• FLOODS of '08 VIDEO
Paying for this disaster is certainly a daunting task; $1.5 billion so far in Cedar Rapids, and the cost continues to grow. That's why the city council is trying to put pressure on state lawmakers to step up to the challenge.
Council member Justin Shields says a special session has to happen.
"I think it's so unfair the way it's bounced like a political football," he said. "Here people in Cedar Rapids need help, don't need politics, they need help."
But with an election 35 days away, is politics taking the focus away from the flood?
"We probably need to get away from the political season, probably won't happen till after the election," said Shields.
There is some money coming to help flood victims soon; $40 million throughout the state, $20 million to Cedar Rapids. But Shields says it's not enough.
"We probably don't have half of what we actually need here," he said.
So far efforts to convince Governor Culver to hold a special session have not brought results and some council members say inaction would force them to raise property taxes to fund recovery, a move they say would kill everything they've tried to accomplish.Calling On Governor for Special Session
