[StBernard] LA Citizens Surcharge

[Westley Annis]

JLY:
I was SHOCKED at the amount of the "surcharges", I assumed "surcharge" meant
like 100.00 or something.  This is flat out robbery in my book.  I expected
a hike in my HO policy, not exactly as much as it was but I actually could
have made some adjustments to our already suffering budget to handle that.
I feel that with the increases in HO policies, prices of gas, food, property
taxes, etc. that it should have been handled differently.  I for one can
barely make ends meet but we are managing (before Katrina we were doing just
fine), two kids in college with student loans piling up and 2 little ones at
home.  I think the amount is outrageous for a 1 year period and unfair to
push this on all of us who lost EVERYTHING!  Maybe charge 100.00 per policy
for the next 7 years, I would not like it but would rather have a little
shoved down my throat than everything all at once.  
About the state tax credit for the surcharges, my understanding and from
what I was told by a tax preparer is that you do not get reimbursed for
these charges, you get a credit for the assessments but not the entire
amounts you pay.  Now all of Louisiana's responsible HO policy purchasers
are bailing out a company that cannot even state to this day whether or not
they are in need of a bailout.  2 years of financial record losses so how do
they know just how much needs to be bailed out?  How is the surcharged
figured for each person?  I for one would NEVER in my life be able to afford
the mortgage I have now on our measly salary (decedt paying jobs lost due to
Katrina) if it were not for the low interest loan from SBA so why do they
assume that I can afford an extra 700 per year?  It may not seem like alot
to some people but on top of the HO increase and increase in EVERYTHING it
is putting us in a bad position financially.  I feel extremely sorry for
those who maybe purchased homes for the first time, single parent homes,
etc.   It makes me sick to have the state that I have lived in my entire
life shove there financial problems down its own citizens throats.  It is
wrong to make my elderly parents who are retired with high deductible
medical plans, suffer with this also.  Life was good prior to Katrina, house
I loved, wonderful neighbors, and I paid my bills and donated to many
charities both monetarily and personal time, my STATE did NOTHING for me or
my family.  How dare they invade our paychecks any further!  Sorry, I am
ranting I'm just very hurt, for my family and all who will endure unjust
financial hardship due to all of this.  thank you.
CA