In his Sunday column, Cedar Rapids Gazette Editor Steve Buttry said leadership has been lacking at all levels of government in response to the natural disasters that devastated the state last summer, leaving citizens out in the cold and on their own as they try to rebuild their lives.

Local leadership is non-existent, Buttry contends, and Gov. Chet Culver and legislative leaders proved they are not much better when they decided not to call a special legislative session shortly after the flooding.

They feared that making state money available would mess up our chances for federal aid. Or maybe a swift state response, accompanied by strong leadership demanding a swift federal response, would have underscored the urgency of the problem.

Instead, nearly eight months after the floods, the Legislature last week approved less than 1 percent of the need.

Culver today signed a $56 million flood relief package. In a press release last week, Culver said more than $1.5 billion in state and federal aid has gone towards rebuilding Iowa since last summer. Officials estimate the total damage from the summer flooding and tornadoes at $8 billion to $10 billion.

Buttry also takes issue with Iowa’s senate delegation.

Senators Tom Harkin and Chuck Grassley have more than a half-century of experience combined in the U.S. Senate. What good is that experience if they can’t deliver better federal aid more swiftly than they have following the worst natural disaster in their state’s history?