Midwestern Governors Urge President to Ease Strain on Flood-Ravaged Communities
MADISON — Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle today joined four Midwestern Governors in asking President Bush to reduce from 25 percent to 10 percent the state share of the Public Assistance costs from the historic flooding that has ravaged communities across the region.
“Our states have suffered recent multiple disasters that have placed enormous stress on state and local governments,” Governor Doyle said. “Reducing our share of the flooding assistance costs would greatly alleviate the social and economic impact on our families and communities that are suffering.”
Governor Doyle joined Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels, Iowa Gov. Chet Culver and Missouri Gov. Matt Blunt in a joint letter to President Bush requesting the reduction. Each of the states has been greatly affected by the historic level of flooding.
In 2007, Wisconsin received a Major Presidential Disaster declaration for flooding that affected 14 counties. In 2008, Wisconsin received an Emergency Declaration for snow response and removal. The counties included in those Emergency Declarations are also impacted by this flood.
Public Assistance helps state and local governments respond and recover to a Presidential declared disaster. The current federal-state cost share for Public Assistance is 75 percent federal and 25 percent state.
Governor Doyle declared a state of emergency in 30 counties after severe weather this month brought record floods and other damage across southern Wisconsin. FEMA is in ongoing damage assessments in those counties to make disaster declarations.
The letter to President Bush is available here: http://www.wisgov.state.wi.us/docview.asp?docid=14107.
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