Outgoing President Joe Biden has announced that the federal government will cover 100 percent of the costs for the initial recovery efforts in Los Angeles following the devastating wildfires that continue to ravage the city. While many on the left will hail this as a much-needed gesture of support, this move raises serious concerns about the growing dependency on federal funds, especially as local governments, like California’s, continue to struggle with their own fiscal mismanagement. This latest handout may only reinforce the culture of entitlement and lack of accountability in states that fail to prepare for natural disasters adequately. While the residents of LA undoubtedly need help, this move could be seen as another example of the federal government stepping in where local leadership has failed, further expanding the reach of an already bloated bureaucracy.
Biden said the funds would be used for 180 days to remove debris, build temporary shelters, pay first responders, and much more. He insisted that California officials should "spare no expense to do what they need to do” despite the state’s leadership failing to manage its forests and infrastructure properly. Critics argue that California’s overemphasis on environmental restrictions and lack of proactive fire prevention measures have created the perfect storm for these recurring disasters.
“The cost of the debris cleanup is gigantic, gigantic. The cost of replacing the housing is almost exponential," Biden added. "Anybody can give you a number now, they have no idea what they're talking about. It's big, big, big. I'm going to make an appeal right now to the United States Congress. They're going to have to step up when we ask for more help to get people the kind of – they need, to get the kind of help they need. Because it really does matter.”
People affected by the wildfires could access the major disaster declaration immediately to receive funds and resources “to jumpstart their recovery.”
Biden promised to “continue to spend -- sending everything, literally every resource we can find” to help put out the fires that have so far killed ten people.
