This tragic story is another example how the governor of Michigan and other local and state officials failed to take care of a problem that took place within their own borders. The water supply, tainted by lead has put a hardship on over 100,000 people according to the latest reports. Republican governor Rick Snyder said it is a disaster and took responsibility for the lack of early action. The news media reported that state officials attacked the findings of a pediatrician who first reported the problem.
President Obama ordered emergency federal aid and FEMA is in Flint distributing water and other supplies. And again that big bad federal government had to step in and fill the void left by the state. Governor Snyder estimated it would cost Michigan approximately $800,000 million to take care of the problem. And this writer would bet the state will ask the federal government to finance the cost. Why, because republican governors have promised not to raise taxes and they know they would have to raise taxes to cover the cost.
It is another prime example how states have mishandled environmental problems with in their own borders and how little thought is given to the health concerns of their citizens. We in Louisiana should be all to familiar with the failure of governors knowing the mess Jindal left the state in when he left office only a week or so ago.
This commentary written by Joe Lorio
