CNN.com: Mayor: New Orleans 'piled it on' for $77 billion lawsuit

[jpillian]

http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/03/03/katrina.claim.ap/index.html

NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana (AP) -- Only $1 billion of the $77 billion the city is seeking from the Army Corps of Engineers is for infrastructure damages it says it suffered because of levee breaches during Hurricane Katrina. The rest is for such things as the city's tarnished image and tourist industry losses.

The city "looked at everything and just kind of piled it on," Mayor Ray Nagin said.

"We got some advice from some attorneys to be aggressive with the number, and we'll see what happens," he said.

New Orleans has joined big business and thousands of homeowners in filing claims seeking compensation from the corps for damages sustained when the levees broke during the 2005 storm, flooding 80 percent of the city.

The claims allege poor design and negligence by the corps led to the failure of flood walls and levees.

The city attorney's office also considered such things as "decreases in the city's image, tourist industry activity and potential business industry, losses in the tax base and generated revenue, and a decrease in the city's overall population," in making the assessment, according to a statement from City Hall.

A spokeswoman for the mayor could not explain how the city quantified losses not tied to infrastructure. A 43-page form filed with the corps, reserving the city's right to sue for $77 billion, also provides little insight. It does not quantify "loss of tax revenue," for example, and supporting documents for city-owned properties, such as a police crime lab and libraries, omit any estimates of property values of flood-related damages, The Times-Picayune newspaper reported Saturday.

I think that's just great. So, bottomline, the city of N.O. believes they deserve an additional $77 billion from their fellow countrymen. :doh:

[TradeTheBeal!]

http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/03/03/katrina.claim.ap/index.html

I think that's just great. So, bottomline, the city of N.O. believes they deserve an additional $77 billion from their fellow countrymen. :doh:

Compare it to the expense of the Iraq occupation for some perspective.

[Teller]

I'm getting just a touch sick of New Orleans. They're becoming the City of Cindy Sheehan.

At first, we were all shocked by the devastation, grieved for our fellow countrymen, and wanted to do anything we could to help.

Then, those of us who looked beyond the liberal talking point of "The Bush Administration's failed response to Katrina" learned that the governor of Louisiana and Mayor Nagin decided not to evacuate, and did nothing to facilitate any kind of exodus.

Then there's the whole "chocolate city" fiasco where Nagin exposes himself as a racist......and gets re-elected. Those people made their choice. He let them down on Katrina, called Ground Zero "just a big whole in the ground," and he's a blatant racist. But when it comes to an extra $76 million dollars of my "vanilla money," then that's OK.

Now the SOB is looking for punitive frigging damages to be leveled against an act of God. At this point, Mr. Nagin, cry me a river, sir. Cry me a freaking river.

You had the sympathy and support of an entire nation in your time of need. If you're beginning to find that sympathy and support rapidly diminishing, sleep well in the knowledge that you, sir, single-handedly pissed it away.

[jpillian]

Compare it to the expense of the Iraq occupation for some perspective.

Edited: I see the connection you're making, but fail to see the point of it.

From now on, I guess whenever the taxpayer is getting fleeced, we can no longer protest because greater fleecings have occurred.

[TradeTheBeal!]

Edited: I see the connection you're making, but fail to see the point of it.

From now on, I guess whenever the taxpayer is getting fleeced, we can no longer protest because greater fleecings have occurred.

I didn't say that any "fleecing" had occured. My only point was that if Iraq is worth a $400-500 billion investment, I can see why New Orleans might feel like they're worth 15% of that or so. That's all.

[Zen-like Todd]

If you believe Wikipedia, there are between 200 and 275 thousand people living in New Orleans.

At 77 billion, that's between 280 and 385 thousand dollars PER PERSON! You could buy every person (not every family, every person) a house somewhere else for that much money.

THAT'S JUST FOR THIS LAWSUIT! It doesn't count the billions upon billions in federal aid and manpower/resources.

Give me a freaking break.

[Larry]

Then, those of us who looked beyond the liberal talking point of "The Bush Administration's failed response to Katrina" learned that the governor of Louisiana and Mayor Nagin decided not to evacuate, and did nothing to facilitate any kind of exodus.

Um, I agree with the rest of your post, but this particular part really jumps out at me.

The city did evacuate, and their evacuation not only met, but well exceeded their expectations.

They expected that they'd be able to evacuate 80% of the population, and they actually achieved something like 95%.

The reason for the perception of no evacuation (aside from the mutual political finger-pointing and "blame game") is that their plans define "evacuation" as getting people out of their homes and into secure centralized locations, like the Superdome, where rescue efforts could be concentrated.

(The plans also included the knowledge, in advance, that the Superdome roof might well fail (but that, if that happened, people could still take shelter under the seating area, in the ramp and concession areas), and that it might flood (but that people could simply move up the ramps to higher levels)).

But I do agree, for example, that they've wasted the goodwill they had.

[Teller]

The only hard number I could find was 80%, and that was Nagin's estimate in a USAToday article from last year. I'm not sure I can trust or respect much of anything from him.

Your point about the misinformation on both sides is a good one though. Sadly, even a human tragedy on our own soil these days becomes a rush to take credit and avoid blame by both parties. I hope someday we actually get back to the American ideal of just helping your neighbor.

[PokerPacker]

The only hard number I could find was 80%, and that was Nagin's estimate in a USAToday article from last year. I'm not sure I can trust or respect much of anything from him.

Your point about the misinformation on both sides is a good one though. Sadly, even a human tragedy on our own soil these days becomes a rush to take credit and avoid blame by both parties. I hope someday we actually get back to the American ideal of just helping your neighbor.

it will take the will of the people to vote in politicians who actually care about the people instead of politicians with big pocketbooks. so in other words, it won't happen anytime soon.

[Teller]

it will take the will of the people to vote in politicians who actually care about the people instead of politicians with big pocketbooks. so in other words, it won't happen anytime soon.

Another sad statement on the state of affairs. When I was 17, I believed we all COULD just get along.

[Cskin]

When Blanco and Nagin begin to look inward and take responsibility for their actions in the wake of the storm.... than my "goodwill" will come back. Blaming everything on Bush and FEMA, in the face of the largest and most powerful hurricane to hit the country in 30 years and the utter destruction brought upon the largest area in US history... makes me sick to my stomach. Couldn't be that the FED was overwhelmed by the magnitude of the storm... it was... per Kayne West.... because Bush doesn't care about black people. Eff New Orleans until they take a little responsibility for adding to the destruction via corrupt politiicians who have taken advantage of LA for years.

[Jaded-Dragon]

I'm getting just a touch sick of New Orleans. They're becoming the City of Cindy Sheehan.

At first, we were all shocked by the devastation, grieved for our fellow countrymen, and wanted to do anything we could to help.

Then, those of us who looked beyond the liberal talking point of "The Bush Administration's failed response to Katrina" learned that the governor of Louisiana and Mayor Nagin decided not to evacuate, and did nothing to facilitate any kind of exodus.

Then there's the whole "chocolate city" fiasco where Nagin exposes himself as a racist......and gets re-elected. Those people made their choice. He let them down on Katrina, called Ground Zero "just a big whole in the ground," and he's a blatant racist. But when it comes to an extra $76 million dollars of my "vanilla money," then that's OK.

Now the SOB is looking for punitive frigging damages to be leveled against an act of God. At this point, Mr. Nagin, cry me a river, sir. Cry me a freaking river.

You had the sympathy and support of an entire nation in your time of need. If you're beginning to find that sympathy and support rapidly diminishing, sleep well in the knowledge that you, sir, single-handedly pissed it away.

:applause: Whole heartedly agree.

[cjcdaman]

When Blanco and Nagin begin to look inward and take responsibility for their actions in the wake of the storm.... than my "goodwill" will come back. Blaming everything on Bush and FEMA, in the face of the largest and most powerful hurricane to hit the country in 30 years and the utter destruction brought upon the largest area in US history... makes me sick to my stomach. Couldn't be that the FED was overwhelmed by the magnitude of the storm... it was... per Kayne West.... because Bush doesn't care about black people. Eff New Orleans until they take a little responsibility for adding to the destruction via corrupt politiicians who have taken advantage of LA for years.

:applause: I think this is the first post of yours that I have ever agreed with, and I TOTALLY agree with this one.

[hkHog]

When Blanco and Nagin begin to look inward and take responsibility for their actions in the wake of the storm.... than my "goodwill" will come back. Blaming everything on Bush and FEMA, in the face of the largest and most powerful hurricane to hit the country in 30 years and the utter destruction brought upon the largest area in US history... makes me sick to my stomach. Couldn't be that the FED was overwhelmed by the magnitude of the storm... it was... per Kayne West.... because Bush doesn't care about black people. Eff New Orleans until they take a little responsibility for adding to the destruction via corrupt politiicians who have taken advantage of LA for years.

For real! **** them! At least a little gratitude would be nice. Yes, something awful happened but they have had more than enough help. I guess some people just can't be weaned off the government.