I know I am not good at math, but...
Meanwhile, state transportation officials said they are asking the federal government for $31.7 billion in highway, bridge, airport, levee, maritime repairs and improvements triggered by Hurricane Katrina, which struck on Aug. 29.
I know some money is needed in our state. No doubt. However, I can PROMISE you the government in power is already salivating on how to divvy this up. Sure, there will be contracts to pass out to friends, new projects they can sneak in, relatives to employ in new "consulting" business, etc., etc., etc. They will ask for money for legitimate reasons and use it shore up all their cronies and their party under guise of disaster relief, which I guess in their view, IS the REAL disaster relief.
I do not know if this is true about the wetlands, but I've heard the levees were what caused their erosion. Now, the state wants $ for the wetlands restoration while at the same time it is wanting $ for the levees. Seems to me they need to choose one or the other. Yes, I agree about the corruption.
All bags of money going to Louisiana should contain exploding ink packets. ;-)