Well, they didn’t use those words exactly, but the Trump Administration says Minnesota must pay from its own coffers; federal taxpayers are not responsible for the mess politicians instigated and the riots they failed to control in Minneapolis.
Federal government denies Minnesota’s request for aid to clean up, rebuild in Twin Cities
The federal government has denied a request from the state of Minnesota for a disaster declaration and accompanying financial support, to help clean up and repair fire damage from unrest following the police killing of George Floyd.
Governor Tim Walz (boo hoo!)
Gov. Tim Walz’s office said it received the denial on Friday, eight days after Walz had submitted the request. A Federal Emergency Management Agency spokesperson said the agency had determined the damage was something local and state governments could handle on their own.
In a letter to President Trump on July 2, Walz had noted more than $15 million in damage and cleanup costs that could be eligible for federal reimbursement.
The state has estimated total damages at more than $500 million.
Hundreds of buildings were looted, damaged or destroyed by fires in the Twin Cities, primarily in Minneapolis and St. Paul, after Floyd was killed on May 25.
“The governor is disappointed that the federal government declined his request for financial support from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to help Minnesota rebuild after civil unrest damaged public infrastructure and caused extensive fire damage in the wake of George Floyd’s death,” Walz’s spokesperson Teddy Tschann said in a statement. “As we navigate one of the most difficult periods in our state’s history, we look for support from our federal government to help us through.”
In making the request for help, Walz had noted that the financial challenge had been made even harder by the impacts on the state budget from the cononavirus pandemic. A projected $1.5 billion budget surplus in February was soon wiped out by a projected $2.4 billion revenue shortfall, he wrote to in the request to President Trump via FEMA.
In a statement provided to MPR News on Saturday, a FEMA spokesperson said:
“After a thorough review of Minnesota’s request for a major disaster declaration from extensive fire damage as a result of civil unrest in late May and early June, it was determined that the impact to public infrastructure is within the capabilities of the local and state governments to recover from. The governor has 30 days to appeal that decision.”
Rep. Emmer to Trump: Do not give Minnesota any money without a full investigation of how this level of destruction was allowed to occur.
The federal government’s denial of the request from Walz, a Democrat, came a day after Republican U.S. Rep Tom Emmer of Minnesota sent a letter to Trump and other federal officials raising questions about the request.
While not stating opposition to Minnesota receiving federal money, Emmer asked that — in the wake of Walz’s request — the Trump administration “undertake a thorough and concurrent review of my state’s response to the violence.”
Emmer wrote that if federal money helps pay for cleanup and rebuilding, the government “has an obligation to every American — prior to the release of funding — to fully understand the events which allowed for this level of destruction to occur and ensure it never happens again.”
Slightly changing the subject, there is a new book publishedon how immigrants turned Minneapolis, a dying WHITE city of the 1970s, into the wonderfully diverse and vibrant city it is today.
Catholic and Lutheran refugee resettlement agencies come in for praise for helping to save the city from a “death spiral.”
8 thoughts on “MN Governor Begs for Federal $$$ to Clean Up Minneapolis in Wake of Riots”
Thankfully, the President told him no….that mayor is like a spoiled child who has finally had the hammer dropped….let’s see if he throws a major tantrum…stick to your Guns Mr. President!
THANKS TO PRESIDENT TRUMP AND TOM EMMERS, WALZ IS NOT GOING TO BULLY OUTSTATE MINNESOTA WITH HIS LIBERAL AGENDA. FIRST THE MAYOR FREY AND WALZ SHOULD RESIGN AND THEN ALL WHO DAMAGED AND CAN BE IDENTIFIED, INCLUDING THOSE WHO TURNED THIS INTO A RAMPAGE AND PILLAGE, BE CHARGED AND LEVIED DAMAGES PERSONALLY, INCLUDING THE NATIONAL FIGURES WHO STEPPED FORWARD TO INSTIGATED. THANK GOD, SOMEONE OUT THERE CARES FOR US. SUE BLM, SPLC, ACLU AND ANYONE ELSE WHO CAME OUT IMMEDIATELY TO CAUSE THIS PAIN ANS SUFFERING. WE’VE SUFFERED THROUGH CV-19 IN THIS STATE ALREADY, WITH WALZ, AND DID NOT DESERVE THIS OR DID THE REST OF THE NATION.
I live in Minneapolis and I am absolutely heartsick at all the destruction that has happened here. The focus has been on the south side of the city, which now looks like a war zone but there are burned buildings in my neighborhood, the north side. Other parts of the city and parts of St. Paul have been hit as well. Will Minneapolis ever come back? How long will it take? Despite all that, I agree that Minnesota should not get ANY federal funds for clean up. Walz and Frey just sat back and let this happen!
They can use the money that they took from the Police Dept. We the Federal Taxpayers do not want money going to MN.
Hello Ann,
President Trump denying MN Governor aid and clean-up money caused by the May-June riots is yet another reason to VOTE for President Trump in November!
QUESTION: Has the state of Nevada asked / applied for the same type of assistance?
On May 30 downtown Reno, Nevada suffered several hundred thousand in damages to buildings and other structures because of the riots – which included the City Hall Building (one of Reno’s tallest buildings).
I had to go to City Hall on July 2nd – I saw some of the damage myself. That part of downtown Reno looks like a “war zone” – and you wouldn’t believe the detours everyone entering City hall has to go through – including of course the Covid-19 Check Point.
Dave
I don’t know the answer to your question about Reno, if they did ask for money I would think the local paper there would be reporting.
These politicians need to be held responsible for their inaction’s during the riots! Their constituents need to fork over their tax dollars for electing an impostor for Governor!
Thankfully, the President told him no….that mayor is like a spoiled child who has finally had the hammer dropped….let’s see if he throws a major tantrum…stick to your Guns Mr. President!
THANKS TO PRESIDENT TRUMP AND TOM EMMERS, WALZ IS NOT GOING TO BULLY OUTSTATE MINNESOTA WITH HIS LIBERAL AGENDA. FIRST THE MAYOR FREY AND WALZ SHOULD RESIGN AND THEN ALL WHO DAMAGED AND CAN BE IDENTIFIED, INCLUDING THOSE WHO TURNED THIS INTO A RAMPAGE AND PILLAGE, BE CHARGED AND LEVIED DAMAGES PERSONALLY, INCLUDING THE NATIONAL FIGURES WHO STEPPED FORWARD TO INSTIGATED. THANK GOD, SOMEONE OUT THERE CARES FOR US. SUE BLM, SPLC, ACLU AND ANYONE ELSE WHO CAME OUT IMMEDIATELY TO CAUSE THIS PAIN ANS SUFFERING. WE’VE SUFFERED THROUGH CV-19 IN THIS STATE ALREADY, WITH WALZ, AND DID NOT DESERVE THIS OR DID THE REST OF THE NATION.
I live in Minneapolis and I am absolutely heartsick at all the destruction that has happened here. The focus has been on the south side of the city, which now looks like a war zone but there are burned buildings in my neighborhood, the north side. Other parts of the city and parts of St. Paul have been hit as well. Will Minneapolis ever come back? How long will it take? Despite all that, I agree that Minnesota should not get ANY federal funds for clean up. Walz and Frey just sat back and let this happen!
They can use the money that they took from the Police Dept. We the Federal Taxpayers do not want money going to MN.
Hello Ann,
President Trump denying MN Governor aid and clean-up money caused by the May-June riots is yet another reason to VOTE for President Trump in November!
QUESTION: Has the state of Nevada asked / applied for the same type of assistance?
On May 30 downtown Reno, Nevada suffered several hundred thousand in damages to buildings and other structures because of the riots – which included the City Hall Building (one of Reno’s tallest buildings).
I had to go to City Hall on July 2nd – I saw some of the damage myself. That part of downtown Reno looks like a “war zone” – and you wouldn’t believe the detours everyone entering City hall has to go through – including of course the Covid-19 Check Point.
Dave
I don’t know the answer to your question about Reno, if they did ask for money I would think the local paper there would be reporting.
These politicians need to be held responsible for their inaction’s during the riots! Their constituents need to fork over their tax dollars for electing an impostor for Governor!