By Adam Studzinski
BLOOMINGTON – U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis (R-Taylorville) wants to see reform to the formula the Federal Emergency Management Agency uses to decide if cities hit by disasters get federal relief.
Davis said the current formula is flawed.
“We (Illinois) are punished because we are a large, very populous state,” said Davis. “But most of our population lives in the northeast corner of the state, while most of the disasters that take place in Illinois happen downstate.”
Davis pointed to cities like Washington and Gifford in 2013, and many of the areas hit with recent flooding, which did not qualify for federal money. He hoped to change the formula so FEMA can take more localized impact into consideration.
Adam Studzinski can be reached at adam.studzinski@cumulus.com.
