No wait! The city and its citizens are 100% responsible for their safety against all threats - particularly the ones we know about. The fact that the Corps has dramatically dropped its engagement and commitment to our safety by renaming what was the flood protections system to the flood risk reduction system is evidence.
At this point no one is in charge and every one looks out for themselves as they see the threat. Groups like Forward New Orleans give the view that Katrina never happened and won't ever again. They appear to view growth as a high priority for the city than safety.
It would help to dispell this view if Forward New Orleans adopted a platform plank that stated a commitment to safety first and called for the new mayor to reverse putting growth before safety. This could be done by prohibiting buldings from being built or renovated below the Katrina high water mark and not use the politically negotiated Base Flood Elevation.
The BFE was unsafe before Katrina and less safe now. The Corps has withdrawn and the state is more concerned about wild life in wetlands than citizen safety.
Posted on Coalition pushing issues as New Orleans elections approach: An editorial on January 11, 2010, 3:09PM
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