Gov. Chris Christie vowed Thursday, on the third anniversary of Hurricane Sandy, to assist everyone affected by the storm before his time as governor ends.
MOONACHIE -- Gov. Chris Christie vowed Thursday, on the third anniversary of Hurricane Sandy, to assist everyone affected by the storm before his time as governor ends.
"There will not be a family who is still hurting today who will not have their issues addressed," the Republican presidential candidate said.
Christie spoke in the warehouse of Booth Movers an Anderson Avenue moving company. On Oct. 29, 2012, 18 inches of water poured into the company's offices and two warehouses.
The flood destroyed its customers' possessions, office furniture and equipment, Adam Padla, vice president of business development for Booth, said. Even worse, an insurance mixup meant the company owed hundreds of thousands of dollars in deductibles for its customers' destroyed possessions.
Padla said the company survived thanks to a large capital reserve and a grant from the state Economic Development Authority. Revenue has gone up 10 percent each year since the storm, he said.
"Booth Movers has experienced a full recovery," Padla said.
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Not everyone can say the same thing. David Ciccozzi's building at 29 Beach Rd. in Monmouth Beach was also wrecked by the storm.
He paid out of pocket to rebuild the office building, which houses a restaurant, laundromat, salon and other tenants, but he was left more than $300,000 in debt. He's tried to get help from the state, but hasn't been able to wade through the bureaucracy, he said.
On Thursday, Ciccozzi heard Christie would be in Moonachie and drove up to get someone's ear. A Christie staffer took his information. Ciccozzi said he was optimistic.
"They seemed very sincere," he said.
In his remarks, the governor touted help given to state residents--$120 million in recovery grants and loans for small business owners, $1.6 billion in federal housing assistance, $300 million slated to buy homes that flood frequently.
But many beaches are still not protected from future storms. Many people have held on to their flood-prone homes. Others are still rebuilding, including in Moonachie, where mobile home communities were drenched in a tidal surge.
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Christie said the reason he ran for re-election was to help the state recover from Hurricane Sandy.
"I'm going to finish that job," he said. "We will finish that job during the time that I'm governor."
Myles Ma may be reached at mma@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MylesMaNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.