Small New Orleans businesses in trouble

Yesterday, when interviewed on the radio about the need for New Orleans' small business owners to get grants and not loans, George W. Bush said "Don't count on grants." After the hurricane hit, there were a number of grants available for small business owners, but apparently, these have dried up, and there will not be much federal grant money forthcoming.

Small business owners, in many cases, experienced significant damage to their locations. Many have had trouble collecting insurance payments, especially for their business interruption claims. And in many cases, there are few customers or clients. Mayor Nagin, in his recent inaugural address, said of local businesspeople: "I hope they stay, but if they don't, I'll send them a postcard." Yesterday, a Times-Picayune columnist provided an address for Nagin to send one his postcards--to a woman with a small business who discovered she could not operate it without customers. Nagin's staff should look into getting a bulk discount on postcards.