Texas should use rainy day money to help West

[sonias]

4. Texas should use rainy day money to help West

AAS Editorial 6/15/13

Texas should use rainy day money to help West
By Editorial Board

The city of West is having a rainy day. The state of Texas can and should step up and help the community rebound instead of pushing more responsibility onto the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which by most accounts has gone above and beyond to help West rebuild after a horrific explosion in a fertilizer factory.

Texas has set aside $2 million for West. But the state certainly is well positioned financially to cover far more of the town’s $34.55 million uninsured losses, which at this point do not qualify for additional FEMA aid. With at least $8 billion in the state rainy day fund, there is no reason to leave West families in the lurch. And it’s curious that Gov. Rick Perry now wants federal help and money given his well-publicized position in shunning federal aid for expanding Medicaid and some grants for other state programs.