Funding Cuts May Have Led to Current Levee Situation

It's slowly starting to be reported by credible news organizations that the Bush Administration approved a 44% funding cut in 2004 for New Orleans flood control, leading to an unfinished levee system.


Chicago Tribune PLEASE register FREE.
Washington Post
Los Angeles Times
Washington Post Some backpeddling here.

There seems to have been huge funding for Florida, another hurricane state, while much less was set aside for protecting a coastal region that was known to have the potential for large human and property loss. It's difficult to say whether these other projects are of a more complex nature, but it's safe to say that since the Lake Pontchartrain levees weren't completed or improved in time. Here is the breakdown of the Army Corps of Engineers' Civil Works Budget over 4 years.

Fiscal Year 2003 There is actually no mention of the New Orleans project.
Fiscal Year 2004
Fiscal Year 2005
Fiscal Year 2006