WHAT HAPPENED: The General Assembly regrouped this week to approve $800 million in relief from the historic damage Hurricane Florence left the state.
WHAT IT MEANS: Myriad stakeholders affected by the storm, from local governments to commercial fishermen to students and more, are to benefit from the funds that add to the $56 million the state approved in the prior week for a total exceeding $850 million. Rebuilding North Carolina is a primary goal, but again the funds are programmed to relieve a broad catalog of impacts.
ON TAP: State officials will set policy and plans on exactly how to distribute portions of the money, which is set to pair with federal relief aid, over the coming months. Roughly half of the approved total can be spent right away; the other half is in reserve for needs ahead, and the legislature may put attention to that when it reconvenes in November.
THE SKINNY: While the legislature and Gov. Roy Cooper have often been at odds, the response to Hurricane Florence represented a setting-aside of differences. The legislature's approved relief package didn't mirror the governor's recommendation, but just prior to signing it into law Governor Cooper applauded lawmakers for swift work.
The $850 million Hurricane Florence recovery package approved by the General Assembly includes relief for local governments impacted by the September storm. Among allocations are $20 million in infrastructure-rehab money that Golden LEAF will provide local governments to "repair and replace vehicles, equipment, and facilities." (Scroll down to the next article for a link to the online application form.) The agency may also distribute money to local governments and water/sewer authorities for help with water, wastewater and stormwater infrastructure that Florence damaged or destroyed. A separate $8 million is in the package for the Department of Public Safety to "assist financially-distressed local governments with staff support and to provide one-time emergency funds for local governments in disaster areas that need immediate cash flow assistance," budget documents state. Of the size of the relief package, House Appropriations Senior Chairman Rep. Nelson Dollar said: "This legislation ... is an historic response to an historic crisis."
Click
here for the recovery bill and
here for a companion report itemizing the numerous allocations. Gov. Roy Cooper signed the legislation on Tuesday and
commended the General Assembly's pace. "I appreciate legislators responding quickly and taking this initial step to help North Carolinians recover from this devastating storm, particularly in the areas of education and the federal match." The governor added: "However, we must continue to work together to provide more for affordable housing and farmers as well as to make real investments to ensure clean water and to lessen the impacts of future storms on our homes, roads, businesses and water infrastructure."
The Carolina Public Press has published a lengthy piece spotlighting the struggles of local water and sewer systems, which were exacerbated by Hurricane Florence after municipalities already faced challenges following Hurricane Matthew in 2016. "Dozens more were underwater before either storm hit, with shrinking economies and populations that make it difficult for them to cover routine expenses and service the debt on their water and sewer infrastructure," the article says before coverage of a recent legislative committee exploring the subject. This Bulletin has covered numerous meetings of this committee; refer to the Aug. 24 edition for the most recent. At the time, committee co-chair Rep. Chuck McGrady said he hoped members would focus on ways to assist systems that faced financial difficulties, as well as ways to assure clean water. Committee members are also looking at specific water/sewer systems under financial stress. Discussions in general have included consolidations and mergers to shore up troubled operations where feasible. League Director of Public Affairs Scott Mooneyham is quoted in the Carolina Public Press piece: “We believe that financial incentives from the state and federal level, to encourage more voluntary consolidation, represent the only viable means to address the problem,” he said. “Significant incentives are required so that non-troubled systems and their customers are not harmed. Financially sound systems would not be acting in the interest of their ratepayers/taxpayers by taking on the problems of troubled systems without financial help.” Click here for the full article.
