Word: californiaisms
(lookup in dictionary)
(lookup stats)
Dates: all
Sort By: most recent first
(reverse)
Once the remaining $73 million is gone, Palmer says California would turn to its general emergency fund, which totals $500 million. In signing the budget in July, Schwarzenegger made additional cuts in order to have half a billion dollars in reserves put aside for catastrophes such as fires and earthquakes. (See 10 things to do in Los Angeles...
...there is more than just the Los Angeles fire for the state to worry about. A string of major wildfires has hit California over the summer. Addressing reporters on Sept. 3, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger tried to sound reassuring, "Even though we have a budget crunch and we have an economic crisis and we just solved a $23 billion deficit, we will always have the money available to fight the fires because public safety is our No. 1 priority...
...state budget, Schwarzenegger kept the budget of Cal Fire, the state department of forestry and fire protection, roughly level at $518 million (which is used for salaries of the department) and doubled the emergency fund for wildfires from $69 million to $182 million. But with high summer temperatures, the California fire season is off with a roar and from July 1 to Sept. 2 the state spent $108.7 million. "We have literally burned through more than half of the emergency fire fund," says Department of Finance spokesperson H.D. Palmer...
Californians do not have to bear the full brunt of disaster, should it strike. Taxpayers across the nation share the cost of emergency responses to hurricanes in Florida, tornadoes in Kentucky and wildfires in California. When fires or other emergencies endanger property, states turn to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for grants of assistance that pick up 75% of the expense. Since July, eight California wildfires have qualified for FEMA assistance, says Palmer...
...array of firefighting expenses such as field camps, equipment use, repair and replacement, tools, materials and supplies and mobilization and demobilization activities." Stevens adds, "Since Aug. 28, Governor Schwarzenegger has requested and been granted five fire-management-assistance grants." He says FEMA will continue to work closely with California to make sure the state has the financial resources to combat wildfires. In short, if California is burned badly, it can turn to Uncle Sam for help to pay the bills...