More Federal, State Help Coming Flint's Way During Water Crisis
FLINT (WWJ/AP) - More funds from both the federal and state government are headed to Flint.
The U.S. Small Business Administration is making more money available to Flint business owners affected by the city's lead-tainted water crisis.
The agency says it will direct $100,000 in loans toward Flint and make another $100,000 available for training and technical assistance to disadvantaged entrepreneurs.
SBA officials also will meet with money managers, private equity firms and banks to encourage fund managers to invest in small businesses in Flint as part of its disaster assistance for the city.
U.S SBA Admin. Giving $400,000 to SBA in Flint. She says "flint is open for business".@WWJ950 pic.twitter.com/3gxxZQgt9u
— Laura Teicher Bonnell (@LauraTbonnell) February 26, 2016
That and other help was announced Friday during a visit by SBA Administrator Maria Contreras-Sweet to Flint, a member of President Barack Obama's cabinet, who got a first-hand look at the state of things in the struggling city.
In handing over the check at the Flint Chamber of Commerce, Contreras-Sweet said Flint is "open for business."
Earlier this month, the agency approved Gov. Rick Snyder's request for low-interest disaster loans for businesses in the area.
On hand for Contreras-Sweet's visit, Pastor Geoffrey Hawkins, Prince of Peace Church in Flint, said rather than finger-pointing at the Snyder administration, he hopes everyone will focus on finding solutions to the crisis.
"Let's continue to just at least get the solutions that we need, and that's my concern," Hawkins told WWJ Newsradio 950's Laura Bonnell. "I know that the frustration cause people to, you know, cause people to do things or say things...but I at least want to be calm enough to say: Hey, until those things happen, you're still in office, you're still governor. We need to keep working on these things."
Also Friday, the governor authorized spending $30 million in aid to help Flint residents pay their water bills.
The plan will pay for 65 percent of the water portion of the bills. That includes water used for drinking, cooking or bathing. Residents will still have to foot the sewage portion of their bills. The Republican-controlled Legislature had shot down Democrats' efforts to double the aid to cover people's entire water bills.
Flint Mayor Karen Weaver said she considers this a good first step.
"You know, we're taking steps at a time," Weaver said. "But the situation that we're in calls for a lot more money, because we need some things to happen for the city of Flint and the residents that live here."
State regulators failed to require Flint to treat river water with anti-corrosion chemicals when its water source was switched in 2014, allowing lead to be scraped from aging pipes and into drinking water.
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