If I'm reading this correctly, Texas is already getting $61 million in FEMA funding for fires.

[Lone_Star_Dem]

I don't think this includes money for our current fires, it reads as if it is only for our previous fires this year and last, but from what I can glean Rick Perry's Texas is sucking pretty hard on the ol' Federal funds.

The Texas Forest Service was appropriated $117.7 million for the 2010-2011 fiscal period, which ended Aug. 31.It was appropriated $83 million for 2012-13, according to the agency.

Those regular budget appropriations, however, don’t include $121 million in supplemental spending for the agency also approved this year by lawmakers.

Ogden said the supplemental money was to cover bills incurred in 2010 and 2011 for fighting fires. That figure has since grown by $61 million, after subtracting FEMA-eligible reimbursements, according to the Forest Service.
http://blog.chron.com/rickperry/2011/09/perrys-stand-against-taxes-meant-significant-cuts-to-forest-service/

That sure looks like Texas is taking $61 million in federal money from FEMA to me. :shrug:

Anyone else want to give this article a read and see what they think?

[muntrv]

1. But...but Ricky hates big gubmint!

[jtrockville]

(duplicate post removed)

[jtrockville]

2. I don't read it that way, but it's really unclear.

Looks to me like the original $121 million isn't $121 million anymore. It grew by $61 million + an amount that FEMA will reimburse Texas for. So Texas has kicked in $182 million + FEMA kicked in an unstated amount.

/speculation

[Lone_Star_Dem]

3. I saw that as a possibility as well

It's so poorly worded I'm not sure.

[jtrockville]

5. Chron.com has something interesting from May '11

It's mostly Perry (via a spokesperson) whining that the Feds weren't bailing him out sufficiently:
http://blog.chron.com/txpotomac/2011/05/fema-texas-already-getting-maximum-help-to-fight-wildfires/

/hypocrisy

[Lone_Star_Dem]

6. Yep, that was before FEMA expanded the counties and coverage

Perry was having a fit at the thought of having to dish money out of his "rainy day fund." After that FEMA went ahead and expanded the coverage to pretty much every fire that took place over that period of time in Texas.

They just added another county to the list on Sept. 2.
http://www.fema.gov/news/newsrelease.fema?id=57608

Here's the full list of counties qualifying for FEMA fire reimbursements from our previous fires.
http://www.txdps.state.tx.us/dem/documents/recovery/dr1999_declared_matrix.htm

[jtrockville]

7. As of July 1st, FEMA estimated $27.5 million

http://www.fema.gov/pdf/news/pda/1999.pdf

Surely it's gone up since then, but I can't find anything more current (other than the list of counties, which you posted).

[Lone_Star_Dem]

11. Most of the claims haven't been processed yet on the added 8 counties.

There won't be information on those yet. Then there's the 25 FEMA wildfire grants Texas received prior to these which are separate and in addition to these grants.

http://wildfiretoday.com/2011/05/05/texas-has-received-25-fema-grants-for-fires-this-year/

I saw where the total FMAGs (Fire Management Assistance Grants) approved for the state this year now total 52 as of today.

By the time you add it all up, we're talking about some real money here. Especially when you consider we're looking at a 75% return on the cost of each of these fires to the state.

[blogslut]

4. Perry can kiss my ass

By the end of March 2011, 300 million acres of Texas land had been burned up by wildfires and what was this guy doing? Running around bitching about border control.

[bluestate10]

8. Texas is collecting ANOTHER $61 million. The total amount seems to be

$182 million in supplemental spending and $117.7 million that was appropriated under regular budget procedures. My total comes out to $299.7 million during this year and last.

[spanone]

9. billions in stimulus says all i need to know....hip-o-crit

[SoCalDem]

10. 61 ,million to a state that refuses to implement a state income tax and a state that CUTS

fire protection services..

Kind of like a drug addict who spends all "their money" on drugs, asking for help on the rent money...

These same right wingers begrudge poor people assistance money because they "might" buy contraband with it, and want them all drug tested, but they see nothing wrong in starving their own states of money and then begging all the rest of us for a handout.

[Scurrilous]

12. K & R

:thumbsup: