Finance - NY

submitted by John Patten

rockinst.org - by James W. Fossett - July 2013

“We can surge troops and equipment, but you can’t surge trust.” - General Carter Ham

The American intergovernmental system needs to stop improvising the way it manages long-term recovery from major disasters such as Hurricanes Katrina and Sandy and the terrorist attacks of 9/11. From financing to decisions about the proper response to long-term climate change, the American system for disaster recovery is ad hoc, uncoordinated, and reinvented from scratch after every major disaster. As a result, recoveries have been lengthy and conflictual, imposed considerable welfare costs on families and businesses, and have resulted in only marginal improvement in the vulnerability of areas afflicted by these disasters.

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stormrecovery.ny.gov

Governor Cuomo announced that $200 million has been awarded to more than 450 healthcare and human service providers and other community-based organizations following the impact of Superstorm Sandy. The federal Superstorm Sandy Social Services Block Grant is designed to cover unreimbursed expenses resulting from the storm, including social, health and mental health services for individuals, and for repair, renovation and rebuilding of health care facilities, mental hygiene facilities, child care facilities and other social services facilities.

The grants will provide approximately $65 million for repair, rebuilding and renovation costs resulting from Superstorm Sandy; $52 million for unreimbursed operating costs during and after Sandy; $70 million for ongoing or new services to meet the continuing needs of Sandy-impacted New Yorkers; and $11 million for other eligible health and social services costs.

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie takes questions at a town hall meeting last week in Toms River, N.J. “I never promised you, nor would I, that this was going to be mistake-free,” he said of delivering aid after Superstorm Sandy. (Mel Evans / Associated Press / March 4, 2014)

With many homeowners still waiting for help, officials including Gov. Chris Christie – already battered by the George Washington Bridge scandal – have been accused of incompetence or even favoritism in delivering federal recovery money.

latimes.com - by Joseph Tanfani - March 12, 2014

POMONA, N.J. — His state wrecked and reeling from Superstorm Sandy, Chris Christie made himself the face of New Jersey's comeback effort with a take-charge tour de force that became a cornerstone of an expected run for president.