OFFICIALS WAITING TO RECEIVE FEDERAL HURRICANE ACCOUNTING

Mississippi is still waiting to hear from the federal government what its share of the Hurricane Katrina recovery efforts will cost according to Buddy Bynum, a spokesman for Gov. Haley Barbour.

States are required to pick up part of the cost for certain types of disaster assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, including repairs to state infrastructure, efforts to minimize future damage from flooding or storms and some home repairs for individuals.

“The bottom line is, we don’t know yet,” Bynum told the Biloxi Sun Herald. “It is something of a moving target, and some elements of the formula are still being determined.”

Sen. Tommy Robertson, chairman of the Senate Finance Chairman Tommy Robert-son, told the Sun Herald that state leaders have been told that Louisiana’s hurricane losses and expenses are about 1.5 times Mississippi’s. That means Mississippi, which has a budget of $4.6 billion, could easily receive a bill of $1 billion to $2 billion for its share of relief.

“That’s one reason we were so cautious about anything we spent in special session,” Robertson, R-Moss Point, said. “Before we start committing to too many other things, we have to see what our bill is.”

Robertson said that a bill before Congress to have the federal government pick up the state’s share of Medicaid for one year would help.

“Gov. Barbour is trying to get that passed,” Robertson said. “That would give us a little over $500 million. If that came through, and some other things, we would be in pretty good shape.”