Officials ask for more federal flood help
Two weeks after President Barack Obama declared suburban counties that flooded last month to be disaster areas, top Illinois leaders are asking him to make additional federal money available for local governments, too.
The disaster declaration freed up federal grants and loans for homeowners and businesses.
Gov. Pat Quinn asked Obama in a letter for money to help local governments with the clean up effort, which was followed by a similar letter from the state’s congressional delegation.
“It is clear that these costs are beyond the means of state and local budgets and our counties need federal assistance to recover,” the letter from congressional members said, putting the flood damage at $40.4 million.
Included in the 25 counties for which aid was requested are Cook, Lake, McHenry, Kane, and DuPage counties.