The Show-Me Institute , a St. Louis-based think tank, has released an opinion piece that is critical of providing relief to those who are victims of flooding.
The essay, written by Show-Me Institute intern Matt Simpson, raises concerns about what he calls the unintended consequences of flood relief. He concludes the expecation of relief spurs more home and business owners to locate in risky areas in the first place because they are relieved of the need to assume the risk.
Simpson says he has been affected by flooding while growing up, most recently during the flood of 1993 as the swollen Meramec River invaded his home. He and his family moved out.
He says when flood damage occurs, state and federal governments typically subsidize reconstruction through government grants and loans offered at subsidized rates, a practice that unintentionally sets the stage for worse devastation later on.
Download/Listen: Steve Walsh report (:60 MP3)
