Mayor's Support Seems Tepid for Aid After Storm

Mayor Bloomberg is offering only a lukewarm public endorsement to the idea of pursuing a federal disaster designation for areas of the city dealing with damage from the Category 2 tornado that touched down earlier this month. While federal law puts the burden on states to request a disaster declaration from the White House, Mr. Bloomberg has never been shy about using his bully pulpit. Yesterday, however, he didn't seem to be fully on board the bandwagon of elected officials aggressively pressing to secure the federal designation, which would bring in federal money for residents and businesses that suffered damage. When asked whether he wanted the area struck by the tornado to get disaster designation, Mr. Bloomberg said: "I think from the governor's point of view he certainly has to ask."

He then went on to say that there were no "real injuries and a limited number of houses destroyed." Neither point bolsters the case that the area should qualify for federal money.

Mr. Bloomberg's comments come a week after Governor Spitzer formally asked for the disaster designation. Senators Clinton and Schumer and Reps. Vito Fossella, Anthony Weiner, and Joseph Crowley have all publicly endorsed the federal designation. Last week, Mr. Fossella wrote to Federal Emergency Management Agency requesting the decision be "expedited."

"Having toured Staten Island and Brooklyn on the day of the tornado and in the time since, I can tell you that residents are in need of help to recover," he wrote. A spokesman for Mr. Bloomberg's Office of Emergency Management, Andrew Troisi, noted that the city requested that a federal team tour the damaged areas. He said it is protocol for the state to request the disaster designation.

"We support any measure that will provide assistance to residents who suffered property damage as a result of the severe weather," Mr. Troisi said.

City Council Member Vincent Gentile said that from what he's seen, the city seems to be backing the push for the designation. Still, he said he plans to call the mayor's office in the next two days if no federal declaration is made. "It certainly wouldn't hurt if we heard from the mayor again."

According to FEMA, New York State ranks fourth nationwide when it comes to major disaster declarations. Since the World Trade Center attacks, the only other federal disaster designation in the city was for Staten Island after April's nor'easter.