As floodwaters recede in the Midwest, anger rises - Los Angeles Times

NEW HARTFORD, IOWA -- After the great floods of 1993 swamped this tiny town in eastern Iowa, Mike Luck begged the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to help protect it from future disasters.Corps officials responded that this community of fewer than 700 residents probably would have to chip in more than $1 million to help build the federally engineered levee system it sought, the former mayor recalled.  Unable to raise the funds, New Hartford built an earthen berm, which breached recently when Beaver Creek flooded, part of the widespread flooding in six Midwestern states."There was no way we could get that kind of money pulled together for a levee," Luck said. "It took this town more than three years of bake sales and barbecues to raise enough money for new playground equipment."It felt like the government was telling us, 'You're not big enough or important enough for us to spend our money to save,' " Luck said.
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As floodwaters recede in the Midwest, anger rises - Los Angeles Times