Gov. Gavin Newsom has asked Congress for $39.7 billion to help the Los Angeles County area recover from January’s wildfire destruction.
“Los Angeles is one of the most economically productive places on the globe, but it can only rebound and flourish with support from the federal government as it recovers from this unprecedented disaster,” wrote Newsom in an appeal to the leadership of the House of Representatives.
The Los Angeles Times reports the total economic loss from the disaster has increased to more than $250 billion, with real estate losses from the Palisades and Eaton fires predicted to reach $30 billion. A total of 16,251 structures were destroyed across a combined 37,400-acre stretch of the Pacific Palisades, Malibu, Pasadena and Altadena markets.
Newsom’s request includes $16.8 billion from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, mostly for rebuilding property and infrastructure, with $5 billion budgeted for debris cleanup. The governor is also seeking $9.9 billion from the Department of Housing and Urban Development in grants to fire victims, homeowners, renters and businesses; $5.29 billion from the Small Business Administration for homeowner and business loans; $4.32 billion in recovery grants for local governments from the Economic Development Administration; and $2 billion in low-income housing tax credits from the Internal Revenue Service.
Furthermore, Newsom is asking for $432 million to rebuild and repair water infrastructure; $350 million for wildfire resilience efforts on federal lands; $101 million for transportation infrastructure; and $36 million for low-income home energy assistance. He also wants the Small Business Administration to raise its maximum loan limit for home reconstruction from $500,000 to $2 million.
“Make no mistake, Los Angeles will use this money wisely,” Newsom stated.
Newsom’s letter did not acknowledge threats by the Trump administration to link potential conditions for the aid. The governor thanked the White House for fast-tracking fire debris removal and for its commitment to rebuilding the area.
“We are eternally grateful,” Newsom wrote. “And we are confident that if we work together, Los Angeles will continue to serve as a beacon to the world and securely place the city on solid ground in the coming years as it hosts the FIFA World Cup and Olympics — and thrive for the century to come.”
Photo by Gage Skidmore / Flickr Creative Commons
Let me guess………Newsom and Bass will oversee the expenditure of the money??? I don’t trust that the money will where it is suppose to go!!!
I dont trust them either…ANY money for wildfire aid needs to be handled by third party auditors and distributed the same way licensed contractors get paid..some up front to start the job..and distributions as the project goes thru rehab. Big mistake to just hand over money to the state !!
Say “NO.” Had he prepared for this it would not have happened. Trump told him 5 years ago to fil the gully with water. Instead, he funneled it out into the Pacific Ocean. Stupidity will pay. Take it out of your savings or ask your Aunt Nancy Pelosi.
The American people will be up in arms for Newsom’s stupidity.. California is not the only state in the United States. Whoever voted you in need to have their heads examined. What an ass!
Spot on!!!!
Gosh, this sounds great. The same people that allowed the underbrush grow while letting the reservoirs run dry, the firefighters go home, and refused to staff the firefighters or fire prevention, are NOW asking the rest of us to fund their ignorance (greenie crazies?). How much did we send to Florida and North Carolina to repair the damage caused by floods that could NOT be prepared for? Please, don’t throw our good tax dollars away to a state that will not take responsibility for their self made catastrophies.
Don’t be a jackass!! Did you personally see the underbrush growth? How is that possible for houses that burned on the beach? I did not know that brush can grow in sand.
And no, I am not a Newsom supporter.
Exactly…
ONLY with strings attached. An administrator who is vetted. DOGE California and require them to open the books. Require proper voting. Remove the illegals off our healthcare (Newsom granted $9B to their healthcare) and remove their voting registrations it’s in the millions. No rail train scam. Remove sanctuary status. The list goes on…
It is a sanctuary state. Los Angeles is a sanctuary city. No federal funds go to them. Reap what you sow.
The American taxpayer is not interested in bailing out and subsidizing the incompetent politicians (Newsom, Bass, et al) and idiotic leftwing policies (i.e. environmentalism, DEI, etc.) that allowed the LA area wildfires to destroy so many homes and lives.
The vast majority of the recovery costs should be paid by the CA voters who elected these idiots and keep supporting the leftwing extremism that is responsible for disasters. Keep electing leftwing idiots and you’ll keep suffering the consequences of their bad policies.
Newsom should step down!
LOL, not one dime for CA after what the Democrats did to the people of Western NC and for that matter, what DOGE is exposing: Crime Inc. Newsome, you are vile even for a Democrat.
YES!!!
I concur Steve
Truly, how have people supported Newsom? He isn’t using the budget as identified. Homelessness plus companies leaving the state due to lack of government caring about their community. Waste of the high-speed railway. Fire maintenance? Water availability. Not taking care of CA people on so many levels. Shame on Newsome.
Gavin Gruesome and Krazy Karen are corrupt, vile, evil criminals and should be investigated and locked away from the rest of society since this was all planned to allow fires to run rampant as people died, lost their homes, no water available, no firefighters, no mayor, etc. can we read the writing on the wall? criminals!!!!!!!! Yes, doge them, email the whitehouse (believe me they listen). We live in WA State the other corrupt criminal political state!! no repub. governor in 40 years. Continue to pray for justice in our states holding these evil politicians accountable. We need to see many go to jail. It’s part of a bigger plan of the global elites!!!!! Soros, the “committee of 300”, gates and sadly, many bad corporations! They aren’t all the same but look at the WEF members! Klaus Schwab, “you will own nothing and be happy”. Burning down people’s homes it one way. sickos!
Love all these remarks, and not $1.00 to LA. Grusome Newsom and Bass are both so incompetent leaders and hopefully Californians have woken up to this fact. We already know that Grusome Newsom lied about how much land they did clean up, so where did the rest of the money go? And Bass knew 2 days before she left as they were warning all city officials and the citizens. The only thing they know is to blame everyone else but themselves.
We The People is correct, they a vile!
CA needs changes for sure but asking money for their own mistakes, that is a big NO. There should be an investigation on how they spend the money, the Governor should step down and California citizens need to wake up. Look at Florida, 2 hurricanes and back to business. It shows you how important is to have a good leader.
We can’t trust you with the money you already have. There is no way you should be given more tax payer money to steal. A terrible fiduciary should not be given more, especially if they are a public servant.
What a joke!! Let’s hope the answer is a big fat NO!!
NO to Newscum.
These fires were purposely set.. and ignited via direct energy weapons or smart meters or underground wires..
This was planned to create 15 minute smart cities..where you will own nothing and be happy…round these traitors up and send them to Gitmo for crimes against humanity