WHEREAS, Hurricane Katrina displaced more than 800,000 New Orleans residents-the largest displacement of Americans since the great Dust Bowl migration that occurred in the Midwest during the 1930's; and
WHEREAS, It has been a year since the Hurricane Katrina disaster and many residents and businesses have not returned to New Orleans to rebuild their homes and businesses; and
WHEREAS, Residents and businesses will not rebuild unless they are confident that the levee system will protect them and their investment from future hurricanes including category 5 storms similar to Katrina; and
WHEREAS, The price tag for rebuilding a levee system to withstand category 5 hurricanes, including stronger and higher levees, better drainage canals and environmental restoration could run over $32 billion; and
WHEREAS, Some federal officials have complained that the cost of better levees will cost too much; and
WHEREAS, The $32 billion needed to rebuild a better levee system represents just 1.2 percent of the $2.6 trillion in federal spending planned for this year; and
WHEREAS, The cost is well below the $95 billion in tax cuts passed by the House of Representatives in 2005; now therefore, be it,
RESOLVED, THAT THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, Calls on the Federal Government to Rebuild New Orleans' Levees to Withstand Category 5 Hurricanes so that New Orleans' Residents and Businesses can be Confident and Secure in Making the Financial and Emotional Investment Necessary to Rebuild their Homes and Businesses; and
FURTHER RESOLVED, That a copy of this resolution be sent to President Bush and all members of the House of Representatives and Senate.
End