By Shelley Kofler, KERA News
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/kera/local-kera-928584.mp3
Dallas, TX – Candidate for Governor Bill White is questioning whether Governor Rick Perry did everything possible to get federal disaster aid for Texans affected by Tropical Storm Hermine. KERA's Shelley Kofler has more.
Seven Texans died and some 200 houses were destroyed when Hermine's tornado force winds blew through the state.
Governor Perry asked FEMA for some $6.8 million dollars in emergency aid for 13 counties including Tarrant and Denton.
But FEMA said the damage was not severe enough to warrant federal assistance.
During a campaign stop in Dallas, reporters asked Bill White whether the denial of funds might be the result of Perry's battles with Washington. White said he could work with both political parties, then questioned` Perry's effort.
White: The Governor if he took it seriously would have talked to the administrator of FEMA; would have talked to the secretary of Homeland Security and people within the White House and on both sides of the Congressional delegation. If that's what he did Rick Perry did those things then he did his job. If he didn't do those things he did not do his job.
The Governor's office says Perry's request for aid was in a letter to President Obama sent through the regional FEMA office.
The Governor's office says Perry may appeal the decision.