The Middletown Press (Middletown, CT)
Does DeLauro’s office know what’s going on?
Maybe her work to help those who will land her photo ops are more important than residents who need help.
It has been almost five years since Hurricane Sandy and slightly over a year since I contacted Rosa DeLauro’s office for assistance in securing funds for my central air conditioning, which was destroyed in the storm.
We were rejected for funding through the state of Connecticut Sandy assistance funds basically because the people working for the state gave us the wrong information on how to apply. It took the state years to come to this decision.
We then applied to a second federal assistance program through the state of Connecticut and were rejected because our claim totaled less than $10,000.
We finally contacted DeLauro’s office hoping we could get her to help us. (After all, didn’t she, (US. Sen. Richard) Blumenthal and (Gov. Dannel P.) Malloy come down to the shoreline after the hurricane and promise to help all who were affected by it? Or was that just for the photo op?)
We were told by DeLauro’s office that the state Sandy assistance workers did not know what they were doing and gave out the wrong information to many people. How is the government going to remedy this? It’s not our fault that the state employees gave us the wrong information on applying! We were also told that others did receive checks for under $10,000.
DeLauro’s office says that they are putting in an appeal to FEMA.
It’s been over a year since we contacted her and if I’m lucky enough to be able to talk to her assistant (if I say who’s calling, he’s either out of the office, in a meeting, on the phone — you get the idea.) I get the excuse that they still haven’t heard yet from FEMA.
If her assistant says he will call back, he usually doesn’t. I tried to call the office in August and was directed to the office voice mailbox, but I couldn’t leave a message because it was full. I was directed to another extension, which said the date was February and the office was closed due to inclement weather. When I first received correspondence from the office, the phone number on the official stationery was wrong — it said 302 for the area code instead of 203.
Does anyone know what’s going on in that office? Rosa called me herself from Washington, D.C., one afternoon, but it was basically because she didn’t like a letter I previously had written to the editor and not to tell me she had made progress on my case.
She told me that these things take time! Really?! I have spent way too many hot summers in my house! The only letters I get from FEMA are notifications that my $4,000 a year flood insurance is guaranteed to go up yearly because I have not elevated my house! If I do spend $80,000 to elevate it, the insurance cost might remain at $4,000 per year.
Maybe Rosa’s recently published autobiography and constant work to help those who will land her photo ops that will help her gain votes are more important than residents who are still trying to get help from Sandy damages! Come on Rosa! Maybe I’ll even vote for you if I can get an answer!