Despite a state budget crisis and a crumbling national economy, Iowa legislators will nonetheless take on one of the most expensive problems in state history—flood recovery.
No one is sure of the price tag, but all agree it’s enormous. And it comes at a time when Gov. Chet Culver and legislators are facing a shortfall in the upcoming budget that could top $600 million.
“There couldn’t be a worse time for this to happen,” said state Sen. Wally Horn, D-Cedar Rapids. “So here we are. It’s just difficult.”
Officials estimate the state’s total damage from summer 2008 flooding and tornadoes at $8 billion to $10 billion. In the public sector alone, state agencies and non-profits estimate about $850 million in damage. The state puts statewide housing damage at about $900 million. And the state hasn’t estimated the damage to businesses.
The costliest hit was Cedar Rapids, where the city estimated $5.6 billion in total damage, a figure that includes the cost of continuing operations affected by flooding.
To offset some of the costs, the state has received about $1.3 billion in federal funding. About $85 million of the federal dollars will be used for a housing and small business.
The Rebuild Iowa Advisory Commission has offered 12 recommendations for lawmakers. Led by Iowa National Guard Adjutant Gen. Ron Dardis, the panel advised looking beyond the immediate crisis and considering how flood damage can be repaired in ways that build an infrastructure that will benefit Iowa for decades into the future.
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