Stoughton Tornado - FEMA

"One of the many criteria affecting FEMA's decision is a standard that uninsured damages must exceed $1.14 per capita statewide, or a little more than $6 million -- an amount Wisconsin didn't quite reach the first time." (WSJ, Sep. 30, 2005).

As you know, our community's first attempt to get a presidential signature on a FEMA disaster document fell short. Although we suffered at least $47 million of verifiable damages, only around $5 million was labelled "uninsured" in round one.

This is why it is currently essential to do two things:

• If you were hurt by the tornado, send your final damage estimate, including uninsured losses, to your town or city government as soon as possible.
• Petition President Bush (202-456-1111 or comments@whitehouse.gov) and ask him to please not ignore our community's amended FEMA request.

Update (Dec. 20, 2005) - Sorry, the Feds denied the appeal.

(If FEMA's policy sounds like a strange way to run a railroad, be sure to check out a great letter about personal responsibility and FEMA from Colby Smith.)

"So Like, Do Ya'll Hate Bush, Er Somethin'?"

Like many long time residents, city/township officials and rank-and-file taxpayers, I was ticked off to see FEMA stiff-arm our request for a little help. So, I wrote my "Bush to Stoughton: Drop Dead" headline on this site's home page and caged it a bit on my FAQ page. Then I got these letters...and I just had to respond...

Fan Mail - Letter #1

After your comments regarding President Bush on your website, I hardly feel it necessary to again check this website or to put any status to the site. I think you need to check your facts as to the responsibility for the decision re. FEMA. - D.H.

Dear D.H.,

The facts are in. Even if you discount local media reports (NBC15 and WKOW27) that finger the current President, you should be aware that FEMA's own charts indicate that, when it comes to disaster declarations, the buck stops at the chief executive. If you need more proof, note that every approved FEMA disaster declaration (such as Wyoming's 2005 tornado) bears the president's signature.

Fan Mail - Letter #2

Sadly you injected politics ("Bush to Stoughton: Drop Dead") into an otherwise meaningful website. While your intentions were appropriate, your personal political viewpoint has no place in such a well-intentioned effort. I hardly think that President Bush said "drop dead," in fact, I doubt that he had anyhing to do with FEMA's decision. Accuracy of information is obviously not a part of your enterprise. I'm disappointed that you chose to follow the low road. - G.B. (before you ask, no, it wasn't George Bush)

Dear G.B.,

Perhaps a history lesson is in order. Back on October 30, 1975 the New York Daily News ran what may be the most famous headline of all time: "Ford to City: Drop Dead". "Drop dead!" is a Yiddish-ism and President Gerald Ford never actually said the words, but the headline accurately reflected how many New Yorkers felt about the fact that the federal government denied their request for aid in a time of crisis.

If you look at Stoughton's crisis, the federal reaction to it and the fact that so many people in the area are hopping mad about it, I'd say "Bush to Stoughton: Drop Dead" fits pretty well.

Fan Mail - Letter #3

The "Bush to Stoughton: Drop Dead" is a bit harsh. Tone it down or you're sleeping on the couch. - Your Wife

Honey,

OK, fine. Better?

FEMA Facts

Enough of that silly banter. I know you're interested if you made it this far, so let's talk seriously about FEMA.

Q: What, exactly, was the original FEMA request for?
A: The original FEMA request noted that all losses totaled about $47 million. However, the request was for uninsured losses and government expenditures. These numbers are probably closer to $5 million. ($5 million is, of course, but a fraction of the amount the area pays into the federal government each year.) I haven't obtained the official request (yet?), but FEMA's web site provides a good explanation of the kinds of aid (individual/government) that FEMA could provide.

Q: Did anyone get any help from the federal government after the tornado?
A: Not sure. If you know of anything the federal government has done to help, let me know and I'll post it here. Update (Nov. 19, 2005): The U.S. Dept. of Agriculture seems to be on the ball. Today the Farm Service Agency began to make disaster loans available to affected farmers in the Stoughton Area.

Q: Does the President really have a role in disaster relief designations?
A: Yes. According to FEMA's own materials, the president must approve disaster relief designations.

Disaster Standards

Q: Do many communities get FEMA help after a major tornado disaster?
A: Not really. As first reported on this site's FAQ, the only other place to get FEMA aid after a major tornado this year was a place out in Wyoming that featured a number of uninsured residents. A complete list of disasters that did get FEMA help can be found on FEMA's own web site. (However, you'll need to dig up actual losses for each disaster on your own) Update (Dec. 1, 2005): Two other federal disaster request for tornado aid from similar made it past FEMA before the end of the year. Indiana's Nov. 7 request sailed through with about 25 bodies to back it up. However, it's puzzling how Kentucky's Nov. 15 request made it through without any fatalities.

Q: Officially, what criteria are career FEMA people making their decisions on?
A: The biggest factor seems to be insurance coverage. If the people affected had little or no insurance, FEMA seems to step in more often. For better or for worse, our area is better insured than many others. A secondary factor seems to be a rough percentage of people affected. Stoughton and the townships are located in Dane County, which also contains the city of Madison and several suburbs. These extra population centers drove the percentage of people affected down because the disaster request was county-wide. A lower percentage of affected people makes it easier for FEMA to say "local taxpayers can eat this one".

Q: What criteria are the Bush administration and top FEMA bureaucrats making their decisions on?
A: By definition, these people are politicians or political appointees, so the most obvious criteria is political. I hate to say I was right, but back in the weeks after the tornado when so many people were rosy about getting FEMA aid, I made a prediction: no photo ops = no federal aid. Despite the fact that the Stoughton tornado led FEMA's one-page "Situation Update" on Aug. 19, 2005, the highest level FEMA or administration official to acknowledge the tornado disaster has been acting undersecretary R. David Paulison (according to the WSJ on Sep. 23, 2005). I would have preferred a standard-issue "Stah-ton, our prayers are with ya'" soundbite from G.W. the day after instead. Update (Dec. 20, 2005): After Michael Brown was drummed out, R. David Paulison took over as acting FEMA chief. Today Pauli repeated the administration's official "Stoughton, get bent" position; Merry Christmas to you too!

Q: Has FEMA provided aid after smaller tornadoes?
A: Yes. The Wyoming 2005 disaster declaration followed an F2 tornado (Stoughton's was an F3). In 2002 a Tennessee disaster was declared after 30 homes were destroyed (Stoughton lost 89). Also, in 2002, Indiana nabbed a disaster declaration after flooding and an F2 tornado that destroyed 32 homes. Update (Dec. 1, 2005): A Kentucky tornado that hit on Nov. 15 just got federal aid. About 150 buildings were destroyed and another 60 were heavily damaged, but there were no fatalities.

Q: Do you think the early television coverage of "golf course homes destroyed" hurt our FEMA chances?
A: I doubt it. First, it's unlikely that FEMA teams caught our local television coverage because they did not appear on site until the week after the disaster. It is possible, I suppose, that G.W. avoided mentioning Stoughton to avoid associating himself with "hurt-but-rich" people. but G.W. also laid low during the early part of the much more serious Katrina disaster, so I doubt public image would really would have been a factor. Regardless of the FEMA impact, however, I would say that the country club focus of some coverage did help form at least a few off-the-wall opinions.

State of Wisconsin

Q: Will the State of Wisconsin cover the cost of anything?
A: Yes, according to the CapTimes (Aug. 26, 2005), the state will likely chip in 12.5% of the uninsured or goverment costs incurred. It is unclear (at least to me), however, if the state will contribute this amount regardless, or only if a federal disaster is declared.

Q: What did the State of Wisconsin do to help after the tornado?
A: The extra state troopers that were stationed in the area after the storm and the state Department of Natural Resources crews and wardens were the most visible signs of the state's assistance after the disaster, but other resources were also scrambled to help us out. Recently there were some state grants awarded, but none in Stoughton, so far. According to NBC15 (Oct. 4, 2005), "Richland and Vernon Counties will receive an $821,810 grant from the Department of Commerce to help low and moderate income residents recover. ...58 homes, owned by lower income residents, were damaged. Many of those homes were underinsured or not insured."

Township Corner

The two worst hit areas were the Town of Dunn and the Town of Pleasant Springs. Pleasant Springs alone could be facing $940,000 of disaster costs and only has an annual budget of $900,000 to deal with the bill

Q: Can't Pleasant Springs just double the tax rate for one year?
A: No. First of all, there's a state tax cap that prevents the Town from raising township taxes more than $8,000 in the next year. Second, remember there is a lot of property out there that just got blown off the tax rolls, so you would likely need to do more than double the tax rate to get even.

Q: Could Pleasant Springs go bankrupt?
A: I don't know.