02-02-2016, 07:34 PM
The Cost of Government Negligence
Gov. Rick Snyder made it official Friday, signing a bill for $28 million to provide funding to cope with ramifications of tainted water, damaged pipes and health problems for those who drank from the tap before authorities finally sounded the alarm.
“We don’t walk away if something doesn’t go right,” Snyder said moments before putting pen-to-paper. “Let’s stand up together as Michiganders to say mistakes were made, problems happened, we’re going to solve them, we’re going to fix them, and we’re going to (be) stronger.”
No one thinks this money this will solve all of Flint’s problems. Not given the uncertainty of the health impacts of what’s happened so far — Snyder said at least 45 Flint children had tested with high levels of lead in their blood, while acknowledging many more likely suffered the same fate. Severe brain damage is one of the impacts.
There will be steep costs to to fix a water supply infrastructure in Flint that has been damaged significantly, perhaps beyond repair.
Synder acknowledged as much in a letter earlier this month to President Barack Obama, estimating it would cost $767,419,500 to replace Flint’s water system. And, it's been reported that it could take up to 15 years to replace the corroded pipes.
Obama announced $80 million in new funding a week ago to help Michigan improve its water infrastructure. And on Thursday, U.S. senators from Michigan, Debbie Stabenow and Gary Peters, plus Rep. Dan Kildee announced proposed legislation to provide up to $400 million in federal funding to go towards resolving the issue in Flint, plus $200 million to address health issues of children and adults exposed to lead.
There’s no guarantee Congress will OK this money. Sen. John Cornyn of Texas, the No. 2 Senate Republican, raised doubts that it would happen, saying Flint’s crisis “is primarily a local and state responsibility.”
Snyder, himself a Republican, said that it would be irresponsible not to act. “This is a hidden problem that we’ve ignored not just in Flint, not just in Michigan, but nationally far too long,” he said. “So let’s do something about it.”
http://fox6now.com/2016/01/31/flint-wate...-michigan/
Gov. Rick Snyder made it official Friday, signing a bill for $28 million to provide funding to cope with ramifications of tainted water, damaged pipes and health problems for those who drank from the tap before authorities finally sounded the alarm.
“We don’t walk away if something doesn’t go right,” Snyder said moments before putting pen-to-paper. “Let’s stand up together as Michiganders to say mistakes were made, problems happened, we’re going to solve them, we’re going to fix them, and we’re going to (be) stronger.”
No one thinks this money this will solve all of Flint’s problems. Not given the uncertainty of the health impacts of what’s happened so far — Snyder said at least 45 Flint children had tested with high levels of lead in their blood, while acknowledging many more likely suffered the same fate. Severe brain damage is one of the impacts.
There will be steep costs to to fix a water supply infrastructure in Flint that has been damaged significantly, perhaps beyond repair.
Synder acknowledged as much in a letter earlier this month to President Barack Obama, estimating it would cost $767,419,500 to replace Flint’s water system. And, it's been reported that it could take up to 15 years to replace the corroded pipes.
Obama announced $80 million in new funding a week ago to help Michigan improve its water infrastructure. And on Thursday, U.S. senators from Michigan, Debbie Stabenow and Gary Peters, plus Rep. Dan Kildee announced proposed legislation to provide up to $400 million in federal funding to go towards resolving the issue in Flint, plus $200 million to address health issues of children and adults exposed to lead.
There’s no guarantee Congress will OK this money. Sen. John Cornyn of Texas, the No. 2 Senate Republican, raised doubts that it would happen, saying Flint’s crisis “is primarily a local and state responsibility.”
Snyder, himself a Republican, said that it would be irresponsible not to act. “This is a hidden problem that we’ve ignored not just in Flint, not just in Michigan, but nationally far too long,” he said. “So let’s do something about it.”
http://fox6now.com/2016/01/31/flint-wate...-michigan/