Got an extra $4 billion, who should pay to rebuild the WTC

[dr.strangelove]

Now that the insurance litigation has been resolved, who pays the balance of the cost to rebuild the WTC site must be decided.
Estimates for the total project cost are $8-12 billion. The feds and Port Authority are putting over $1 billion towards the transportation center/hub. There remains $7-11 billion in outstanding costs. After the insurance litigation, which concluded yesterday, the insurers will pay between $3.55 and $4 billion. Who pays the remaining $3-8 billion.

Here is my question. Should the federal government pay kick in $3-8 billion to rebuild the WTC?

[Scooter24]

1. Not sure..

But I hope this project gets going soon.

If NYC wins the 2012 Olympic Bid (Which I hope they will), I would like to see these buildings completed before the start of the games.

[ejcastellanos]

2. The owners of the new buildings

No, the federal government shouldn't pay for the reconstruction of these buildings. If it does, to whom would the rent monies go to when collected?
Who collected on the insurance settlement? Was it the Port Authority? If the buildings are to continue to be owned by the Port Authority then that organization should produce the funds.
My, I admit incomplete, understand was that the WTC was owned by the Port Authority. I think I'd rather see the Port Authority continue to own the property and facilities. But in these days of privatization we'll probably see the winner of the next 'Apprentice' building Donald Trump's WTC theme park on the site.

[dr.strangelove]

7. Silverstein had the insurance

Silverstein Properties signed a 99 year lease. As part of the lease, Silverstein was responsible for upkeep of the buildings. Silverstein purchased 3.55 billion in insurance (hardly enough considering his own people put a 7 billion value on teh building before he finalized the insurance). Under the lease, Silverstein is entitled to the rents and is responsible for returning the WTC to the Port Authority at the end of the lease. The PA is not seeking to get the same building back that they rented, but they do expect the same square footage and amenities.

While Silverstein didn;t buy enough insurance, he also has agreed not to bankrupt US Air and American, along with the Logan Airport and the City of Boston, with the lawsuit he could have brougth.

The long and short is that the fed is going to face these costs and get little in return other than keeping the two largest air carriers flying and the Port of Logan Airport in business.

[Kanary]

3. If there was any justice, * and Condi would pay the tab

[Mr.Green93]

4. Bill BushCo

[KansDem]

5. The House of Saud...

After all, 75% of the 9/11 terrorists were from Saudi Arabia, yet the US doesn't bomb the hell out of that country; Osama bin Laden is accused of having masterminded the attack, yet he remains free while the US goes after someone else; the House of Bush got bin Laden's family members out of the US during the hours following the attacks without subjecting them to American investigation or interrogation, yet Bush sets up his rape rooms in Iraq to "question" Iraqi POWs; and, it appears moreso every day, BushCo knew something was going to happened and did nothing to stop it.

I figure a few billion would be a bargain to the House of Saud...

(edited for clarity)

[seabeyond]

6. you know what the f

i am saying running business running a household budget...........wtf

spend spend spend. adn screw anything that is goingt o make our foundation stronger, like infrastructure, schools or healthcare

lets just throw our money away again and again.

i am one pissed off liberal at the bush spending. anyone hear tightening a belt. do without.