Seattle mayor seeks more quake relief

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Seattle Mayor Paul Schell is asking the Bush administration for $57 million in additional funds for earthquake relief.

Schell has requested $10 million to restore damaged housing, $10 million to repair low-income housing and homeless shelters and $7 million to restore historic buildings from the Housing and Urban Development.

He also asked for $30 million to help retrofit or replace the Magnolia Bridge, which has been closed since the Feb. 28 quake.

The money would be in addition to funds from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which generally covers 75 percent of disaster-related damage to roads and other infrastructures.

Schell met with White House chief of staff Andrew Card and HUD Secretary Mel Martinez on Thursday and Friday. He said they were positive but did not immediately respond to his requests.

"The proof will be in the pudding, but the signs are green," Schell said.

The city sustained $216.2 million worth of damage in the quake, according to preliminary estimates. It's unclear how much the city will get from FEMA.

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