Flooded renters can get up to $4,000

The City Council Tuesday night unanimously approved the use of revenue from the city's local-option sales tax to pay renters up to $4,000 for personal-property lost in the flood of 2008.

The program mirrors one in which the council is using the city's sales-tax revenue to give homeowners up to $10,000 each for personal items lost in the flood.

Some 1,500 homeowners have taken part in the program since it was created in late July with checks averaging more than $8,000 each.

Mayor Ron Corbett Tuesday night estimated that between 1,300 and 2,000 renters might qualify for the program at a cost of between $5 million and $6 million.

The sales tax is expected to bring in about $80 million for flood-recovery needs over a 63-month period.