Ike Vendors Still Waiting for Texas to Pay Hurricane Response Bills

The state of Texas has accrued $134 million in unpaid bills from emergency response to Hurricane Ike – and vendors want their money.

Jack Colley, the state’s director of emergency management, told the state Senate Finance Committee that he’s had to tell bill collectors they must wait for the bureaucratic process.

Sen. Steve Ogden, chairman of the committee, said the state should already have the authority to pay the bills from the deadly Sept. 13 storm.

“We are not broke; why aren’t we paying these bills?” Ogden asked.

“That’s a good question,” Colley responded, deferring to the office of Gov. Rick Perry. The governor’s office did not immediately return a call from The Associated Press.