From Reuters:
The devastation of New Orleans has made the city a modern American tragedy to many, but billions of aid dollars about to flow may transform the city known as the “Big Easy” into a boom town.
Twisted houses, warped cars and boats closer to highways than water still define the Louisiana landscape more than nine months after Hurricane Katrina devastated much of the state, destroying 200,000 homes and killing more than 1,500.
But Congress has approved more than $10 billion aimed primarily at rebuilding housing in Louisiana, and state officials expect checks to start flowing to homeowners later this summer.
That is in addition to billions more from insurers to homeowners and other funds for rebuilding levees.
“This city is getting ready to take off,” said Ray Nagin, mayor of the city called the “Big Easy” for its slow way of life. “I think it is going to be the Big Easy on steroids.”
New people already are changing the face of the city, including a major influx of Latino workers who make up about half of the construction work force. Approximately half of the Latino workers are in the country illegally, according to a Tulane University study.
“A lot of Hispanics are coming because there is more opportunity and good pay,” said cleaner Karen Recarte, 28, who was born in Honduras and has been in New Orleans for four years.
At the same time, about half of New Orleans’ pre-storm residents are still evacuated, and it is not clear how many will come back.
That is your money folks! To top it off those “Latinos” are illegal aliens! Isn’t this fantastic! Let’s all have a lovefest, shall we?
**This was a production of The Coalition Against Illegal Immigration (CAII). If you would like to participate, please go to the above link to learn more. Afterwards, email the coalition and let me know at what level you would like to participate.
Recent Comments