Months after Hurricane Helene wreaked havoc on the region, the communities that were affected are still dealing with the consequences of the hurricane.
They are now seeking financial assistance from the state to help pay for the ongoing expenses. Governor Bill Lee has declared a special legislative session, and one of the possible solutions being considered is the allocation of more monies for disaster relief.
Rob Mathis, the mayor of Cocke County, stated that the money would be extremely important for the county. He explained that they would significantly alleviate the financial burden of paying for the repair bills that were incurred after the hurricane in September caused catastrophic flooding.
“We will sleep a lot better, because that will provide a much clearer path forward for us, especially financially,” Mathis stated.
The expenditures of recovery in Cocke County are enormous, with estimates ranging from $140 million to $160 million to repair the damage inflicted by the hurricane. The county has been putting up a lot of effort to rebuild, but the costs are too much to handle.
“We have a path forward. That’s the most important thing. We have a path forward to be able to see prosperity and recovery on the other side, and that makes all of the difference. That’s what helps me to sleep at night,” Mayor Mathis stated.
The storm has also caused Unicoi County to encounter a number of serious problems. Jimmy Erwin, the director of the EMA, emphasized the seriousness of the situation in the county, pointing out that the region would be severely affected if there were no additional funds.
“Our county doesn’t have that kind of money put back. It would totally bankrupt us,” Erwin stated.
Erwin stated that the county’s expenses for repairing the damage could amount to approximately $50 million, and an additional $75 million would be required to rebuild hospitals, industries, and residential properties.
Governor Lee has put forward a proposal to allocate $240 million to the current disaster assistance fund in reaction to the substantial damage.
This would lessen the burden on local governments by lowering the local contribution cost from 12.5% to 5%. Additionally, the proposal allocates $110 million expressly for Hurricane Helene relief and another $100 million for a future emergency fund to help with future disasters.
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Erwin stressed that the funds designated for his county would be essential for financing a number of important recovery initiatives, which would allow them to restore critical infrastructure and services to their inhabitants.
“The money the governor is talking with is the initial cost that we have moving debris while we were still searching for people. It will help incur some costs we’ve already incurred,” Erwin stated.
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The state believes that Hurricane Helene inflicted around $1.2 billion in damage, which emphasizes the significant challenges that local governments will face in the future and the necessity for considerable financial assistance. On January 27, a special parliamentary session will begin.
This will be an important time for politicians to talk about not just the attempts to provide assistance to those affected by the hurricane but also other urgent matters, like education vouchers and illegal immigration.
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