Is Gov. Christie Jeopardizing Receipt of Federal Sandy Relief Money?

AshBritt is the Tip of the $60 Billion Sandy Relief  Iceberg

Christie Rebuild Plans Are Inconsistent With Federal Policy

Will That Reduce NJ’s Share or Delay Federal Relief Money?

Is Christie Repeating The Race to the Top Fiasco?

“The risk is, as I said at the time, if you don’t use one of these companies who are experienced in dealing with FEMA paperwork and the FEMA bureaucracy, that if you don’t make your request right, you’re not going to get reimbursed” Christie said.  ~~~  Asbury Park Press, 2/28/13

Bob Jordan of the Asbury Park Press raises an interesting issue in his story today on the AshBritt  scandal: Watchdog: AshBritt towns don’t get funds faster

Jordan quotes an important point the Gov. made at his February 5, 2013 Union Beach press conference. Jordan wrote:

AshBritt officials promised more certainty in reimbursements and Christie concurred during a Feb. 5 news conference in Union Beach, saying he believed that was a good selling point for AshBritt.

“The risk is, as I said at the time, if you don’t use one of these companies who are experienced with dealing with FEMA paperwork and the FEMA bureaucracy, that if you don’t make your request right, you’re not going to get reimbursed,” Christie said.

The Gov. is technically correct!

If you don’t make the request correctly, you risk either slower or less than full reimbursement.

Gov. Christie knows all about that! He previously lost $400 million in federal education funding for exactly that reason.

But, that is no justification for AshBritt, however. Government employees can correctly fill out forms, you don’t need high priced $100 million no bid consultant contracts to political cronies.

More importantly, Gov. Christie’s observation about the risks of timely and full FEMA reimbursement are much broader, and apply to all federal reimbursements and all federal relief money in general.

If NJ does not make  the request correctly, then NJ may not receive its fair share of federal funds and the disbursement of funds may be delayed or reduced from the amount they could have been.

The $60 billion Sandy relief federal appropriations legislation requires that NJ submit plans to various federal Department’s, e.g. FEMA, HUD, et al for funding.

The federal Department’s must review and approve NJ’s proposed plans for the expenditure of federal relief funds.

If NJ’s rebuild plans are inconsistent with or in conflict with federal policy or regulations, then NJ may not get full federal money (e.g. more could go to NY, where former HUD Secretary Cuomo knows the inside game and is submitting plans that reflect Obama’s policy).

Or federal money might be delayed as federal agencies scrutinize NJ’s plans – or not provided at all.

For example, with limited funds available, the feds may choose to fund retrofit the NY subway system that serves millions of people every day, rather than Gov. Christie’s plans to build roads on barrier islands, or provide grants to businesses, or rebuild summer homes in dangerous locations.

I recently wrote about the specific Obama Executive Order and FEMA policies that Christie is ignoring – while Cuomo is shaping his plan to be consistent with federal policy, see:

We think that’s a real possibility that should be looked at closely by legislators and the press corps.

Of course, the AshBritt scandal itself – and NJ’s history of corruption and pay to play – is likely to increase scrutiny of NJ’s plans for federal money.