See Newsday
“The city is bankrupt, the last payroll was the last cash we had,” said Nagin, looking and sounding exhausted. “We have no money. … I can’t even make payroll for my police and fire [personnnel].
Nagin, who met with President George W. Bush earlier in the day, told the assemblage of state, city and school elected leaders that he hoped to find a way to pay all municipal employees through the end of the calendar year, but didn’t know how.
“Technically, today we are out of cash. By hook or by crook, we are going to pay our employees until the end of the year,” he said. “Then we are going to try to figure out what we can afford. That’s the intention.”
Yeah, but what are the intentions of those faceless ‘city fathers’ and heads of businesses and industries? The death of old New Orleans and a new New Orleans we won’t recognize. Only the beginning.
Excellent catch; thanks for bringing it to our attention. As you say, no surprise. There will be a federal bail-out, as there was for New York when it went bankrupt, but with all kinds of strings attached, and only for the things the administration and congress think merit funding: Police, fire, water and sewer. That’s probably as far as it goes. Other than that, too bad; it’s a job for private industry or private charity. Having literally drowned the government of New Orleans in a bathtub by their criminal negligence, they’ll recreate a “Neo Orleans” in the image and likeness of their god – Mammon. The poor need not apply for admission at the guarded entrances; their neighborhoods will be declared too environmentally toxic for rehabitation, although the “better” neighborhoods will be environmentally remediated – it’s a “worthwhile investment” to do so there. Business districts will be remediated – even if the companies don’t return, the empty warehouses and high rises will make fine condos and boutique hotels for the upscale residents, and visitors to Neo Orleans’ Disneyesque tourist sites. I wonder what will happen to the universities of Neo Orleans?
(“Neo Orleans” is a phrase someone used the other day in a diary; I find it more user-friendly to describe what the Republicans have in mind than “new New Orleans.)
Think there might be a bailout for industry,for the city and it’s citizens-nope.
is to rebuild some of the port.
Eventually they will discover they have to build some new slums to house the workers.
That is it.
Mostly, it will not get done. America is going to collapse first.