Harvey still haunts Texas as rainy day fund battle rages
HOUSTON: Tensions between many Texas cities and counties and Governor Greg Abbott over the use of the state’s $11 billion (R138bn) rainy day fund to pay for costs associated with Hurricane Harvey resurfaced on Wednesday after a group of local officials sent a letter to the governor asking for money.
Houston mayor Sylvester Turner, who was among the nearly 60 leaders of communities hit hard by Harvey who sent the letter to Abbott, said it wasn’t intended to be antagonistic toward the governor but to highlight that many local governments needed help. The letter sent on Tuesday asked that Abbott tap the fund to help match federal grants that can be used on flood mitigation projects.
“This storm connected all of us on all levels. Let’s stay connected all the way to the finish line even when it comes to costs,” Turner said.
But Abbott sent a letter to Turner saying that $5bn in federal funding awarded to the state last year as part of the initial disaster assistance was available to help local communities pay their portion of the mitigation grants. Abbott also said Houston hadn’t submitted any applications to the state for flood mitigation projects and had spent only $5 million of a $50m loan Texas gave the city shortly after Harvey struck last August.
“In short, there is more money available to you than you have demonstrated the ability to spend to respond to Hurricane Harvey and to mitigate future damage,” Abbott wrote. “I strongly urge you to begin taking advantage of these funds today.”
Abbott spokesperson Ciara Matthews said the governor sent similar letters to 34 other mayors and 22 county judges who signed the letter sent to Abbott.
“Jurisdictions like Houston continue to ask for more money despite refusing to identify how that money is intended to be spent. They seem to be seeking a blank cheque with no identified purpose for the money and no accountability for how it will be spent,” Matthews said.
Officials in Houston and other communities damaged hit by Harvey have called on Abbott to use the rainy day fund to pay for recovery efforts and flood control projects to prepare for the next storm.
“Come on, man. What are we protecting it for? What’s the point of holding on in a state where we endured the worst rainfall in the history of this country and you’re holding on to $11bn in the rainy day fund?” Turner said.
Harvey made landfall as a Category 4 hurricane on August 25 and dumped more than 152cm of rain in some areas of south-east Texas.
The storm flooded thousands of homes, left 68 people dead and caused an estimated $125bn in damage in Texas.
While Abbott cannot authorise spending from the rainy day fund, he can call a special session of the legislature on the issue. But Abbott said he sees no need to do that.
Houston officials pushed back on claims that the city hadn’t submitted any paperwork to apply for a portion of the more than $1bn that is being provided to the state from the Federal Emergency Management Agency for flood mitigation projects.
Stephen Costello, Houston’s chief resilience officer, said the city had submitted notices of intent for 15 proposed projects and 14 have been approved. The city was finalising its applications.
City officials refuted the claim that they had spent little of the $50m provided by the state. Turner also said that money was a grant, not a loan as the state says.
Matthews said using the rainy day fund for flood mitigation projects that weren’t finalised could compromise the state’s ability to deal with other budget priorities, such as school funding. “The state has and will continue to spend money to help local governments respond to Hurricane Harvey,” Matthews said. – AP
CITIES AND COUNTIES TACKLE GOVERNOR OVER USE OF STATE’S $11BN HURRICANE DISASTER FUND