Millions of Tax Dollars Spent on Hotel Stays for Katrina 'Victims'
(BILOXI, Miss.) Oct. 30 -- For the bulk of American families, day to day life is strained by the rising price of food, gas and utilities. But, as you cutback, you're also paying for others day to day expenses. Hundreds of families are getting a free stay at a hotel, many with beach front views and free meals three times a day. But all of this is not free for you. In fact, you've paid millions for storm victims to slowly get their lives back together after Hurricane Katrina. NBC 15 is asking the question: has FEMA become the new welfare system?
It was the nation's worst natural disaster. Hurricane Katrina killed more than 1,800 people and caused $81 billion worth of property. It was the storm that brought the Gulf Coast to its knees. But in the days following the hurricane, a bungled recovery effort created a public relations disaster for the federal government and its emergency management agency. Soon thereafter came a solution: an almost endless flow of money to hurricane victims.
While many used hurricane relief to rebuild their lives and their communities, some never moved on. In part, because the hurricane relief keeps coming.
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