Thursday, January 2, 2014

To 2014, Hopeful Again, But Disappointment In the Air

The New Year brings hope, but does
disappointment linger in the air.
By Mark E. Ruquet

Me, like many others, are hopeful that 2014 will be the beginning of a better year than 2013. Then again, I said that for 2013 at the end of 2012, and said the same for 2012 at the end of 2011. My memory doesn’t reach back further at the moment, but I feel it's not a recent sentiment.

The reality is that as much as we hope life will improve in the New Year the issues that hounded us in the prior year haunt us into the new. It’s a question of resolving issues from the past and our hope that life takes an upswing. Yes, reality is a disappointment.

Taking stock of what the major issues facing us today, those of us in the fight against oppressive flood insurance increases have some positives on our side. Sen. Mary Laundrieu (D-La.) posted on her website an article from the Times Picayune that supporters of legislation to rollback the increases have adopted a new strategy to move the bill ahead after the Senate returns. Unfortunately, there is solid opposition from the Republican ultra-right that is seeking to deny Laundrieu any legislative victory as she faces re-election.

To say the least, this is a mixed message, with no guarantee of success. If the bill passes the Senate, it faces an uncertain future in the House where Republicans dominate. However, since numbers translate into votes, if we make our voices heard maybe we could bring legislators to their senses.

Consider this, NOAA’s State of the Coast map shows that more than 16 million people, five percent of the U.S. population, lives in coastal floodplain. More than 800,000 of that 16 million live in New York alone. Not all of those homeowners may buy flood insurance, but in the wake of Superstorm Sandy in 2012 and Hurricane Irene in 2011, many who received federal aid are required to buy flood insurance and face bankrupting rate increases. A vocal, committed chorus of homeowners should sway the majority of legislators to do the right thing and take a step back from this ruinous law.

In New York and New Jersey, for the most part, we can be confident that our legislators understand our predicament and are working to help us. Locally, one would think this is a no brainer and many New York City officials would be speaking out in support of homeowners. However, as many residents still struggle to get back into their homes or worry insurance rate increases will drive us away, Bill de Blasio was silent on the issue in his inaugural address.

As is the custom among politicians, an inaugural focuses on broad themes. Indeed, the mayor’s remarks focused on the inequality within the five boroughs and the promise the city can do better.

“We are called to put an end to economic and social inequalities that threaten to unravel the city we love,” said de Blasio, adding that he will take “dead aim” at seeing this come to pass, while acknowledging it will not be easy.

The mayor has grand plans. While we hope he moves the city to a better place, it would have been nice if he had reached out and remembered those of us who suffered one of the most devastating tropical storms to hit the Northeast in decades and are now victims of one of the most devastatingly shortsighted Congressional reforms in recent memory.  

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