Haitian government getting only a penny from every US taxpayer dollar spent on quake relief

US Haiti quake aid: $1 from everyone in America

An Associated Press review of U.S. government earthquake relief spending shows only 1 cent of each U.S. tax dollar spent on quake relief is going in the form of cash to the Haitian government.

Less than two weeks after President Obama announced an initial $100 million for Haiti earthquake relief, U.S. government spending on the disaster has tripled to $317 million at latest count. That’s just over $1 each from everyone in the United States.

Sending millions of taxpayer dollars into an impoverished and corrupt country has its risks, but relief experts say this spending seems to be carefully targeted on things that bring tangible results. Former USAID assistant director Timothy Knight tells the AP that Americans are generous, “but they want accountability.”