PoliticsPoliticsChris Christienew jersey politics

Sandy Recovery Vote Delay Will Hurt Taxpayers, Jersey Shore Communities, Says Belmar Mayor

'Cold And Heartless' Sandy Decision Will Cost Taxpayers, Says Belmar Mayor
By 

Contributor

|
Open Image Modal
In this Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2012 photograph, Lt Gov. Kim Guadagno smiles as she looks on, left, while New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie answers a question in Trenton, N.J. Christie's campaign says his lieutenant governor will run for re-election. In a statement issued Tuesday, Dec. 4, 2012, campaign officials said Guadagno would join Christie on the 2013 GOP ticket. While in office, the governor has given Guadagno authority to oversee the administration's economic development efforts. She has stayed mostly in his shadow, but the lieutenant governor post could soon get more attention due to speculation that if Christie's re-elected, he could leave office early to mount a presidential bid in 2016. (AP Photo/Mel Evans)

The Democratic mayor of a Jersey Shore community devastated by Hurricane Sandy is calling House Republicans' decision to postpone a vote on federal relief "cold and heartless."

Belmar Mayor Matt Doherty (D) said that his town and others along the Jersey Shore have been borrowing funds for public repair projects while waiting for federal assistance. Delaying the House vote, which is now scheduled in two parts for Jan. 4 and Jan. 15, will increase the need for borrowing. House Speaker John Boehner (D-Ohio) canceled a scheduled vote on the $60 billion Sandy recovery package Tuesday night, sparking outrage from Democratic and Republican members of Congress.

“As cold and heartless as this is to the residents and small businesses that are suffering, it will be more expensive for taxpayers," Doherty told The Huffington Post about the impact the delay will have on his square-mile community.

Belmar has an estimated $130 million in damage to public and private spaces, including destruction of the community's boardwalk. Doherty said the Borough Council has authorized borrowing $20 million for storm recovery; $5 million has been borrowed so far, but delays receiving federal funds likely will cause the community to borrow more.

Doherty said residents and small businesses in his town, along the Jersey Shore and in parts of New York are waiting for federal aid to repair property damaged in the super storm, which hit in late October. Despite the newly scheduled votes, Doherty isn't counting on the money until a vote occurs.

“The 15th sounds like it is a hope and not a solid date. It is difficult to take these politicians at face value," Doherty said. "There is no time frame. It could be one month or several months. This was the time to get it done and to do it in a lame duck Congress. You will have new members and new amendments. It cleared the Senate, you don’t know if it will clear the Senate in the same way again.”

Doherty is one of many New Jersey and New York leaders to slam Boehner and the House GOP leadership for the delay. Christie denounced the House Republicans as "disgusting" Wednesday, while New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) described the canceled vote as a "dereliction of duty." New York state Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos (R-Rockville Centre) called Boehner's decision "absolutely unconscionable." New Jersey Assembly Speaker Sheila Oliver (D-East Orange) and Minority Leader Jon Bramnick (R-Westfield) separately invited Boehner and House Republicans to tour the state's damage.

"I invite them to take a tour of our nearly non-existent shoreline while they adjourn this week. They will see what I saw in the last few months: houses stacked like kids' playing blocks, only signage marking ruins of businesses, shattered lives and livelihoods buried in the water along with our boardwalk," Oliver said in a statement. "They simply do not get it."

Doherty noted that the final total bill for his town has not been completed, saying that damage to Belmar's underground infrastructure has not been completely assessed.

“When this has happened before, we have all contributed as Americans, as we should. We cannot recover on our own," Doherty said. "We all deserve federal assistance. The fact that Republican leadership is holding up one hour more than needs to be is a tremendous disservice to all Americans.”

Our 2024 Coverage Needs You

As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.

Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.

to keep our news free for all.

Support HuffPost

Before You Go

Politicians React To Sandy
President Barack Obama(01 of06)
Open Image Modal
In a hastily organized press briefing at the White House, Obama said Monday that his race with Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney is the furthest thing from his mind as the East Coast braces for what could be its worst storm in history."I am not worried at this point about the impact on the election. I am worried about the impact on families. I am worried about the impact on our first responders," he said. "The election will take care of itself next week."...He also sent out a campaign email on Monday urging supporters to heed advice from local authorities and extending an early thank you to first responders.“Michelle and I are keeping everyone in the affected areas in our thoughts and prayers. Be safe,” reads the email, signed by Obama.-- HuffPost's Jennifer Bendery and Lynne Peeples (credit:AP)
Republican Presidential Candidate Mitt Romney(02 of06)
Open Image Modal
Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney took a moment in an overflow room ahead of a campaign rally Monday to express his concern for those in the path of Hurricane Sandy and encourage the people of Ohio to do what they could to help those out east.“I want to mention that our hearts and prayers are with all the people in the storm's path," he said in Avon Lake, Ohio. "Sandy is another devastating hurricane by all accounts, and a lot of people are going to be facing some real tough times as a result of Sandy's fury."He went on to encourage those who can afford it to make a donation to the Red Cross."If there are other ways that you can help, please take advantage of them because there will be a lot of people that are going to be looking for help and the people in Ohio have big hearts, so we're expecting you to follow through and help out," he said.Romney concluded the rally by echoing his comments from the overflow room."This looks like another time we all need to come together," he said.-- HuffPost's Elise Foley (credit:Getty)
New Jersey Governor Chris Christie(03 of06)
Open Image Modal
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) continued his praise of President Barack Obama's work responding to Hurricane Sandy, using a press briefing Monday evening to note that he appreciated the "leadership" Obama was showing in the emergency.Christie, a prominent surrogate for Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney, said that he and Obama had a private phone conversation on Monday to discuss how the federal government could help New Jersey. He said that Obama told Christie that he could call him directly over the next 48 hours if the state government had issues with federal response to the hurricane in New Jersey.“I appreciate that type of leadership," Christie said of Obama.The Republican governor said most of the call centered on Obama's concern for New Jersey and then he continued to heap praise on the president, saying Obama's work has been "proactive." Christie shortened a campaign trip for Romney to return to New Jersey to handle the storm response.Christie started his praise of Obama during press briefings on Sunday, when he said "appreciated" Obama's outreach to him and the governors of other states being impacted by Hurricane Sandy.During a press briefing on Monday afternoon, Christie described another call he had with Obama and said that the president and his aides have been working to benefit New Jersey.“We appreciate the president’s efforts in that regard," Christie said earlier Monday. "He and his staff worked tremendously hard.”-- HuffPost's John Celock (credit:Getty)
Former Vice President Al Gore(04 of06)
Open Image Modal
This week, our nation has anxiously watched as Hurricane Sandy lashed the East Coast and caused widespread damage--affecting millions. Now more than ever, our neighbors need our help. Please consider donating or volunteering for your local aid organizations.The images of Sandy’s flooding brought back memories of a similar--albeit smaller scale-- event in Nashville just two years ago. There, unprecedented rainfall caused widespread flooding, wreaking havoc and submerging sections of my hometown. For me, the Nashville flood was a milestone. For many, Hurricane Sandy may prove to be a similar event: a time when the climate crisis—which is often sequestered to the far reaches of our everyday awareness became a reality.While the storm that drenched Nashville was not a tropical cyclone like Hurricane Sandy, both storms were strengthened by the climate crisis. Scientists tell us that by continually dumping 90 million tons of global warming pollution into the atmosphere every single day, we are altering the environment in which all storms develop. As the oceans and atmosphere continue to warm, storms are becoming more energetic and powerful. Hurricane Sandy, and the Nashville flood, were reminders of just that. Other climate-related catastrophes around the world have carried the same message to hundreds of millions.Sandy was also affected by other symptoms of the climate crisis. As the hurricane approached the East Coast, it gathered strength from abnormally warm coastal waters. At the same time, Sandy's storm surge was worsened by a century of sea level rise. Scientists tell us that if we do not reduce our emissions, these problems will only grow worse.Hurricane Sandy is a disturbing sign of things to come. We must heed this warning and act quickly to solve the climate crisis. Dirty energy makes dirty weather. (credit:Getty)
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.)(05 of06)
Open Image Modal
"Our thoughts and prayers rest with the families, friends, and loved ones of all those who have lost their lives in the course of Hurricane Sandy, and our hearts go out to the millions of Americans waking up to destruction and devastation in their homes and communities today. "We are all grateful to the rescue workers and first responders working around-the-clock to save lives, restore power, and deal with the immediate aftermath of the storm. Federal, state, and local authorities have worked hand-in-hand to prepare for and respond to this natural disaster, and we will continue to do so as Americans begin to take stock of the damage, recover, and rebuild. "All Members of Congress stand ready to offer our aid and assistance to communities affected by Hurricane Sandy. As we have done in the past, the American people will stand united to confront the impact of this storm and start the work of recovery." (credit:Getty)
Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.)(06 of06)
Open Image Modal
“Hurricane Sandy hit New York and the Northeast hard last night and will complicate life in our region for the coming days. I am astounded at what I have seen in my own congressional district: flooding throughout Coney Island, Battery Park City, and other areas; widespread power outages; felled trees everywhere you look; and some very tragic fatalities. I am grateful to our local responders and laborers, who are doing a tremendous job on emergency response. And, through the President’s declaration of New York as a major disaster area, we will be able to immediately allocate FEMA funds to begin to repair the billions of dollars in damage locally and bring relief to New Yorkers whose lives have been turned upside down.” (credit:Getty)
Suggest a correction
|
Submit a tip