State & National

Report warns Amendment 3 could strain local hurricane recovery budgets if FEMA cuts aid

A Florida Policy Institute report finds that if Amendment 3 passes and FEMA reduces its share of hurricane recovery costs, some Florida counties — including Bay, Sarasota, and Taylor — could see most or all of their annual budgets consumed by storm cleanup expenses. FPI Visiting Fellow Ethan Frey cited an estimated $3 billion in additional costs to the state just from the five largest recent storms, based on recommendations from the President’s FEMA Review Council. The analysis raises concerns about whether local governments could absorb costs that federal disaster assistance no longer covers.

Sources: WCJB TV20