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Friday, January 4, 2013

A Frustration Grows In Brooklyn

This Oct. 29, 2012 photo shows flooding in the streets around a Con Edison substation as the East River overflows into the Dumbo section of Brooklyn in New York during Superstorm Sandy.(AP /Bebeto Matthews)

This Oct. 29, 2012 photo shows flooding in the streets around a Con Edison substation as the East River overflows into the Dumbo section of Brooklyn in New York during Superstorm Sandy.(AP /Bebeto Matthews)

The U.S. House of Representatives has approved nearly $10 billion  is worth of aid for victims of Superstorm Sandy. Its the first phase of a proposed 60 billion dollar aid package for Sandy victims. One businessman anxiously waiting to see what the outcome brings is Anthony Giumenta, Sr. He’s president and founder of Architectural Grille, a Brooklyn, New York maker of high quality, custom grilles for ventilation systems whose business has been struggling since the storm hit on October 29th.

“The government says things, but it’s all talk, and no action.”
–Anthony Giumeta, Sr.

Giumenta says he lost six-to-eight million dollars when his computer-programmed cutting machines and all of his raw materials were damaged after salt water flooded his plant in the Gowanus section of Brooklyn. Mr. Giumenta had flood coverage, but he says his insurance company has so far refused to honor his claim, and despite applying for aid and contacting officials at the highest levels he says he has received no assistance from the federal government, the state of New York, the Borough of Brooklyn or the City of New York.

Guimenta tells Here and Now’s Deborah Becker that “The government says things, but it’s all talk, and no action. And that’s the sad part about our government. Here we are in January. What’s taken so long.”

Guest:

We welcome comments from all of our listeners. Post below. Please stay on topic and be civil. Comments may be moderated by us, but you are solely responsible for the content of your comments.

  • neburroak

    An idea for Anthony Giumenta regarding his insurance: is it possible to buy hurricane insurance; therefore you are not only covered from future storms, but when the insurance abysmally responds with “the wind knocked the door in”, you can reply “yep, and that is covered with hurricane insurance”. If there is no such thing as hurricane insurance, then their should be a national movement to add that to insurance policies.

  • http://www.facebook.com/jack.oad Jack Caspar

    THIS IS A GREAT COMPANY, AS, I’M SURE, ARE MOST OF THE BUSINESSES AFFECTED BY THE STORM.

     THEY MAKE A GREAT PRODUCT, DO IT LOCALLY, AND SHOULD BE HELPED TO GET GOING AGAIN.

    HOPE FOR GOOD NEWS FOR THEM ASAP

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