A frustrated Ascension parish lawmaker wants to know why it’s taking so long to get temporary housing for flood victims. FEMA Coordinating Officer Gerard Stolar says 2-thousand flood survivors are still in hotels, and more than 15-hundred are in shelters. Gonzales Representative Clay Schexnayder says FEMA is not moving fast enough…
The Baton Rouge Area foundation is raising money for flood victims. Director of Communications Mukul Verma says companies around the region have donated about a million dollars to BRAF. He says 600-thousand dollars have been distributed to schools and education organizations to assist with new classroom supplies and restoring water logged schools.
State Treasurer John Kennedy told lawmakers today the one-cent increase in the state sales tax should be suspended for flood victims, even if it means calling a special session, and the comment upset New Orleans Senator JP Morell. Kennedy says Morrell is entitled to his opinion.
Morrell says Kennedy has been in government for years, and he should know that the state’s tax code just doesn’t allow lawmakers to immediately suspend a tax for certain people.
Tropical Storm Hermine has formed in the Gulf of Mexico. The storm is expected to pick up speed and intensity as it moves towards the Florida coastline. At this point, forecasters do not expect any impact on Louisiana.