Cantor vs Christie? Not really

House Minority Leader Eric Cantor has indicated that he wants the government to pay for FEMA disaster relief by cutting spending elsewhere.  Governor Chris Christie said that our people are suffering now and that relief should not be subject to political games.

Cantor and Christie are both right.

Republicans who want to stop the run away spending on Washington that is leading us to economic ruin only control one house of Congress.   They only have leverage over the Senate and the President in the event of an emergency, like when the debt ceiling must be extended or when disaster relief must be provided.

Those in the liberal media, like the Neptune Nudniks, who are critical of Cantor and the Tea Party Republicans in the House have no interest in reforming Washington’s ways.  They are part of the problem.

As a result of the debt ceiling agreement, the Democrats in the Senate and the President have already agreed to trillions in spending cuts to be identified by the end of the year by congressional super commission or huge cuts to the military budget and entitlements will be triggered.

Democrats in the Senate can avoid the “political games” and provide disaster relief by going along with Cantor and identifying cuts sufficient enough to cover the cost of relief now.

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5093 Still Without Power In Monmouth County

5093 Monmouth County customers are still without power as of noon on Friday.

Joan’s power at the Toll Bros Riviera in Freehold Township came on overnight, but she is not happy.  “JCP&L’s performance and communications were dispicable.  I hope the Governor does something about it,” said Joan.

132 customers are still without power in Highlands.   Meals will be distributed to Highlands residents without power this after noon between 3:30 and 6:30 at the community center on Snug Harbor Ave.  Mayor Frank Nolan will hold a public information meeting at the community center at 7PM.

Estimated Customers Out For
MONMOUTH County
As of Sep 2, 2011 11:56 AM

Total Out = 5093

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Keep Your Pants On

Gateway National Recreation Area advises that Gunnison Beach will be closed this weekend due to flooding.  All other Sandy Hook beaches are open, but you must wear a swimsuit.

Yesterday 28 acres of Gunnison were under water.

The structure in the photo is the concession stand, which was knocked over in the storm.

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Monmouth County Left Off Federal Disaster List

Kyrillos and Handlin Appeal For Monmouth County Relief

Governor Chris Christie requested that President Obama declare all of New Jersey eligible for federal disaster relief as a result of Hurricane Irene.  Obama  responded by declaring a “major” disaster in Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Morris, Passaic and Somerset counties.

Individuals affected by Hurricane Irene in those counties are eligible for grants and loans to cover temporary housing, home repairs, and other programs for individuals and businesses.

Governments and non-profits in Atlantic, Cape May, Cumberland and Salem counties can apply for cost sharing funding to repair or replace facilities damages by Irene.

Federal funding is available for hazard mitigation throughout the state.

FEMA said that damage assessments would continue throughout New Jersey and that other counties could become eligible for federal relief as the surveys are completed.

Senator Joe Kyrillos and Assemblywoman Amy Handlin both dispatched letters to FEMA Administrator Craig  Fugate urging that Monmouth County be added to the list of New Jersey counties eligble for federal funding.

“Last weekend’s storm wreaked havoc on the entire state, including Monmouth County, causing power outages, sever flooding and extensive property damage,” Kyrillos stated. “Public infrastructure such as roads and bridges were closed for days, families and businesses were without power and the extensive damage to trees, buildings and power lines will be a huge cost to the public. We need the same federal assistance that other New Jersey counties are receiving.

Published reports indicated that Monmouth Countysheltered 2,200 people in the Colts Neck, Holmdel and Wall high schools, and provided 4,500 meals. Governor Christie has also called on the President to declare that a major disaster area exists statewide in order to provide federal  financial assistance to governments, residents and businesses.

“I urge in the strongest possible terms that the Administrator of FEMA add Monmouth County to the list of New Jersey’s disaster areas,” Kyrillos continued. “This is an accurate designation given what residents, business owners and municipalities endured during this devastating storm.”

“Hurricane Irene’s damage was not limited to five counties in New Jersey,” Handlin, R-Monmouth, said. “Communities in Monmouth County suffered extensive damage to their roads and infrastructure. And, it has been quite costly to area residents and businesses who have gone several days without power.”

County roads also sustained major damage, including a sinkhole on Hubbard Avenue in Middletown that took out a portion of the southbound lane near the Shadow Lake dam.

Governor Christie requested a federal disaster declaration for the entire state on Tuesday and on Wednesday President Obama approved the declaration, and relief, for Bergen, Essex, Morris, Passaic and Somerset counties.

“Governor Christie has shown tremendous leadership throughout this catastrophe and the federal government has been willing to work with New Jersey as we recover,” Handlin said. “Federal officials have indicated they could include more counties in the disaster declaration and I urge them to add Monmouth County because our local communities cannot fix the damage inflicted by Hurricane Irene on their own.”

The Federal Government has set up a website that allows people to apply online for assistance: http://www.disasterassistance.gov

This website consolidates the application process across several Federal agencies, including FEMA and the Small Business Administration. The website also reduces the number of forms you will ultimately have to fill out, shortens the time it takes to apply and allows you to check the progress of your applications online.

If you want to apply by phone rather than the Internet, you can call 1-800-621-FEMA (1-800-621-3362).

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19,314 Still Without Power In Monmouth County

It was nice to wake up in air conditioning and not have to head off to Starbucks or McDonalds for power and Wifi.

I spent more time inside McDonalds this week since, well since ever.  I would have had to work at a McDonalds to have spent more time inside one than I did this week.  Perhaps it is an indication of the state of the economy.  Perhaps it is a indication of McDonalds’ recruitment and training. Perhaps it is an indication of my prejudices. Perhaps all of the above.  It seems to me that the people working at the McDonalds on Route 35 in Middletown and the one on Route 36 in Leonardo are decidedly more middle class than I expected.   They are friendly, articulate, accommodating and industrious.  No one asked me, “Would you like fries with that?”  I learned what a McFlurry is.

Governor’s Conference Call

Last night I was invited to listen into a conference call Governor Christie held with his cabinet and elected officials throughout the State.  Christie has been holding these calls at least daily since the days before Irene hit.

Despite the mixed reviews I had heard about these calls from several elected officials who had been on them during the week, I was impressed.

I am impressed with the quality of the team that Governor Christie has assembled to manage our State government.  Over the course of my career I have participated in or been privy too several executive level conferences in both the private and public sector. In very large enterprises and small.  Christie’s team stands out. They are extraordinarily competent and focused on getting the job done.

There was quite a bit of conversation about JCP&L.  Monmouth County is not the only place suffering with JCP&L’s inadequate and disingenuous response to the storm.  Mayor Timothy McDonough of Warren County’s Hope Township reported frustrations with JCP&L that are very similar to what we’ve experienced in Monmouth County. 

BPU President Lee Solomon recounted a conversation with JCP&L executives who asked him what more he thought they should be doing. “Tell your people to tell the truth,” Soloman said, “if your people are talking to a mayor or councilman, tell them the truth.  Don’t tell them what you think they want to hear or what you think will make them go away.”    Imagine that.

Christie and Solomon said they’d be talking further about JCP&L after the call last night.  Solomon said BPU was focused on getting all the power up and that JCP&L was on his radar for further work after the crisis has past.

Christie said that since Sunday the utilities have been restoring power at a rate of 8900 customers per hour.  JCP&L has obviously been dragging down that average.  Overnight last night they restored power at a rate of little over 1000 customers per hour just in Monmouth County.

The contrast between PSEG’s response to Irene and JCP&L’s response is like comparing the Yankees to the Mets.  Sorry Governor.

PSEG vs. JCPL

As of early this morning, PSEG has 15,000 customerswithout power in their entire service area.  There service area includes Bergen, Hudson, Essex, Union, Passaic, Burlington, Camden, Gloucester, Mercer, Middlesex and Somerset Counties.

JCP&Lhas 19,314 customers without power just in Monmouth County. They have 13,834 customers without power in Morris County, 9934 in Sussex County, 5941 in Hunterdon County, 6732 in Somerset County, 3643 in Union County, 3324 in Essex, and 3124 in Warren.  If I missed any…so did JCP&L.

A loyal MMM reader provided an antedotal contrast between PSEG and JCP&L:

My father was a construction super for PSE&G for 40 years.  I am literally first person in my family who came to this country who not to work for PSE&G— great grandfather when it was a trolly car company, my grandfather, my father and uncles, etc. all worked for PSE&G.  Every time there were events like this my father would be living in portable trailers at job sites for months at a time.  He always said JCPL sucked and never invested in infrastructure since they were bought by First Energy out of Ohio.  PSE&G would have to bail them out all the time.  PSE&G is a New Jersey company with more than 100 year history here.  Most of its employees all live here too. Note where First Energy’s executive’s live:  https://www.firstenergycorp.com/about/leadership_team.html.

That story is consistent with the graphic that greets visitors to PSEG’s website:

Contrast that to the lunatic who says he’s a JCP&L lineman that has been harassing me and Mike Halfacre in the comments here and on facebook.  I hope that rectum crater is not really a JCP&L lineman blogging during this crisis, but given the JCP&L response and the info he has given me to contact his union office, I wonder.  I’ll be contacting his union and continuing to delete is his comments here.

Estimated Customers Out For
MONMOUTH County
As of Sep 1, 2011 6:29 AM

Total Out = 19314

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Governor Christie On Federal Funding For Disaster Relief

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Third World Monmouth County

The sun is rising, the birds are chirping, and the sounds of generators fills the air as we start our fourth day without power in third world Monmouth County where 52,146 JCP&L customers still do not have power.  That’s electrical customer, not people.  Between residences and businesses that easily 400,000 people wearing dirty underwear and running out of the five day supplies that Governor Christie said to gather to prepare for the storm.

There is a shortage of water and ice.  Little to none is being trucked in, but sewage is being trucked out.

The American Red Cross served 500 meals at Middletown North High School last night.  Middletown.  One of Money Magazine’s best places to live in America.  Money should survey the the age and locations of the electrical grids of the communities it surveys in future years.

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Here’s Why We Don’t Have Power

“Two major JCP&L substations underwater “days” after the storm” ~ JCP&L

Since the storm ended Sunday, “days” after the storm would mean today.

Got these photos from JCP&L’s Hurricane Irene Gallery:

Who are the frickin idiots, there had to be several of them, who thought it was OK to put  TWO substations in locations were flooding was even a remote possibility and drainage takes days?

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Power Still Out For 92,451 Customers in Monmouth County

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Christie Updates On Hurricane Recovery

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