From Facebook pages:
Rep. Scott DeLano: “The coast delegation knew there were significant problems with this program in 2010. Since it was a federal program, the legislature had no direct authorizing authority on this program. Just to make sure, I inserted a clause in MEMA’s appropriations bill for several years that stated no state funds shall be used for the purpose of the Coastal Retrofit Program. I hope the authorities investigating this seek criminal charges against those responsible. Ignorance should not be a defense. There is plenty of evidence available.”
Rep. Charles Busby: “Coast legislators have been pointing out issues with this program for years and our complaints fell on deaf ears. Coast programs should be ran by the coast, including the BP $… MEMA will attempt to justify the expenditures and convince FEMA to pay for it. At the end of the day though we retrofitted less than half of the targeted number of homes. That means over 1,000 coastal homeowners didn’t get their homes hardened thus lowering their insurance rates because of this waste.”
Rep. Hank Zuber: “I share disgust with Scott DeLano/Charles Busby. This can not happen with bp money: we need complete transparency/openness/oversight and we can not let special interests, attorneys, engineers, consultants, grant writers etc and whoever else is lining up suck up an unreasonable percentage and have this money spent on non necessary projects based on influence. Gonna upset alot of my friends but it is a matter of what is right for the sake of the coast and my fellow citizens! As I was told once, being right will cause you more hardship and pain compared to just going with the flow!!”
.
Magnolia Tribune
