Posted on 05/30/2007 9:18:40 PM PDT by SmithL
New Orleans (AP) -- Mayor Ray Nagin, in his first State of the City address since Hurricane Katrina, said Wednesday that New Orleans is a city on the mend, despite broken promises from the state and federal governments.
"New Orleans is coming back, whether you like it or not," Nagin said to applause from the crowd of city workers and community members gathered at the National World War II Museum. "And you might as well deal with it."
Nagin called on President Bush and Gov. Kathleen Blanco to do more to help speed the city's recovery from the August 2005 storm. He said Bush has failed to move federal aid to "the people who need it the most," and said he should forgive millions of dollars in disaster loans that the city took out after the storm to help it to continue operating.
He also called on Blanco to use a budget surplus to help the city.
"Use the $3 billion budget surplus to ensure a strong future for our state and for all our citizens," Nagin said. "Because as New Orleans recovers, and as south Louisiana recovers, so does Louisiana."
A message seeking comment was left with a spokesperson for Blanco. A White House spokeswoman said the city, not the federal government, must be the force behind the recovery effort.
"The federal government has committed more than $110 billion to help the Gulf Coast recover, and we will continue to provide assistance. But the people of the Gulf Coast and their elected leaders must drive the effort to rebuild their lives and their communities," said Jeanie Mamo, a spokeswoman for the White House.
(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...
Well, at least Ray has a roof over his head, and his kids are in school...IN DALLAS.
http://blogcritics.org/archives/2005/09/15/172244.php
We here in South Louisiana can only hope it pans out that way. That stink hole gave us the welfare vote cartel that has kept Louisiana at the bottom of the barrel for decades. Maybe if the "gimmie" clan can remain dispersed long enough we can overcome the impediments to real progress and gain the benefit potential that the "third largest port in the world" has to offer.
That is not the only problem with NOLA. From yesterday.
I dunno? Which Churchill?
Duct tape?
Nagin called on President Bush and Gov. Kathleen Blanco to do more to help speed the city’s recovery from the August 2005 storm.
It’s a shame the President can’t/won’t say, “Very well, you and this lame Governor are outta here.” That would solve a large part of their problems.
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