Posted on 03/20/2006 8:46:54 PM PST by Diddle E. Squat
NEW ORLEANS — Mayor Ray Nagin finished work today on a plan to rebuild New Orleans, endorsing a proposal that would allow all residents to rebuild their homes in neighborhoods shattered by Hurricane Katrina.
The mayor's advisory commission, formed after Katrina struck Aug. 29, recommended in January that some flooded neighborhoods be replaced with parks and that the city take a go-slow attitude in rebuilding low-lying areas. But that suggestion was greeted with jeers and outrage at public meetings.
Nagin, who is running for re-election on April 22, distanced himself from that plan, which included a proposed moratorium on building permits in some neighborhoods.
On Monday, he offered to let residents rebuild anywhere, but warned that homeowners in flood-prone areas would do so at their own risk. "I'm confident that the citizens can decide intelligently for themselves," the mayor said.
The report also recommended a host of other ideas, from revamping schools to consolidating some city offices. The wish-list of projects included new light-rail systems, new riverfront development and better flood protection.
"We have worked tirelessly," Nagin told hundreds of residents who gathered to hear about the plan. "It has been controversial in some respects, but I am pleased by the results."
Residents vented their frustrations during the public comment period, with one black man calling the group "a rotten, racist committee."
But the commission's plan has been warmly received in many circles. Ron Forman, a strong mayoral candidate and prominent businessman, applauded the commission's work and the breadth of the report. But he said it is still short on specifics.
"The only problem I see with the plan is that I don't see an implementation plan, an action plan, based on dates on when we can expect to be done," Forman said.
Nagin turned the plan immediately into fodder for his re-election campaign, poking fun at a prominent opponent and using the spotlight to make light of missteps he's made.
"I'm going to do something I hate to do: I'm going to read from the script ... so that I don't get caught up in the moment," said Nagin, whose off-the-cuff remarks have drawn criticism, such as his infamous "chocolate city" speech in which he said God intended New Orleans to be a black-majority city.
The release of the report came hours after civil rights groups took aim at the state's plan for rebuilding, which includes spending billions of federal dollars to buy flood-damaged homes.
Critics said that plan gives short shrift to poor and low-income victims, focusing too much on bailing out homeowners and encouraging high-end development at the expense of low-income renters.
If a White House proposal is approved by Congress, the bulk of Louisiana's reconstruction would be funded with $9.2 billion in federal grants using a plan by Gov. Kathleen Blanco.
Typically, 70 percent of such grant money is given to projects that help poor and middle-income residents. But the government is allowing Louisiana to reduce that figure to 50 percent or less.
The NAACP, the Advancement Project, the New Orleans-based People's Hurricane Relief Fund and other groups said in a letter to Blanco's administration that the 50 percent share is too little.
The groups cite government estimates showing that about 126,570 rental units without insurance were flooded last year. By contrast, the letter says, only about 25,180 uninsured homes were damaged, which is about 20 percent of all the ruined homes.
"This is really like the opening salvo, if you will, of attempts to get a fair share of that money for low and moderate income people," said Bill Quigley, a lawyer and civil rights activist.
Blanco's plan still needs approval by the Legislature, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, and the Louisiana Recovery Authority.
State officials said they welcomed the civil rights groups' opinions.
"We want to make sure that we get as much input from citizens as we can," said Suzie Elkins, director of the Office of Community Development, which will also review the rebuilding plan.
It reads as if he thought of this while sitting in his crapper!
"The only problem I see with the plan is that I don't see an implementation plan, an action plan, based on dates on when we can expect to be done," Forman said.
That's the Nagin I've come to know.
Frankly, anyone that would consider building there w/o first and foremost some extremely serious reinforcement of the levees, needs to have their head examined regardless of what their ties, familial, emotional, whatever are. Secondly, they should all be made to sign something stating that they'll never get another dollar of taxpayer money should anything like that happen again at least pending some sort of engineering approval of a new levy system.
I really hope NO doesn't have any storms this year. I'm so Katrina fatigued.
Apparently, Bush & Co. think they have a few hundred billion dollars more to waste down there. Nobody but feds could be this damn stupid.
They need to establish a new rule right away....
That if it is Nagin's idea - it must immediately be scrapped!
"Stupid is as stupid does"
F. Gump
However, that said, no jackass of my acquaintance (and I'm in Missouri, where we breed very fine mules) has ever gotten the idea correctly without at least two solid swats with a 2x4 across the forehead.
Let the Chocolate Mayor make of that sentiment what he will.
Well, of course! Nagin is an idiot, don't you know! Not to mention a political whore.
It's Bush's fault.
Just ask Mother Moonbat.
Nagin doesn't have a "plan:" plans involve details, timing, resources, and responsibilities.
Nagin, typically, has just a sound bite.
I hate to say it but I think he's gonna win.
There has been a policy in effect for some time now of NOT rebuilding in flood prone areas. Could someone tell me why NOLA should be an exception?
To think that any tax money gets spent for rebuilding in the flood zone is criminal IMO
Richard
Just go to the Red River Valley on the ND/MN border. After the big flood in 97? whole neighborhoods were plowed down. A decision was made to not pay to rebuild these houses every year. If you chose to stay, you were on your own.
Where is the outrage for the displaced Norwegians? s/
The trouble is, Ray, that it WON'T be "at their risk." If they rebuild and another flood devestates the area, the rest of us will be obliged to bail them out again. We are being asked to subsidize an unreasonable and selfish desire to live in an ultra hazardous area for no good reason.
When homeowners get the insurance quotes for rebuilding homes in these areas, that will be the end of rebuilding.
What do you expect from this corrupt group of politicians:
local and state. What happens when the next "perfect storm" hits?
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