Wisconsin Gov. Jim Doyle today joined three other Midwestern governors in asking President George W. 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," 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."
Doyle joined Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels and Iowa Gov. Chet Culver in a joint letter to Bush requesting the reduction.
In 2007, Wisconsin received a Major Presidential Disaster declaration for flooding that affected 14 counties. Early in 2008, Wisconsin received an Emergency Declaration for snow response and removal. The counties included in those Emergency Declarations also are impacted by flooding.
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.
Doyle declared a state of emergency in 30 counties after severe weather this month brought record floods and other damage across southern Wisconsin. Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA) is in ongoing damage assessments in those counties to make disaster declarations.
The governors' joint letter to Bush is available at www.wisgov.state.wi.us/docview.asp?docid=14107.
Midwest governors seek more federal flooding assistance
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