New Jersey Governor Chris Christie today announced that the federal government has approved New Jersey’s request for disaster assistance for New Jerseyans impacted by Hurricane Irene in all 21 counties. Individual and public assistance were approved for Burlington, Hudson, Ocean and Union counties, and individual assistance was approved for Mercer county, following the public assistance eligibility granted yesterday. Every New Jersey county has now been approved for both individual and public assistance by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
New Jersey residents and small businesses in all 21 counties are now eligible to apply for different types of federal assistance, including temporary housing, repair, replacement or other needs such as Disaster Unemployment Assistance, and Small Business Administration disaster loans.
Public assistance eligibility for all 21 counties allows state, eligible local governments, and certain nonprofit organizations to apply for federal funding on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work and the repair or replacement of facilities damaged by Hurricane Irene.
Survivors of Hurricane Irene in every New Jersey county who suffered damage should apply for disaster assistance with the Federal Emergency Management Agency – even if they have insurance or aren’t sure they are eligible.
Register by phone at 800-621-FEMA (3362) or TTY 800-462-7585 for those with hearing or speech impairments. Specialists are standing by at the toll-free numbers seven days a week, 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. local time, until further notice. Help in other languages is available. Or you can register online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov.You can also apply through a web-enabled mobile device or smartphone by visiting m.fema.gov and following the link to “apply online for federal assistance.”
5 comments:
Funny how the anti-spending, "screw-em" Christie suddenly finds it appropriate to take federal aid for damage. Wouldn't it be appropriate to "set an example" and tell the communities to pull themselves up by their own bootstraps and fix things by figuring out what else they can cut from their own budgets? No, no, no....it seems government is bad, except when it serves his own needs. Typical.
In fact, as I have previously reported here New Jersey gets only about 60 cents back for each $1.00 it send to the federal government in taxes. In this category, New Jersey ranks dead last. We get the least amount of money back of any other state. Pay attention! We're not taking any money that isn't already ours.
Nice deflection, but irrelevant. Christie should be walking the talk, the same talk he gives to his state's communities and schools when he turns off the funding. He isn't, plain and simple. It doesn't matter if New Jersey "gets back" a certain percentage, it matters that he's asking the people of Iowa or Alaska or Oregon to bail him out when something unexpected happens.
It's not a deflection.
It's entirely relevant. For DECADES New Jersey has ranked dead last in the amount of money we contribute to the federal government in taxes vs. the amount we get back.
At the same time, New Jersey hasn't asked for very much. It's not like we're Florida or Louisiana. It's rare for New Jersey to face a natural disaster of this magnitude -- very rare.
And one other think -- where the hell do you think federal money comes from? It comes from taxpayers. It's OUR money. And New Jersey's giving a lot more than most and getting less back.
This ain't no handout.
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