W000125
Tuesday, November 06, 2001 3:44 PM
September 11th funds
With regards to your request for comments, I respectfully submit the
following:
All claims for benefits should follow the traditional line of survivorship;
i.e., spouse, children, etc. and only if their well-being, care or income
has been directly effected by the tragedy. If parents or brothers and
sisters were being supported by a victim due to their age or incapacity,
they also would be included. On the other hand two persons who lived
together and both worked to maintain an apartment or residence would
therefore not be entitled to benefits as the single person is still
perfectly capable of earning a living. The only exception, in any case is
that all funeral expenses should be covered in the sum of $15,000. This sum
should adequately provide for all expenses including a church donation and
flowers if so desired . The sum of $15,000. should be given directly to the
next of kin, be it spouse, child, brother, sister or parent. If there is no
relative, funeral claims should be addressed to the administrator of the
fund by the funeral home providing such services.
I feel it is a horrifying concept to put a specific dollar value on the life
of an individual but solely in the interest of disbursing the funds which
have been allocated for this endeavor, please consider:
a) Precise calculation of the yearly income also including health
benefits generated by the victim at the time of the tragedy. Multiply by the
amount of years that person would have worked (retirement age) including a
yearly cost of living increase comparable to the cost of living increase
that was common to the date prior to September 11th. Amortize until the
Social Security age of retirement according to his/her date of birth. This
formula would be standard across the board. It might be prudent to consider
a maximum yearly income in order to level out the differences in salary
range as the employees at Windows on the World surely did not earn as much
as those in the Investment business. A cap might be decided after all
claims are considered.
b) A additional college fund has already been initiated by Bill Clinton.
The State of New Jersey has already offered free tuition to children or
spouses of victims. This should be the rule in the home state of each
victim's family. Additional funds should be held in escrow for children of
the victims to cover additional expenses incurred in attending school in the
total of perhaps $50,000. To give this money out up front would probably be
a mistake in that the funds may be spent for purposes other that which they
were intended especially in the case of infants and young children. This
money should be applied for at the time the child enters school with little
or no hassle.
c) A payment of X-dollars should be awarded each dependent family to
alleviate the anxiety and insecurity caused by the
immediate loss of income and financial well being. This in no way
should be considered a payoff benefit similar to
insurance payouts given at the time of death. The purpose is to
provide immediate assistance. It could be addressed
as a Financial Burden payout. (This amount should be determined by
the total sum of all claims however immediate
disbursement of a sum of $10,000 may be appropriate until all claims
are calculated)
d) All attorneys should be instructed to handle claims and provide
assistance to families without charge.
e) Crisis counseling should also be provided at no cost to all families
until such time that it is no longer needed.
All funds collected on behalf of the victims families by the Red Cross,
United Way, etc. etc should be distributed to the parties for which they
were intended. None of these charities should be redirecting these monies to
other projects. It was the intent of the public to donate this money to the
families not to the organizations. Someone needs to address this issue
before the funds disappear.
As far as whether those who receive charity should get further assistance, I
would propose that if the distribution is broken down into certain areas,
such as funerals, education, immediate financial aid and salary, the answer
to that question becomes clearer.
For instance if a surviving child receives a full scholarship from the state
in which he resides, he does not need the Federal government to pay for his
education. If funeral expenses are being paid by the Firemen's fund, the
family does not need the $15,000 funeral benefit from the Federal fund. The
X- dollars Financial burden payout should be standard in any case as should
the salary
income loss benefit .
As we approach Thanksgiving and the Christmas season, I think all concerned
will suffer additionally due to the absence of their loved ones at holiday
season. It is imperative these matters be at least partially settled by
that time. If the U.S. government needs help in the disbursement of these
funds, please ask. There are many of us that still want to help.
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