Mayor Bloomberg (Photo: Getty)

WASHINGTON -- Mayor Michael Bloomberg is in Washington D.C. today meeting with lawmakers and other officials about his request for billions of dollars in federal aid to help the city recover from the damage caused by Hurricane Sandy last month in New York. Though many City residents affected by Sandy have had some criticism about FEMA and the Department of Homeland Security's response to the storm, at a press conference in the Capitol Building this afternoon, Mr. Bloomberg said he didn't have a single issue with the federal followup to the hurricane. 

Mr. Bloomberg said his morning schedule in Washington included meetings with key lawmakers and "a long talk and lunch" with Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan, who is President Barack Obama's point person on the longterm rebuilding effort after the storm. The mayor gave his assessmentof the federal response to Sandy while discussing his meeting with Mr. Donovan.

"I did thank him for all the help we've received from Washington already including from the Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Emergency Management Agency," said Mr. Bloomberg.  "I will say that the support of both of those agencies was exemplary. And people kept asking me, 'Is there anything we could improve on?' And I had to say honestly, no, that I don't know one complaint. These people--both agencies have worked as hard as anybody could and as effectively as anybody could ask for."

Overall, Mayor Bloomberg, who was accompanied by Senators Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand, said the reception they received during their push for storm aid was "very good." Though he and the senators acknowledged the tight federal budget, he expressed confidence the City will get the aid he is seeking.

"There's every reason to believe that Congress will provide us with the assistance we need given New York City's importance to the health of the entire nation," the mayor said. "Consider this, we're just 2.6 percent of the nation's population, but we do generate 4.3 percent of America's gross national product."

(Photo: Getty)

Earlier today, Mayor Michael Bloomberg formally petitioned the federal government for billions of dollars in financial assistance to help cover the costs incurred from the fatal winds and storm surge that came with Hurricane Sandy last month. However, when he was asked about the request at the end of an unrelated press conference today, Mr. Bloomberg sounded skeptical that he'd get what he asked for.

"I'm always optimistic," he said this afternoon. "I always believe that we're going to win. I still think we're going to get that stadium on the West Side. I still think that we're going to get the 2012 Olympics. I'm always an optimist and never give in."

Of course, Mr. Bloomberg was joking about the two proposals his administration unsuccessfully campaigned for. This year's Olympics went to London the West Side Stadium plans were scuttled years ago.

Other elected officials also sounded concerned with how much federal aid will ultimately arrive.

“Make no mistake, this will not be an easy task, particularly given the impending fiscal cliff, and a Congress that has been much less friendly to disaster relief than in the past," Senator Chuck Schumer said in a statement. "We will work with the Administration on supplemental legislation, to be introduced in the upcoming December session of Congress, that will set us on the road to meeting New York's needs. This will be an effort that lasts not weeks, but many months, and we will not rest until the federal response meets New York's deep and extensive needs.”

President Obama speaking with a Staten Islander on Cedar Grove Avenue this afternoon. (Photo: Getty)

President Obama's trip to Staten Island today was filled with thanks from local elected officials and residents who praised him for showing up and for the government's response to Hurricane Sandy. However, there were also signs some Staten Islanders were dissatisfied with the aid they've received since the storm.

The president concluded his visit on Cedar Grove Avenue, which was heavily damaged by the hurricane. Several homes on the stretch of the block he visited were destroyed and marked with red signs indicating they were "unsafe" for entry. The sidewalks were caked with deep mud and, across from the podium where the president and other elected officials made speeches, the wreckage of a boat sat where it had washed up in the grass.

As the motorcade made its way to the speech site, we saw one resident holding a sign that said, "Thanks USA." A young girl wearing pink fleece "Hello Kitty" pants who stood in a group of people the president spoke with also had a sign, albeit one that expressed more complicated sentiments. It was a piece of cardboard that said "Help Us Obama Please Now!" on one side and "USA God Bless America" on the other.

Politicker was unable to hear what the president said to the group, but, whatever feelings they may have had about the government's response to the devastating storm, his words brought several rounds of cheers, as they did earlier in the day when he greeted residents at disaster relief tents near Miller Army Air Field. But, along with the applause, the afternoon event had something else in common with the president's appearance at the tents--the first and only resident we were able to speak with expressed dissatisfaction with some of the help they have received since the storm.

At the tents, a man named Al Bevacqua said "it seems like FEMA can’t do anything without the insurance companies," which he accused of putting him and other Staten Islanders "on hold." On Cedar Grove Avenue, just before the president spoke to the group we talked to a woman named Stacy Chifando who said she had suffered serious consequences from the storm and was disappointed with the help she subsequently received from FEMA.

"We just really want to get back on our feet and FEMA's not doing too much to help us right now," said Ms. Chifando.

She went on to explain that many of the residents had not received the funds for temporary housing they hoped to obtain from FEMA.

"They tell us we need computers, but there's no power. We don't have computers," she said.

Ms. Chifando told us the first floor of her home on nearby Sea Foam Street was "wiped out," her car was "totaled" and she still was without power or heat.

"But I have a house to return to and everybody's safe, so I really can't complain too much. People around here lost everything," Ms. Chifando said.

In the speech he made after speaking with the residents, President Obama praised local officials and government agencies for their response to the storm, but he also acknowledged there is still work to be done to repair the communities hardest hit by the hurricane.

"We are now still in the process of recovery. As you can see, as you travel around parts of Staten Island, as we flew over parts of--other parts of the city and the region that had been impacted, there is still a lot of cleanup to do. People still need emergency help. They still need heat. They still need power. They still need food. They still need shelter. Kids are still trying to figure out where they’re going to school," the president said. "So there’s a lot of short-term, immediate stuff that has to be dealt with. And we are going to make sure that we stay here as long as people need that immediate help. That’s FEMA’s primary task. And we’ll be coordinating closely with state and local governments to make sure folks are getting the short-term help."

To aid with this long-term recovery effort, President Obama promised he would "be coming back in the future  to make sure that we have followed through on that commitment." He also named HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan to serve as his "point person" on the rebuilding process.

"We thought it'd be good to have a New Yorker who's going to be the point person, and so. our outstanding HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan, who used to be the head of the New York Housing Authortiy, so he knows a little bit about New York and building, is going to be our point person," said President Obama.

Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Governor Andrew Cuomo, who spoke prior to the president, were unambiguous in their praise for the government's response to Hurricane Sandy, which Mr. Cuomo described as an "unprecedented federal presence and effort" in a powerful speech where he expressed  complete confidence New York will recover from the storm.

"Seventeen days ago, on October 29, everything changed for New York. Sixty New Yorkers lost their lives, tens of thousands saw their homes damaged or destroyed," said Governor Cuomo. "We must re-knit the fabric of tattered communities, we must rethink and redesign for the long term, because extreme weather, as we have learned, is the new normal. But we are New Yorkers, Mr. President, we are tough and we are resilient and we will overcome and we will be the better for it."

After the speeches, President Obama parted ways with the local officials.

"Alright guys, hang in there," he said.

Before departing in his motorcade, the president walked over to another group of locals for a final round of handshakes, photos and hugs.

"Hey everybody. Let me shake hands with some folks," he said. "How's it going everybody?"

At that point, we were ushered back into the press vans and were unable to hear their answers.

(Photo: Getty)

Although much of the attention has been focused on New York City, millions of Long Islanders were also caught in Hurricane Sandy's path, with tens of thousands of them still without electricity or a regular supply of gasoline. In a statement sent out this afternoon by Nassau and Suffolk counties' entire delegation in the State Senate, the local officials cried out for additional federal assistance. In doing so, they repeatedly raised the specter of Hurricane Katrina, the disaster that infamously marred former President George W. Bush's administration.

“We are facing a massive, Katrina-style disaster here on Long Island that will only get worse unless all of the resources of the federal government are at our disposal. Incredibly, that hasn’t happened yet,” Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos declared in the release, the title of which warned of "More Death and Destruction."

The senators all stressed the need for additional resources to rebuild homes and restore power, criticizing the Federal Emergency Management Agency for providing insufficient help as dangerously cold temperatures approach.

“Right now FEMA is doing a terrible job of disaster relief, but no one is talking about it," Senator Carl Marcellino said. "People don’t have homes, they don’t have food, electricity and FEMA is difficult if not impossible to get a hold of. We all thought lessons were learned after Katrina; we were mistaken.”

“It is clear we are facing a disaster of epic proportions," Senator Kemp Hannon added on. "I join in requesting President Obama to step up the federal response and to take whatever actions may be necessary.”

View the full statement below:

LONG ISLAND SENATE DELEGATION CALLS ON PRESIDENT OBAMA TO INITIATE MORE AGGRESSIVE FEDERAL RESPONSE TO SANDY

Region Facing “Katrina-style” Disaster, Spike in Crime, More Death and Destruction

Senate Majority Leader Dean G. Skelos and the members of the Long Island State Senate delegation today called on President Obama to initiate a swift and aggressive federal disaster response to assist those who have been severely impacted by Hurricane Sandy, saying Long Island residents are facing a “Katrina-style” disaster, a potential outbreak of crime and additional deaths.

Nearly two weeks after the storm brought destruction to New York, and particularly Long Island, hundreds of thousands of people still remain without power, and countless others will need to be housed and fed before they freeze to death in their own homes. The situation was made worse by a recent Nor’easter and local residents need immediate help in meeting their basic, everyday needs.

“We are facing a massive, Katrina-style disaster here on Long Island that will only get worse unless all of the resources of the federal government are at our disposal. Incredibly, that hasn’t happened yet,” Senator Skelos said.

Senator Charles J. Fuschillo, Jr. (R-Merrick) said: "Hurricane Sandy caused devastating damage on Long Island. Families and businesses across the Island are trying to rebuild and recover. Many have lost everything and are struggling to meet even basic needs. They need all the help they can get, and they need it now. Washington must immediately mobilize all the federal resources possible to help Long Islanders get through these trying times.”

Senator Carl L. Marcellino said: “Right now FEMA is doing a terrible job of disaster relief, but no one is talking about it. People don’t have homes, they don’t have food, electricity and FEMA is difficult if not impossible to get a hold of. We all thought lessons were learned after Katrina; we were mistaken.”

Senator Kenneth P. LaValle said: "Long Islanders need the resources of the federal government to help our residents and assist with clean up and restoration of infrastructure.”

Senator Kemp Hannon (R-Garden City) said, “It is clear we are facing a disaster of epic proportions. I join in requesting President Obama to step up the federal response and to take whatever actions may be necessary.”

Senator John Flanagan said: “Too many in our region are without housing and even more are without power. We need additional personnel now and better coordination on the ground before this bad situation gets even worse. I join with my colleagues in the Senate in calling on President Obama to utilize all Federal resources that will assist our residents and to coordinate with our State officials for the sake of our hard hit communities.”

Senator Jack M. Martins said: "We have residents and businesses that, more than 10 days after the storm hit, are still without power and still without heat during days when temperatures are falling. We need all of our residents and businesses to have their power restored so we can begin to rebuild what was lost. That means having a total commitment from our federal government to help us recover. The situation out there shouldn't be underestimated. We need the resources from the federal government and we need them now."

Senator Lee Zeldin (R,C,I-Shirley) said: "The devastation caused by Sandy requires the full commitment of assets to our region. As each day goes by, there is an intensifying threat to public health and safety in many areas on Long Island.”

Senator Owen H. Johnson said: “We need our federal government to act swiftly in establishing temporary housing for displaced families whose homes were either severely damaged or destroyed by flooding or fire. There are no motel/hotel rooms available in our area and families cannot be housed in emergency shelters long term. FEMA must make this a top priority as winter weather approaches.”

(Photo: Getty)

Hurricane Sandy, which wreaked havoc on good portions of New York State, clearly won't be cheap to clean up, and Gov. Andrew Cuomo has avoided giving a specific number to the costs.

In a letter to President Barack Obama requesting maximum compensation from the federal government, however, Mr. Cuomo said the loss of economic activity alone in the state would yield "up to $6 billion in lost economic revenue in the greater metropolitan area and the State due to the severe disruption of business in the world’s leading financial hub and the largest port on the northeastern seaboard." And that's just the initial estimate, as empty streets, damaged infrastructure and other storm-related consequences continue to take their toll on businesses and the tax revenue they would have otherwise generated.

View the full letter below:

October 31, 2012

The Honorable Barack Obama
President of the United States
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20500

Through: Ms. Lynn Canton
Regional Administrator
Federal Emergency Management Agency, Region II
26 Federal Plaza, Room # 1311
New York, New York 10278
Re: DR-4085
Federal Cost Share Increase
Dear Mr. President:

New York is requesting the maximum authorized federal reimbursement for federal aid pursuant to 44 C.F.R. § 206.47(b) and (d) in the response to and recovery from Hurricane Sandy in all of the federally declared counties in New York State. Under subdivision (d), FEMA is authorized to provide 100% reimbursement for Direct Federal Assistance and Category B emergency protective measures implemented in response to the hurricane. Under subdivision (b), FEMA is authorized to grant New York 90% of the eligible costs of permanent work.

As described in 44 C.F.R. § 206.47(d), “If warranted by the needs of the disaster, we recommend up to 100% Federal funding for emergency work under section 403 and section 407, including direct Federal assistance for a limited period in the initial days of the disaster irrespective of the per capita impact.” We have determined that the significant impacts from Hurricane Sandy plainly warrant providing this assistance.

Our counties are responding to the continued impacts of multi-building fires, tunnel closures, power losses to hospitals and other critical infrastructure, destroyed homes and sheltered populations - all in the midst of historic flooding that has complicated emergency response operations exponentially. Moreover, the cost to restore the complex electrically driven subway and rail transportation systems after total inundation from saltwater flooding will place a tremendous financial burden on New York State. The impact of this storm on thousands of small businesses is devastating and unprecedented. Initial estimates project up to $6 billion in lost economic revenue in the greater metropolitan area and the State due to the severe disruption of business in the world’s leading financial hub and the largest port on the northeastern seaboard.

This support is critical to ensuring that our State and local governments are able to respond effectively to the emergent and continuing issues associated with the devastation caused by Hurricane Sandy.

Should you have any questions, your staff may contact Steve Kuhr, the State Coordinating Officer[...]
Sincerely,
ANDREW M. CUOMO

(Photo: Getty)

We're officially in a state of emergency.

After signing emergency declarations for Maryland and Massachusetts, President Barack Obama did the same for New York this evening, effective across all 62 counties in the Empire State. The move, which allows federal aid to assist in response and recovery efforts, comes after Governor Andrew Cuomo declared a state of emergency Friday afternoon.

In a subsequent statement from Mr. Cuomo, the governor said, “Once again, I thank the President for his quick response to my request for a federal emergency declaration which will apply to the entire State of New York. We appreciate the federal government’s support as we continue to prepare for Hurricane Sandy.”

View the full release from the White House below:

The President today declared an emergency exists in the State of New York and ordered federal aid to supplement state and local response efforts due to the emergency conditions resulting from Hurricane Sandy beginning on October 27, 2012, and continuing.

The President's action authorizes the Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), to coordinate all disaster relief efforts which have the purpose of alleviating the hardship and suffering caused by the emergency on the local population, and to provide appropriate assistance for required emergency measures, authorized under Title V of the Stafford Act, to save lives and to protect property and public health and safety, and to lessen or avert the threat of a catastrophe in all counties in the State of New York.

Specifically, FEMA is authorized to identify, mobilize, and provide at its discretion, equipment and resources necessary to alleviate the impacts of the emergency. Emergency protective measures, limited to direct federal assistance, will be provided at 75 percent federal funding.

W. Craig Fugate, Administrator, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Department of Homeland Security, named Philip E. Parr as the Federal Coordinating Officer for federal recovery operations in the affected area.

Update (7:38 p.m.): A Response from Mr. Cuomo was added.

Declaring New York an official disaster makes federal funding available to affected individuals in the Albany, Delaware, Dutchess, Essex, Greene, Schenectady, Schoharie, and Ulster counties.

Assistance can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses, and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of the disaster, according to a release from the White House.

"I thank President Obama for his quick action granting New York a federal disaster declaration," said Andrew Cuomo in a statement. "The damage incurred by Irene has devastated communities in counties across our State, leaving many without homes and towns and villages without essential public infrastructure. All levels of government are working together to help New York recover and we will not stop until the job is done."

Federal funding also will be available to state and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations in every borough in the city but Brooklyn.

FEMA said that residents and business owners who sustained losses in the designated counties can begin applying for assistance tomorrow by registering online at http://www.DisasterAssistance.gov or by calling 1-800-621-FEMA(3362) or 1-800-462-7585 (TTY) for the hearing and speech impaired. The toll-free telephone numbers will operate from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. (local time) seven days a week until further notice.

According to David Weprin, Turner's Democratic opponent, this sudden interest in getting the federal government involved in disaster relief stands in stark relief to Turner's previous positions on the size of the federal government, and indeed, to his position on the role of FEMA.

They passed along the following video in which Turner says at Juniper Park Civic Association debate against Anthony Weiner in 2010 that FEMA shouldn't have assisted in the clean-up from the tornado that damaged Queens that year.

“Despite the fact that Bob Turner is calling for federal disaster assistance, the voters can’t trust him to follow through to make this much-needed help a reality. Just last year he said this funding shouldn’t exist,” said Weprin. “Bob Turner’s Tea Party plan to cut the budget by one third makes it impossible to fund this disaster relief, to keep Medicare afloat, and to provide health care benefits to 9/11 volunteer first responders. Bob Turner is lying to voters when he says he supports these programs.”

Ironically, the Juniper Park Civic Association debate is the same one that Weprin pulled out of earlier today.

The role of the federal government during disasters has been a tricky one for small-government conservative. Earlier this week Ron Paul said that the federal agency created too much dependency on the federal government.