My ex-boss would say on occasion, when things got really crazy work wise, "No rest for the wicked, and the righteous don't need it, by God."

Her oft-used phrase came to mind when I saw that, just when I think I'm done for the rest of the year, the Walking Id isn't.

In spite of City Council's precious decision to quash Nagin's plan to purchase the Chevron Building and relocate City Hall...he's doing it anyway.

How? By tapping a 200 million dollar fund called the Revolver Fund.

The Revolver Fund was set up by the state as seed money for insurance financed or FEMA financed repairs. The 200 million dollar fund was directed toward the city with the understanding that at the end of the recovery the money could be added to the $411 million dollar D-CDBG funds, bringing it up to a total of 612 million. The money was meant to speed the recovery process and it is essentially a reimbursement process with FEMA. The city must actually execute and pay for repairs, then they are reimbursed by FEMA.

Now the problem with that equation is that any money spent under the Revolver system must meet FEMA requirements for spending....the FEMA requirements state the money can't be used for new development...they can only be used for repairs of existing infrastructure.

Here's the problem...Nagin is trying to pass the purchase of the Chevron building off as a repair project and pay for it with Revolver money. That's bullshit. It's not a repair project, it's clearly a new development and once he spends city cash for the building the city will eventually...inevitably...be denied by FEMA in its attempt to tap the Revolver Fund.

Aside from just blatantly defying the decision of City Council, Nagin is putting us on the hook for untold millions....

Folks...this is insanity...Nagin is spending down money we don't have....

Unfortunately, the Chevron purchase won't have to come back before the council for approval because they don't have dominion over the Revolver Fund. However, council can introduce a new ordinance to forbid the purchase. The problem is they will need 5 votes to override Nagin's impending veto.

Now is the time to raise hell. Call your councilperson and demand they pass an ordinance to stop this purchase...and amend the 2009 budget to stop the allocation of monies which Nagin wrongly listed as "encumbered" with the D-CDBG funds.

Head to Dambala's and get your city councilperson's phone number and email addy to let 'em know how bad this is gonna be.

Our mayor's hurtin' on the recovery apparently knows no bounds.

He must not be sleeping well at night.

Still not getting the picture? Let E fill you in some more. A lawsuit against Nagin might well be a viable option here.