In Mississippi, Poor Lag in Hurricane Aid

This is in today’s New York Times:

By LESLIE EATON
Published: November 16, 2007

GULFPORT, Miss., Nov. 14 — Like the other Gulf Coast states battered by Hurricane Katrina, Mississippi was required by Congress to spend half of its billions in federal grant money to help low-income citizens trying to recover from the storm.

But so far, the state has spent $1.7 billion in federal money on programs that have mostly benefited relatively affluent residents and big businesses. The money has gone to compensate many middle- and upper-income homeowners, to aid utility companies whose equipment was damaged and to prop up the state’s insurance system. Read more…

For Dollars & Sense‘s coverage of Katrina and its aftermath, see our special March/April 2006 issue on Katrina, and also The KatrinaRitaVille Express, in our September/October 2007 issue.