyBlog):

...a four-month Daily News investigation of the $21.4 billion disaster recovery package reveals that major elements of the aid process were procedurally flawed — from the determination of how much money was supposedly needed, to how it was distributed, to how it was actually spent and ultimately, to how little oversight there was over the spending. In effect, no one was watching. As a result, 9/11 recovery aid was used to finance a plethora of projects that taxpayers elsewhere could be forgiven for characterizing as old-fashioned pork-barrel spending...

# Hundreds of millions of dollars were spent on projects that seemingly had nothing to do with 9/11 and lower Manhattan. # Programs were plagued with so many loopholes that millions more ended up being given to recipients who did not fit the full intent of the particular program.

# Still more millions went to help projects already in the works before 9/11 or on the drawing board with no prior funding source.

# Huge contracts were given to companies and organizations linked to the very officials tasked with deciding how to spend the money — creating, at a minimum, the potential for multiple conflicts of interest.

# Substantial sums were given to companies to stay in lower Manhattan even though they had no intention of leaving.

# In many cases, original eligibility rules were expanded, and deadlines extended, so that virtually no one was ineligible. Vast numbers of applications were filed during the final weeks of signup periods.

# Rules for some aid programs were so loose and broadly drawn that otherwise honest people grabbed their little piece of the 9/11 money pot — like the thousands of New Yorkers who took advantage of FEMA by obtaining free air conditioners, air purifiers, air filters and/or high-efficiency vacuum cleaners.

# The gold rush also attracted businesses and organizations that followed all the rules for obtaining relief but didn't necessarily need free money to survive.

Then there's the city Department of Education. It did such a poor job of keeping track of how it spent its $32 million share of Project Liberty grief counseling funds, that four years later, the feds are still withholding $26.8 million. Finally, The News found that program after program was designed, then redesigned, with a singular goal: spend every dime.

For example, in August 2002, the Empire State Development Corp. revised the formula for its Business Recovery Grant program to make the maximum awards available to more companies. Based on the old rules and the spending rate at that point, the recovery grant program never would have spent its full allotment.

Just another great account of how government is not capable to "take care" of us/our money. Hello! Liberals, who think government is the answer to being the master of our lives. Somewhere, way too many citizens have forgotten who the government is. It is hard working citizens who have to give up money they'd spend to do the same things at a much cheaper and more personal rate. Just why our elected officials are too cowardly to point this out when some folks with big ideas approach them for funds is beyond my understanding as a 28% contributor to "the government".

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Malkin ping!