What N.O. public rebuilding funds should NOT be used for

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the appropriate use of public rebuilding funds in New Orleans, particularly in the aftermath of disasters. Participants explore various types of establishments and properties that should or should not receive funding, including those controlled by felons, gambling establishments, and businesses affected by insurance disputes.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants suggest that public funds should not be used for gambling establishments, bars, brothels, or properties controlled by felons.
  • Others argue that felons are citizens and should not be excluded from receiving support.
  • Concerns are raised about the misappropriation of funds in past disasters, such as the Red Cross funds from 9/11, with some questioning the management of those funds.
  • There is a discussion about the role of insurance companies in covering damages, with some participants asserting that insurance should be responsible for payouts rather than public funds.
  • Some participants express skepticism about whether public funds should be allocated to housing, especially for those who are uninsured, suggesting that insurance is a personal responsibility.
  • Disputes regarding the classification of damage (wind vs. flood) and the adequacy of insurance coverage are highlighted, with references to legal actions taken against insurance companies for denying claims.
  • Concerns are raised about the potential for public funds to be diverted to businesses that may not be directly impacted by disasters, as seen in past funding mismanagement.
  • Participants speculate about the future allocation of funds, including potential investments in infrastructure like the Port of New Orleans.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express multiple competing views regarding the use of public funds, particularly concerning which types of properties and businesses should be eligible for support. The discussion remains unresolved, with no consensus on the appropriate criteria for funding allocation.

Contextual Notes

Participants highlight the complexity of insurance coverage and the varying responsibilities of individuals versus public funds in disaster recovery. There are unresolved questions about the definitions of eligible properties and the implications of past funding mismanagement.

Loren Booda
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E. g. - gambling establishments, bars, brothels, property controlled by felons(?)...
 
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Loren Booda said:
property controlled by felons(?)...
Felons are citizens too.
 
Loren Booda said:
E. g. - gambling establishments, bars, brothels, property controlled by felons(?)...

What's left?

j/k...
 
some red cross funds from 9/11 were misappropriated for military usage.
 
Loren Booda said:
E. g. - gambling establishments, bars, brothels, property controlled by felons(?)...

Wouldn't insurance companies be footing the bill for establishments like those and other private property?
 
oldunion said:
some red cross funds from 9/11 were misappropriated for military usage.

Are you sure? I thought those funds were used for some other red cross operations in another country...
 
Penguino,

There will be many disputes with those who suffer, say, wind damage vs flood damage. As for the uninsured?

Any property operated as a criminal enterprise should be ineligible for any public funds or insurance, a consequence of the RICO Act, etc.

Is the $200,000,000,000 contributed by the federal government to the city and environs only for public projects, not housing in general for instance?
 
The disputes will probably be minimal since I'd suspect everyone with insurance has insurance for a hurricane. Wouldn't make sense to just get flood insurance in a hurricane prone area or just an insurance that covers wind damage when you live under sea level.

And yes, I should have added that I didn't mean the criminal places. Their criminals, no money to them.

As far as the public money... why should it go to housing? Insurance is suppose ot be the one paying out for that that... i mean that IS what people are paying for when they pay their policy... and for those who are uninsured... they should have a lower priority in the public funding because hey, you should have insurance, its available to you, its a risk you take for not having it. Also, I suspect public housing (where I wonder if they are even required to have insurance) would fall under public projects (ie. low income housing) so that's not a worry I hope.
 
Most Gulf coast residents had coverage for wind damage. Much of the damage resulted from the wind blown storm surge. The insurance comapanies are denying these claims.

Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood sued five insurance companies Thursday to force them to pay for storm-surge damage related to Hurricane Katrina.
The complaint, filed in Hinds County Chancery Court, claims that Allstate, State Farm, Nationwide, USAA and Mississippi Farm Bureau policies "attempt to exclude coverage for storm-surge damage" caused by the hurricane.

This is "an unfair or deceptive trade practice" under state law, Hood says. Hood also asked for a temporary restraining order to prevent insurers from paying policyholders to get them to sign waivers saying they have flood damage.

http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/insurance/2005-09-15-katrina-insurance-lawsuit_x.htm
 
  • #10
And that's what lawsuits are for!
 
  • #11
The $5 billion in 9/11 funds didn't exactly go where they were supposed to.

The government's $5 billion effort to help small businesses recover from the Sept. 11 attacks was so loosely managed that it gave low-interest loans to companies that didn't need terrorism relief -- or even know they were getting it, The Associated Press has found.

And while some at New York's Ground Zero couldn't get assistance they desperately sought, companies far removed from the devastation -- a South Dakota country radio station, a Virgin Islands perfume shop, a Utah dog boutique and more than 100 Dunkin' Donuts and Subway sandwich shops -- had no problem winning the government-guaranteed loans.

http://www.southbendtribune.com/stories/2005/09/11/business.20050911-sbt-MICH-B4-Firms_received_9_11.sto
 
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  • #12
Oh, I thought we were talking about the red cross funds that people were complaining about. They wanted the money to go directly to 9/11 things and to the victims only. Was the US government giving money to the Red Cross in your case?
 
  • #13
Lessons in etiquette for Penqwino.

J/K :-p :biggrin:
 
  • #14
I'm just guessing here, but I'm thinking that a whole-whole BUNCH of the people displaced by the flooding were renting the places they lived in. When the residences are repaired/rebuilt can we honestly say that the rent will be affordable? Doubtful. I'm going to call this one early and say that the majority of the funds are going to go to businesses that provided relief. Oh, and don't forget the Superdome repairs and repairs to remaining roadways, and claims against Government officials that won't come out of THEIR pocket.

OH! I KNOW! Rebuild the Port OF N.O. and SUPER-SIZE it because that is where all the oil from Iraq will enter the US from. We can call it New Oileans! We will justify it by saying that it will bring a job or two and provide a tax thingy for the city.

...now...how to pay for the rebuilding of New Oileans AND fund a needless war without raising taxes...hmmm(taps toe)...hmmm(still tapping)...I remember someone saying "no new taxes" once and then changing their mind in JUST this situation and it worked. (ring-ring)Hello Dad? Yes George? Who was it that said...?

Sweet-n-sour!
:-p
. :smile:
 
  • #15
Wow that was rather pathetic.
 
  • #16
Pengwuino said:
The disputes will probably be minimal since I'd suspect everyone with insurance has insurance for a hurricane. Wouldn't make sense to just get flood insurance in a hurricane prone area or just an insurance that covers wind damage when you live under sea level.

And yes, I should have added that I didn't mean the criminal places. Their criminals, no money to them.

As far as the public money... why should it go to housing? Insurance is suppose ot be the one paying out for that that... i mean that IS what people are paying for when they pay their policy... and for those who are uninsured... they should have a lower priority in the public funding because hey, you should have insurance, its available to you, its a risk you take for not having it. Also, I suspect public housing (where I wonder if they are even required to have insurance) would fall under public projects (ie. low income housing) so that's not a worry I hope.
Insurance companies exist to make money. Overall, the insurance premiums collected has to exceed what they're paying out. The idea is that anyone who has a reasonable chance of their house burning down will buy fire insurance since they can't afford to replace a house on their own. Very few houses burn down, so the insurance is affordable and the insurance company makes a profit.

People who live on high ground in a dry climate aren't going to buy flood insurance just to lower the cost for folks who live in a flood plain. That means the insurance rates charged for people who are at risk for flooding are so high that no one could afford insurance - if insurance companies even sold flood insurance.

The federal government sells flood insurance, at a loss (in other words, taxpayers in desert high country are still paying for flood insurance), but caps the amount of money a person can collect. The cap would cover smaller, cheaper homes, but fall short of the replacement cost for your middle class homes. For most businesses that have flood insurance, the cap is far below what they lost.
 
  • #17
Loren Booda said:
Penguino,

There will be many disputes with those who suffer, say, wind damage vs flood damage. As for the uninsured?

Any property operated as a criminal enterprise should be ineligible for any public funds or insurance, a consequence of the RICO Act, etc.

Is the $200,000,000,000 contributed by the federal government to the city and environs only for public projects, not housing in general for instance?
Federal funds should be used to help the homeless and jobless until they can find new housing and jobs (in a reasonable time and amount), to help cities with infrastructure, or loans to business (obviously not for criminal enterprise)--loans that are to be repaid as would any venture capital. We will collectively pay higher insurance premiums to cover the insurance claims.

As for the uninsured, here is a question... If Americans can know that the government will bail them out when they don't have insurance, what is the incentive to have insurance, and how is this fair to those who were insured and probably paid premiums for year? Is this government responsibility toward citizens? I don't feel it is.
 
  • #18
SOS2008 said:
As for the uninsured, here is a question... If Americans can know that the government will bail them out when they don't have insurance, what is the incentive to have insurance, and how is this fair to those who were insured and probably paid premiums for year? Is this government responsibility toward citizens? I don't feel it is.

Totally agree with you...
 
  • #19
Yah that does make sense. Started to think about it and was wondering exactly where an insurance company could make money on flood insurance. there's very little "maybe" with floods. Either there's no chance in hell you could have a flood... or its almost guaranteed. The middle ground is where insurance companies make money. Here in CA is probably a great place ot sell insurance from earthquakes. People probably think its a decent enough danger to get it but it doesn't happen enough to make many payouts necessary.

But then again if its such a guarantee that there is going to be a flood at some point, what the hell are you doing living there :-p
 
  • #20
Echo 6 Sierra said:
I'm just guessing here, but I'm thinking that a whole-whole BUNCH of the people displaced by the flooding were renting the places they lived in. When the residences are repaired/rebuilt can we honestly say that the rent will be affordable? Doubtful. I'm going to call this one early and say that the majority of the funds are going to go to businesses that provided relief. Oh, and don't forget the Superdome repairs and repairs to remaining roadways, and claims against Government officials that won't come out of THEIR pocket.

OH! I KNOW! Rebuild the Port OF N.O. and SUPER-SIZE it because that is where all the oil from Iraq will enter the US from. We can call it New Oileans! We will justify it by saying that it will bring a job or two and provide a tax thingy for the city.

...now...how to pay for the rebuilding of New Oileans AND fund a needless war without raising taxes...hmmm(taps toe)...hmmm(still tapping)...I remember someone saying "no new taxes" once and then changing their mind in JUST this situation and it worked. (ring-ring)Hello Dad? Yes George? Who was it that said...?

Sweet-n-sour!
:-p
. :smile:
:smile: :smile: Send to the Daily Show.
 
  • #21
Pengwuino said:
But then again if its such a guarantee that there is going to be a flood at some point, what the hell are you doing living there :-p
Darwin award?

Just a theory.
 
  • #22
Skyhunter said:
Darwin award?

Just a theory.


:smile:
 
  • #23
Skyhunter said:
Darwin award?

Just a theory.

Thats the ONE good thing about where i live. Aside from god's rather on mankind, no chance of a flood. there's also never been an earthquake that actually caused any damage in my city... no real stormy weather... no tornados.. we rule :D
 
  • #24
Pengwuino said:
Thats the ONE good thing about where i live. Aside from god's rather on mankind, no chance of a flood. there's also never been an earthquake that actually caused any damage in my city... no real stormy weather... no tornados.. we rule :D

Oh...you mean aside from the five tornados that came down in November of 1996...I was nearly killed!

Oh...and guess where the worlds largest car pile up ever happened? Right at the intersection from 198 and the 5...

And naturally the air quality in Frenso is not an issue...or the fog they get every winter...

Fresno California...a true paradise...
 
  • #25
Five tornados? Are you on drugs?

198 and I5 is like 40 miles from here too.

And yah... air quality is a ***** but if you can't handle a lil fog, you shouldn't be driving (which would mean 95% of the people on the road in this city unfortunately).

You're crazy :D

Its not a paradise but its only problem is air... pff
 
  • #26
Pengwuino said:
Five tornados? Are you on drugs?

No...http://newweb.wrh.noaa.gov/wrh/98TAs/9807/index.html I was nearly killed!

198 and I5 is like 40 miles from here too.
Yeah...you live 40 miles from the worst pile up anywhere ever!

And yah... air quality is a *****

It close to the worst in the nation...

but if you can't handle a lil fog, you shouldn't be driving (which would mean 95% of the people on the road in this city unfortunately).
When you have to be to work at 8 AM and you cannot see the hand 4 inches in front of your face...it's a problem!

You're crazy :D

Getting the hell away from Fresno was one of the best moments in my life!
 
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  • #27
Pff, LNAS? Thats like a billion miles away. The moons closer, get outa my house. My house that's in a city that doesn't get any crappy weather. yah yah!

Ha, 3rd in the nation :D right behind Houston and LA

And we only get a FEW days of fog where you can't see enough to drive, pansies :P

Now shut up and bow down to our weather!

And shut up, you live in san diego, that's not a fair comparison.
 
  • #28
Pengwuino said:
And shut up, you live in san diego, that's not a fair comparison.

I don't live in San Diego... I live in Brookings, South Dakota...

It ironic too because my school is SDSU, which is also San Diego State University...if you google SDSU my school is the second hit...
 
  • #29
Oops, wrong SD then :P All i saw was SD.
 
  • #30
Pengwuino said:
Oops, wrong SD then :P All i saw was SD.

Understandable...don't worry about it...
 

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