$2.8 BILLION FOR RECOVERY - UNSPENT

SOUTH MS REBUILDING PROJECTS – SNAIL'S PACE RECOVERY

$1.2 billion in FEMA public assistance funds
$218 million for CDBG community revitalization
$590 million for CDBG regional water/wastewater infrastructure
$570 million for CDBG Port of Gulfport
$200 million for CDBG Hancock County long-term recovery
(Stats from Governor Barbour's office)

Barbour says the money is there, it just needs to be used and if it's not used by Sept. 1, it may get taken away by the state. For example, only $16.7 million of the community revitalization money has been spent. Also, construction has begun on only 23 of the 86 projects that are supposedly in the pipeline to the Gulf Coast's dream of recovery.

As for Barbour's attempts to solve this beleaguering matter, he was supposed to meet with the director of Homeland Security on March 6th. He wants all issues between local governments (councils in general have been a huge sticky-wicket to work with) and FEMA settled by June 30.

I think that is a huge request at this late date. Why hasn't he taken a steps to solve this situation long before now? What has he been doing all these months? Where has the money been "sitting"? Has it collected interest??

This is truly ridiculous!