Florida Weighs Billing BP More Than $1 Billion to Plug Fund Gap

[maddezmom]

Source: Bloomberg

Florida may send BP Plc a claim for more than $1 billion to close a budget gap after the largest U.S. oil spill as neighboring Gulf Coast states weigh their options.

Steve Yerrid, a Tampa lawyer chosen by Florida Governor Charlie Crist to advise him on legal issues concerning the spill, said the state may seek an initial payment in the “lower range” of billions of dollars to make up for lost tax revenue.

“We’re hoping rather than jobs being sacrificed or services to Floridians being lost, that we can develop some type of dialogue to get interim relief until state claims can be properly calculated,” Yerrid said in an Aug. 17 telephone interview.

States that filed claims for funds spent or revenue lost because of BP’s spill in the Gulf of Mexico would be joining idled fishermen and empty hotels struggling because tourists stayed away. Florida would ask London-based BP to pay it separately from the $20 billion fund the company set up to handle claims so the state doesn’t have to compete with its own citizens, Yerrid said.


Read more: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-08-18/florida-may-seek-emergency-bp-payment-of-more-than-1-billion-to-plug-gap.html

[dipsydoodle]

1. Would come out of the escrow fund

unless, possibly, it was a fine. That was the deal.

[dkf]

2. To fill a budget gap? I dunno.

All charges should be specific and accounted for not some money grab.

[Nihil]

3. "to close a budget gap"

Hopefully BP will tell them to go piss up a rope and hire better accountants.
(Preferably ones that encourage taxing corporations & the filthy rich portion
of Florida's occupants.)

> Florida would ask London-based BP to pay it separately from the $20 billion
> fund the company set up to handle claims so the state doesn’t have to compete
> with its own citizens, Yerrid said.

Sure. I'd quite like a free payment from a stranger to cover my budget failures
too so that my beer claims don't have to compete with my children's food ...

:eyes:

[aquart]

4. BP murdered their tourism industry. Make them pay for it.

Lotta taxes Florida didn't collect because hotel rooms weren't booked.

[Statistical]

5. Then you file a specific claim for a specific damage not hey we want $1 B because we are broke.

Floria suing BP for specific incurred damages = fine
Florida suing BP for $1B because they can't balance their budget = crap