Opinion

Letter To The Editor | Buffeted by Hurricanes; Flattened by Debt

To the Editor, The federal government is requiring we descend the proverbial rabbit hole and go further into debt to defray the cost associated with hurricanes Irma and Maria recovery. Government leadership should have rejected this offer. To do so would have required unity of purpose. It would not have been an easy decision and clearly not politically expedient. It would have required considerable community support for this tough decision. The upside of agreeing to the federal request is temporary and fleeting. It is highly unlikely federal financial assistance will address the extent of the recovery requirement. In addition, federal support will not solve the economic and fiscal problems we faced before Irma and Maria visited the islands. The bill for most disaster financial assistance, whatever that level of support, will have to be paid. And, the economic trajectory we are now on offers little promise that we will be in any better position to service that debt as it becomes due. Wh...