Building a Quality Link Profile | Niche Pursuits

Today?s post is a guest post by Tyler Herman. Tyler is a web designer, internet marketer, and has some great insights into quality link building.? As we all know with recent updates in Google and more updates sure to come, quality content and links are now vital to the success of your online business.? Tyler shares some great strategies that work.? I do have to warn you that there are some advanced tactics in here like building ?pumper sites? or buying links that are probably not a good idea for everyone.? However, Tyler is simply sharing what many companies do to rank their sites, the choice to follow any of this advice is up to you.? Overall, I think Tyler captures well the amount of effort and time it takes to truly build up a real quality link profile.? Enjoy the post!

I decided to write this post because it seems like a lot of people in the internet marketing community don?t know how to build a quality link profile. For a while now many internet marketers have been building link profiles that consisted of entirely:

• Automated blasts of wiki links, social bookmark spam, spam comments, and spun article submissions
• Tons of forums profiles with zero forum activity
• Thin web 2.0s propped up with crappy links (see above) made into tiers or pyramids, or broken wheels or rainbows (made that up) or whatever ?system? is the new fad

If you are one of the people still doing this, let me be the person to burst your bubble. These types of link building practices are working less and less successfully with every Google update. Not only that, but you are setting yourself up for a penalty. It really is time to consider learning how to build a real link profile. Even if you only build 2 or three real links to your site, it may mean the difference between getting the Google hammer and surviving to see another day.

Just as a disclaimer of sorts. These techniques actually take lots of time and/or money to complete. They are not quick, or easy, and are harder to automate. Which means they probably aren?t meant for thin, niche sites, but you might find a few things here you can use, or if you decide to build a real authority site, here is how you do it.

A Solid Base of Valuable Content

If you want to rank for a truly difficult keyword, having amazing content won?t necessarily help you get there. But what it will do, is make it much easier to keep that ranking once you get there, because of longer time on page, lower bounce and exits rates, more social buzz, plus, more natural links. So if you plan on putting huge amounts of time into a site, which many of these techniques will require, you are going to want the very best content in the niche, or as close to it as you can muster.

Your entire site doesn?t have to be quality, but the handful of money pages you are ranking need to be targeted, relevant and highly useful to your users. You can probably rank a five dollar article to the first page, but it will be a lot easier to keep it there if you write better content.

One way to judge the quality and shareability of your content is to throw targeted traffic at it. An example would be Stumbleupon?s Paid Discovery. You can spend a small-ish amount of money, to get a few hundred targeted visitors to your page, and see if they thumb it up or down.

OK, quality content, duh. Lets get to the link building.

Building Highly Linkable Properties

There is only so much you can do with blog posts or pages on your site. Some content just isn?t that shareable or link worthy. Are you going to tweet a link to that article you found that helped you with your herpes outbreak? Probably not. But it isn?t just embarrassing topics, some content is simply too dry, boring or too mundane to share or link to.

So in order to build links you?ll have to build some properties that can and will get shared easily. There are lots more than even these listed, you just have to be clever and think of 1) what will people find valuable and 2) can I put a link on it. Here is a sample list:

• Infographics
• Web themes, plugins, and templates
• Tutorials
• Screencasts and Videos
• Games
• Web apps and mobile apps
• Screensavers
• Ebooks
• Recipes
• Ecards and greetings
• Vectors and other free graphics
• PDFs
• Powerpoints and other presentations
• Audio files
• Other downloads
• Meetups and webinars ? things people will signup for, talk about, blog about

But as you probably know, if you build it they won?t come. You have to get these assets in front of the people who want them. We have a few tricks to do this.

Here?s one little trick for people planing on selling products from your site like ebooks. Start out by writing one ebook, and put it up for affiliates to sell at 100% commission. You give it away for free to affiliates to make 100% of the profit. Which will bring in far more affiliates willing to hock your product, increasing the number of links and traffic heading into your site. One of the cheapest forms of advertising online is letting affiliates do it for you.

Another way to promote your assets is to pay or make an arrangement with popular blogs in the niche to promote them. Not hard to get some buzz around your freebies.

You can submit your assets to blogs, download sites, galleries, anything that will take them. They almost always give a link back to the creator of the asset. This is a nice way to get links from high PR software company sites.

Pumper Sites

The basic idea is to build or buy sites for the sole purpose of linking back, and driving traffic to your money site. You control the amount of links and the anchor text. They are tougher to maintain than 2.0s because they require their own hosting and domain and take more work to create and maintain.

If you have a money site that doesn?t get a lot of natural links on it?s own, you?ll want to build pumper sites on similar or related topics that are easier to get links and traffic for. Then you can funnel that traffic to your money site.

If your money site is in the financial niche (hard to rank), you could make a pumper site about ponzi schemes and other financial crimes. Not impossible to rank, lots of traffic potential, lots of potential for getting links. Not the greatest example but hopefully you get the idea.

Not everyone has the time or resources to build an entire blog network but 10 pumper sites can have a good effect on your money site. In order to cut down on the amount of work required, it helps to buy expired domains. Or if you have the cash, buy established sites.

Remember most sites that aren?t making any money aren?t worth a whole lot, so you can actually come up with some cheap sites if you look around hard enough. You are looking for sites in or around your niche with natural link profiles. Don?t buy sites from internet marketers. They?re generally crap sites with crap links. Look for real sites that have dropped or don?t seem to be in use any more.

Unlike what some of you are used to with 2.0s you are going to want to keep these sites updated. Having pumper site with real traffic is the goal. They may even make a little money on their own and could compete with your money site at times for some longtail keywords. Never a bad thing to have two or three dogs in the fight.

Web 2.0s

The little brother of pumper sites. I?m not going to go into this with any detail because you all should know about them already. One thing though, it is better to build 10 2.0s that you update once a month compared to 50 that you build and never touch again. It isn?t hard to turn a Tumblr, WordPress or Blogger blog into a PR2 or PR3.

There are some services available where people will build you quality 2.0?s and charge you a monthly fee to keep them updated. Can be as good as renting links if you stay with it long enough.

Renting and Buying Links

Not really a topic people bring up in public often, but lets be honest, it is still pretty rampant across the internet, especially with large corporations with large budgets. Having a couple of site wide links on a few PR4, PR5 sites will give your site a real shot in the arm. I?m not telling you to go buy links, but, if you want to compete for top keywords, your competition is probably doing it. With any blackhat strategy there is risk, but you?re all big boys and girls. Try ranking your site the legit way, if you still can?t get there, then consider buying links.

I would stay away from services on this one, as the sites those links get posted on have a footprint and a history of selling links. Instead try to contact individual sites on your own. Start out by asking for a guest posts or link exchange. If that doesn?t work put a figure out to them and see if they bite. Something like, ?Hey I noticed you have a blog roll on your site. We feel our site fits your audience perfectly. How can we get linked there??

Directories

Not as great as they once where but the big ones can still be worth it. The big ones:

Guest Posts

Another old one. If you can?t write or don?t have time, you can find lots of guest post services available around the web. You can pay anywhere from $30 to $200 per post, depending on the quality level of the writer and the PR of the blog they?ll be posting on. It can take up to a month for a guest post to get approved and up on a site but it is worth it.

One trick. Take a look at the link profile of your competitors. Eventually you?ll come across one of their guest posts. Now copy part of their author bio and do a search for it in quotes. You now have a list of the places they?ve made guest posts and you should be able to score guest posts at all these sites as well.

Authority and Social Proof

Ok, I?ve given you a few examples of ways to build authority links, and there are some more down below but first I want to talk a bit about social proof, authority and how it relates to getting people to link to you.

If you see two videos on Youtube, with the same title, same image even, but one has a million views and the other 24, you are going to watch the one with a million views 99% of the time, unless of course you?re just trying to prove me wrong. You think people can?t be gamed or duped into liking, viewing or sharing content but you are wrong.

The popular content on most social sites gets there because people paid to get it there. It can?t be total crap, but if it?s decent and promoted right you can float anything to the top. The more popular it appears, the more it get?s shared, even if the popularity was faked to start.

It really is pretty simple. The more likes, the more shares, the more views a piece of content has, the more likely real people are going to share it themselves. Humans are herd animals and tend to follow along and be validated by what the group says, thinks and does.

How many times have you not watched a youtube video because it had 70% thumbs downs or not bought something on Amazon because the reviews were bad. Those metrics can and are gamed on a regular basis, and yet we still act on them. Man we?re dumb.

I don?t think the general public is going to catch onto this for quite a while, if ever, so use this to your advantage. Social signals are incredibly easy to game. Much easier and cheaper than search these days. You can buy likes, views and shares for almost nothing. I?m willing to bet there are more bot accounts on Twitter than actual people these days.

Putting This Knowledge to Use

There are tons of very cheap ways to fake social proof and make yourself look like an authority. Never have a Facebook widget on your site unless you have a bunch of followers. For a new site, just buy them. Same thing applies for Youtube, Yelp, Google Plus, Pinterest and LinkedIn. There are plenty of services available and they?re cheap.

If you have to create your own fake accounts and share, comment on, and like your own content, do it. Or if you have a VA have them do it. Someone has to get the ball rolling.

Fake it ?til you make it

You might think this is dishonest but I guarantee all the big boys online are doing the same thing and not feeling bad about it what so ever. People want to be told what to like. So give them what they want. It might as well be you making the money instead of some other jackass.

Incentivized Sharing

This is a great way to get social shares, links, email subscribers, comments and of course, traffic. The most common method you see today is people giving away a free ebook for signing up on a list. It works the same way for getting social signups, comments, likes, any metric you are trying to build. It can also work for links. Create a contest for bloggers with a nice prize and you?ll get a lot of the contestants to naturally link to your contest page and share it via social media.

Any contest is a great way to dig up traffic and links. Just find a way to dangle that worm in front of them, and they?ll bite. You can use paid traffic, paid social promotion or give some other sort of incentive to authorities in the niche to spread the word.

Widgets and Awards

The biggest web design gallery awwwards.com gives it?s ?winners? a little badge they can place on their website that links back to awwwards.com. This tactic can work in other niches, you just have to be clever about it. Examples might be: locally owned businesses, organic or green sites, standing for a certain cause, or maybe being a part of a specific group.

Lots of people us WordPress so create custom widgets or make your awards or badges fit naturally into a widget. Instant site wide link.

Press Releases

Press releases are similar to social media but are sent out to the media in hopes they?ll publish it. Essentially a short article about your business that could be about new product launches, current promotions, community service projects, local team sponsorships. You get the idea. Once you have your release written you can pay to have it distributed. The more you pay the bigger the sites are you could have your release featured on.

If you are familiar with article marketing it is very similar. You have to write content that people want to publish. Since this is about business, go have a look at Wall Street Journal and Yahoo Finance and see what press releases they?re publishing.

If your site is or is going to be a real business, you need to be doing this. Remember social proof, this is part of it. If you need links from news organizations you can either be an expert, write for them, or get your press release published.

Community Outreach

Want to push your way into a niche. Find a way to connect with the people already established.

One way might be to create a niche-wide newsletter or curation site (perfect idea for a pumper site). You can highlight and promote the best posts, news and resources from around the web. Send it to other sites in the niche and show that you?re promoting their content. Everyone likes free promotion, and they?ll remember who you are now hopefully. So when you come calling with a favor you?ll be more inclined to get it.

These business to business connects are highly valuable.

Natural Link Building

If you weren?t aware, natural links are those from other sites who you didn?t pay, contact, or guest post for. They just liked your content, or hated it, or for some other reason felt like giving you a link.

So you have some great content, promotions, contests all that stuff ready to go. You?ve faked the social proof, making it look like there?s a bunch of buzz about your content, but you still aren?t bringing in the traffic numbers you want to see yet and you still aren?t fully ranked. You know the content is good, and people will link/share it if given the opportunity to do so. You now just have to lead the horse to water, or at least speed the process along.

Which is where paid traffic comes in. Methods include: PPC, CPA, CPM ads, retargeted ads, paid social share and promotion, paid posts, press releases, offline and traditional advertising, and so on.

Here is a good list of online advertising platforms from 3 Things.

You are probably well aware of Google ads but there are tons of other ad networks out there, and most of them are cheaper, although the quality level can be lower. You?ll just have to do some testing with each and see what your return is.

Conclusion

There is no diminishing returns with any of these methods but the more you can diversity the better off you?ll be. For a new site you might do something like this:

Set up your social profiles and buy followers. Create a few videos, a few tutorials, a couple presentations to share and promote them. Create an initial press release to announce your site. Pay to have one or two other linkable properties made and distribute them. Build or buy a couple pumper sites. Build or buy some 2.0s. Submit to a couple directories. Start putting out five guest posts a month. This alone should be a very solid link base for any website and may be even more than you need. But if you still aren?t ranking?

After that you can work on a promotion: adding in affiliates, starting to advertise, more press releases for your contests and promotions. Then begin to buy links, build more linkable properties and build additional pumper sites and 2.0s.

Hopefully you get the idea and some of this is helpful to you. Obviously, you can?t do this for a niche site making $100 a month but when you are ready to promote an authority site, these are the tools that will get it done.

============================AUTHOR BIO================================

Tyler Herman is a web designer and internet marketer. Currently, working on some free tutorials and resources geared toward small business owners. Instructing them how to build a WordPress site, create email campaign, and otherwise promote their business online, over at tylerherman.com.

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How Long Tail Pro Can Help You Capture Way More Search Engine Traffic

If your business could benefit in any way from getting more search engine traffic, I have some good news.

Search engines are in love with long tail keywords! If you are able to provide relevant content targeting these long tail keywords, then you can see a dramatic increase to the amount of traffic Google and other search engines send you.

Long Tail Pro is a powerful keyword research tool that makes finding these valuable long tail keywords a breeze.

What are ?long tail keywords?? Essentially, these are words or phrases that people type into the search engines to find very specific things. Rather than searching for ?dog training? a user might search for ?how to potty train a pitbull?.

This is an example of a Long Tail Keyword. To visualize how Long Tail Keywords work...

Click to Continue Reading

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Related posts:

1. Link building for Micro Niche Sites vs. Authority Sites
2. General Review of Link Building Strategies
3. The Ultimate Link Building Guide for Niche Websites
4. Building Niche Sites After the Google Penguin Update
5. Building a Business Around Seasonal Niche Sites

Source: http://www.nichepursuits.com/building-a-quality-link-profile/

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Romney making visit to tour Hurricane Isaac damage, first stop in final push for presidency

TAMPA, Fla. - Republican Mitt Romney was making the first stop in his final push for the U.S. presidency in Louisiana, where he planned Friday to tour the damage of Hurricane Isaac a day after accepting his party's nomination with his most important speech to date.

Romney was to tour with Louisiana's Republican governor, Bobby Jindal. Isaac arrived seven years to the day after the devastating hurricane Katrina hit the area, but it was much weaker, with five deaths reported amid widespread flooding.

The slow response to Katrina's deadly chaos in 2005 hurt the presidency of Republican George W. Bush, and the campaigns of both Romney and President Barack Obama have been mindful of their response this time. Obama has not visited Louisiana since Isaac hit.

In his speech Thursday night, Romney told voters they can "trust him to restore the promise of America," but he offered few details about his plans to fix an ailing economy and a politically divided nation.

The former Massachusetts governor repeatedly brought the partisan crowd to its feet in the final act of the Republicans' national convention, which featured speech after speech lambasting Obama for his economic failures and promising to deny him a second term.

"America has been patient," Romney told millions in the nationally televised speech. "Americans have supported this president in good faith. But today, the time has come to turn the page."

Romney's speech outlined lofty goals ? making the U.S. energy independent, slashing the deficit and creating 12 million jobs ? but did not say how he would do it.

He also seemed to make light of Obama's concerns about the earth's deteriorating environment and climate change.

"President Obama promised to begin to slow the rise of the oceans. And to heal the planet. My promise is to help you and your family," Romney said in a mostly inward-looking speech that focused on domestic affairs.

Romney failed to mention the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan or how to cope with illegal immigration.

Obama, who will hold his own convention with the Democrats next week, planned to visit a Texas military base Friday, exactly two years after declaring the end of the U.S. combat mission in Iraq.

The normally reserved Romney capped the high-energy convention with a spirited and unusually personal speech, touching on his Mormon faith and recounting his youth. The cheers were loud and frequent, surely music to the ears of a candidate who struggled throughout the bruising primary season and beyond to bury doubts among many in his party that he is an authentic conservative.

Romney, for example, pledged to "protect the sanctity of life," a reference to conservatives' opposition to abortion, even though there are clear differences on the issue between him and running mate Rep. Paul Ryan. Romney said this week he is in favour of abortion in cases of rape, incest and the health and life of the mother.

His speech focused more on the economy. "Now is the time to restore the promise of America," Romney declared to a nation struggling with high unemployment and the slowest economic recovery in decades.

Polls show Romney and Obama tied as they plan to spend the weeks before the November election in a handful of competitive states and meet in a series of one-on-one debates.

The race has come down to seven states that routinely fall into neither the Republican nor Democratic camp and are likely to determine the election. The presidency is not chosen by the nationwide popular vote but in state-by-state contests.

The campaign themes are mostly set. Romney depicts the president as a once inspiring but disappointing figure who doesn't understand job creation or Americans' economic frustrations. Democrats portray Romney as a man shifting ever rightward in the absence of core convictions and a multimillionaire who can't relate to the middle class.

Hanging over the campaign is a big number: the nation's 8.3 per cent unemployment rate. It is Obama's biggest impediment to a second term.

Strikingly absent from Romney's speech and campaign were detailed explanations of how he would tame deficit spending while cutting taxes and expanding the military.

Romney's speech omitted many of the sharp barbs that he and his allies often throw at Obama.

"I wish President Obama had succeeded, because I want America to succeed," Romney said. "But his promises gave way to disappointment and division. ... We deserve better."

The relatively toned-down rhetoric was a shift from Romney's taunt, only two weeks ago, of "Mr. President, take your campaign of division and anger and hate back to Chicago."

Romney may have tamped down the rhetoric as polls repeatedly find that voters find Obama more likable. Romney's convention message was this: It's OK to like Obama, even as you fire him.

___

Associated Press writers Steven R. Hurst, Charles Babington, Kasie Hunt, Steve Peoples, Philip Elliott, Beth Fouhy, Thomas Beaumont, Julie Mazziotta, Jennifer Agiesta and Cal Woodward contributed to this report.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/romney-making-visit-tour-hurricane-isaac-damage-first-143033974.html

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Struggling JJB Sports puts itself up for sale

LONDON (Reuters) - Debt-mired JJB Sports put itself up for sale on Thursday and warned investors their shares may be worthless, placing the sports goods retailer at risk of becoming another big-name British retail casualty.

The company has been rocked by funding issues, falling sales and stiff competition as UK store chains battle weak consumer spending, muted wage growth and government austerity measures.

A string of household retail names including Woolworths and MFI have gone out of business in recent years, undermined by price-cutting from supermarkets and the Internet.

Directors at JJB, a familiar sight on Britain's high streets with around 4,000 staff and 180 stores, said they did not believe the company would be able to raise new funds to stage a turnaround.

Analysts said the sale process was not a surprise given the funding shortfall issues flagged by the company in July and its failed attempts to raise fresh cash from strategic partners.

JJB said that a formal sale process would start but warned that there could be no certainty that an offer could be forthcoming.

"Given the level of current debt within the company, there can be no assurance that any proposal or offer that may be made would attribute value to the ordinary shares of the company," the company said in a statement on Thursday.

Shares in the company crashed 71 percent to 0.68 pence at 0840 GMT, giving it a market value of around 3 million pounds. It was worth 500 million pounds in August 2010.

"We suspect that JJB will now follow a similar process as Blacks Leisure i.e. a likely administration process followed by the possible sale of parts of its business," said analysts at Charles Stanley.

Blacks Leisure, which like JJB was loss-making and debt-saddled, went into administration in January before the bulk of the business was sold immediately to JJB's rival JD Sports Fashion.

When retailers are bought out of administration, the buyer usually cherry-picks certain operations, which can lead to store closures and job losses.

U.S. retailer Dick's Sporting Goods threw JJB a 20 million pounds lifeline in April, but took an impairment charge that effectively wrote off the investment earlier this month.

JJB, which issued a profit warning in July on the back of poor sales of Euro 2012 football shirts and reported an 8.7 percent slump in first half underlying sales, said organic sales in the six weeks to August 26 slipped 3.3 percent.

"It's a business that's been shrinking for the last couple of years," Seymour Pierce analyst Kate Calvert said.

"They haven't been able to find their niche in the market place and be able to take on the likes of Sports Direct and online and supermarkets."

Larger rival Sports Direct - Britain's biggest sporting goods retailer - owned by Newcastle United football club owner Mike Ashley, has consistently undercut JJB on pricing and aggressively discounted Euro 2012 kit.

JJB Sports was founded in 1971 by ex-Blackburn Rovers footballer Dave Whelan with a single store in Wigan, where the company is still headquartered.

It floated in 1994, and four years later acquired the business of Sports Division, making it Britain's biggest sports retailer at the time.

JJB owes around 36 million pounds ($57 million) in total, around half in bank debt and the other half in convertible loan notes, giving it a debt to equity ratio of 0.51, far higher than rival JD Sports which is on 0.01.

(Editing by David Cowell)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/struggling-jjb-sports-puts-itself-sale-062700244--finance.html

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INTERNET MARKETING MAKE MONEY ONLINE NICHE BLOG ...

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Hurricane Isaac 2012 Steers Clear Of Direct Blow To New Orleans (PHOTOS)

Chuck Cropp, center, his son Piers, left, and wife Liz, right, wade through floodwaters from Hurricane Isaac Wednesday, Aug. 29, 2012, in New Orleans. As Isaac made landfall, it was expected to dump as much as 20 inches of rain in several parts of Louisiana. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

Homes are flooded as Hurricane Isaac hits Wednesday, Aug. 29, 2012, in Braithwaite, La. As Isaac made landfall, it was expected to dump as much as 20 inches of rain in several parts of Louisiana. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

Kneaka Griffin, Ra-Maaz Williams

Kneaka Griffin, of Davant, La., holds Ra-Maaz Williams, 5 months, at an evacuation shelter after Isaac made landfall as a hurricane, in Belle Chasse, La., Wednesday, Aug. 29, 2012. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

Law enforcement officers and first responders help a family to reach dry land after they were rescued from floodwaters caused by Isaac in Pearlington, Miss., Wednesday, Aug. 29, 2012, during a nonstop rain. A number of residents of the small community were trapped by the rising waters and had be rescued or waited until the low tide when waters receded so they could walk out. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)

The waters of the Mississippi Sound surround a traffic sign along Coden Belt Road, Wednesday, Aug. 29, 2012 in Coden, Ala. as Isaac makes landfall along the Gulf Coast. Isaac, downgraded to a tropical storm, has top sustained winds of 70 mph (112 kph), just below the hurricane threshold of 74 mph (119 kph). The storm is about 50 miles (80 kilometers) west-southwest of New Orleans, where it is bringing drenching rains and fierce winds. (AP Photo/Mobile Register, G.M. Andrews MAGS OUT

Hurricane Isaac Hits New Orleans, Gulf Coast

NEW ORLEANS, LA - AUGUST 29: A downed streetlight lies in the rain from Hurricane Isaac in the Central Business District on August 29, 2012 in New Orleans, Louisiana. The large Level 1 hurricane is slowly moving across southeast Louisiana, dumping large amounts of rain and knocking out power to Louisianans in scattered parts of the state. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images)

Lights are reflected on Canal Street as a police officer patrolling the area passes a pedestrian as storm bands from Hurricane Isaac hit, Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2012, in New Orleans, Louisiana. Isaac, a massive storm spanning nearly 200 miles from its center, made landfall Tuesday evening near the mouth of the Mississippi River. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

David Stefano

Bay St. Louis, Miss., fireman David Stefano reacts as he and other first responders use an airboat to reach a house fire Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2012. Isaac's rainfall flooded a number of streets in this Bay St. Louis subdivision, preventing firemen from responding quickly to the fire that destroyed a house. (AP Photo/Holbrook Mohr)

Ronnie Willis

Ronnie Willis makes his way across Canal Street through the wind and rain from Hurricane Isaac Wednesday, Aug. 29, 2012, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

Hurricane Isaac Hits New Orleans, Gulf Coast

NEW ORLEANS, LA - AUGUST 29: Heavy rain from Hurricane Isaac obsures the view of the Crescent City Connection Bridge over the Mississiippi River early on August 29, 2012 in New Orleans, Louisiana. The large Level 1 hurricane slowly moved across southeast Louisiana, dumping huge amounts of rain and knocking out power to Louisianans in scattered parts of the state. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images)

Timbers smolder after a fire gutted a house on stilts in a Bay St. Louis, Miss., neighborhood after rising storm waters from Isaac prevented firemen from responding quickly with their trucks Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2012. First responders used an airboat to reach the house in order to make sure the flames did not affect any neighboring homes. (AP Photo/Holbrook Mohr)

Waves tear apart a pier along the Mobile Bay near Dauphin Island on Tuesday, August 28, 2012. Alabama took a glancing blow from Hurricane Isaac on Tuesday as it headed toward landfall in the northwestern Gulf of Mexico, but the storm still threatened the coast with high winds, torrential rain and pounding surf. (AP Photo/Butch Dill)

Bay St. Louis, Miss., first responders brave a driving rain storm as they use an airboat to reach a house fire in a flooded subdivision, Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2012. After several attempts to reach the house fire, flooded streets forced the fire fighters to use the airboat. (AP Photo/Holbrook Mohr)

A woman stands on a partially submerged picnic bench in the storm surge from Isaac, on Lakeshore Drive along Lake Pontchartrain, as the storm approaches landfall, in New Orleans, Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2012. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

Waves tear apart a pier along Mobile Bay near Dauphin Island on Tuesday, August 28, 2012 in Coden, Ala. Alabama took a glancing blow from Hurricane Isaac on Tuesday as it headed toward landfall in the northwestern Gulf of Mexico, but the storm still threatened the coast with high winds, torrential rain and pounding surf. (AP Photo/Butch Dill)

First responders seek the assistance of a City of Bay St. Louis, Miss., dump truck to tow their airboat back to their launch site after running aground Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2012. Isaac's rainfall flooded a number of streets in this Bay St. Louis, Miss., neighborhood preventing firemen from using their fire trucks. First responders used an airboat to reach a burning house in order to make sure the flames did not affect any neighboring homes. (AP Photo/Holbrook Mohr)

Alex, left, and Adam ,three-month-old Chihuahua puppies, play in their new kennel at the Houston SPCA on Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2012, in Houston. These two were among 70 cats and dogs that were evacuated from St. Bernard Parish Animal Control in anticipation of Hurricane Isaac. (AP Photo/Houston Chronicle, J. Patric Schneider)

Debris from crashing waves lies strewn over the parkway going to Dauphin Island forcing a closure to the island on Tuesday, August 28, 2012 in Coden, Ala. Alabama took a glancing blow from Hurricane Isaac on Tuesday as it headed toward landfall in the northwestern Gulf of Mexico, but the storm still threatened the coast with high winds, torrential rain and pounding surf. (AP Photo/Butch Dill)

Debris lies strewn over the parkway going to Dauphin Island forcing a closure to the island on Tuesday, August 28, 2012 in Coden, Ala. Alabama took a glancing blow from Hurricane Isaac on Tuesday as it headed toward landfall in the northwestern Gulf of Mexico, but the storm still threatened the coast with high winds, torrential rain and pounding surf. (AP Photo/Butch Dill)

Dillard University students stay at the shelter in the gym of Centenary Colleges as they evacuated from New Orleans because of hurricane Isaac Tuesday afternoon, Aug. 28, 2012 in Shreveport, La. (AP Photo/The Times, Henrietta Wildsmith)

The Waterfront Seafood company is flooded as water covers Shell Belt Road in Bayou La Batre, Ala. on Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2012. The U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami said Isaac became a Category 1 hurricane Tuesday with winds of 75 mph. It could get stronger by the time it's expected to reach the swampy coast of southeast Louisiana. (AP Photo/Butch Dill)

Teresa Ragas, left, and her husband Bertrand Ragas, of Port Sulphur, La., lie side-by-side in cots at an evacuation shelter in Belle Chasse, La., due to the impending landfall of Isaac, which is expected reach the region as a hurricane this evening, Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2012. The U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami said Isaac became a Category 1 hurricane Tuesday with winds of 75 mph. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

A concerned neighbor checks on a car as a storm surge from Isaac pushes into Panama City, Fla. on Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2012. (AP Photo/The News Herald/Panama City, Fla., Andrew Wardlow) MANDATORY CREDIT

Senior hurricane specialist Stacy Stewart updates Isaac to a category one hurricane at the National Hurricane Center in Miami, Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2012. Forecasters at the National Hurricane Center warned that Isaac, especially if it strikes at high tide, could cause storm surges of up to 12 feet (3.6 meters) along the coasts of southeast Louisiana and Mississippi and up to 6 feet (1.8 meters) as far away as the Florida Panhandle. (AP Photo/Alan Diaz)

Michelle Hice, Tommy Leonard

Animal control officer Michelle Hice puts a temporary identification collar on "Snuggles,' as evacuee Tommy Leonard hands him over for safe keeping, at an evacuation shelter in Belle Chasse, La., due to the impending landfall of Isaac, which is expected reach the region as a hurricane this evening, Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2012. The U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami said Isaac became a Category 1 hurricane Tuesday with winds of 75 mph. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

Andrew Theriot

Andrew Theriot flies a kite down Bourbon Street in the French Quarter as rain from Hurricane Isaac falls Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2012, in New Orleans. The U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami said Isaac became a Category 1 hurricane Tuesday with winds of 75 mph. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

Parnell Latham, who refused to obey a mandatory evacuation order in order to protect his storage pods, stands on his property in Plaquemines Parish, La., in anticipation of Isaac, which is expected to make landfall in the region as a hurricane this evening, Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2012. The U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami said Isaac became a Category 1 hurricane Tuesday with winds of 75 mph. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

APTOPIX Jaylon Ragus, Donald Taylor, Jr.

Donald Taylor, Jr., of Phoenix, La., watches his nephew Jaylon Ragus, 5, of Davant, La., play with a gaming device in an evacuation shelter in Belle Chasse, La., due to the impending landfall of Isaac, which is expected reach the region as a hurricane this evening, Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2012. The U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami said Isaac became a Category 1 hurricane Tuesday with winds of 75 mph. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

Annie Riley picks up her lunch while seeking shelter at the Theodore High School on Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2012 in Theodore, Ala. The U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami said Isaac became a Category 1 hurricane Tuesday with winds of 75 mph. It could get stronger by the time it's expected to reach the swampy coast of southeast Louisiana. (AP Photo/Butch Dill)

Toni Barnard holds a baby squirrel she rescued as she sought shelter at the Theodore High School on Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2012 in Theodore, Ala. The U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami said Isaac became a Category 1 hurricane Tuesday with winds of 75 mph. It could get stronger by the time it's expected to reach the swampy coast of southeast Louisiana. (AP Photo/Butch Dill)

Hurricane Isaac

Waves crash Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2012, in Dauphin Island, Ala., as Isaac approaches the Gulf Coast. Isaac became a hurricane that could flood the coasts of four states with storm surge and heavy rains on its way to New Orleans, where residents hunkered down behind levees fortified after Katrina struck seven years ago this week. (AP Photo/Press-Register, Mike Kittrell) MAGS OUT

The first real impacts of Isaac reach the beaches of Gulf Shores, Ala. at high tide as all access to the beach is closed on Tuesday, August 28, 2012. The National Hurricane Center predicted Isaac would grow to a Category 1 hurricane over the warm Gulf and possibly hit late Tuesday somewhere along a roughly 300-mile (500-kilometer) stretch from the bayous southwest of New Orleans to the Florida Panhandle. (AP Photo/Butch Dill)

Krystal Ledet, back left, looks after her son, Brandon Malbrough as her daughter Alexus Malbrough, left, colors with her grandmother, Melissa Rodrigue, right, after evacuating to a shelter in Houma, La., Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2012. Forecasters at the National Hurricane Center warned that Isaac, especially if it strikes at high tide, could cause storm surges of up to 12 feet (3.6 meters) along the coasts of southeast Louisiana and Mississippi and up to 6 feet (1.8 meters) as far away as the Florida Panhandle. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

Centenary College Public Safety Officer Alvin Bush walks around the gym floor in the fitness center on campus between beds for students from Dillard University who are coming to the campus because of Tropical Storm Isaac heading towards New Orleans. Students are expected to arrive in Shreveport, La., Monday, Aug. 27, 2012. (AP Photo/The Shreveport Times, Jim Hudelson) NO SALES, MAGS OUT

Jaden Fabian

Jaden Fabian, 1, cries as she is loaded into a car seat as her family evacuates their home in advance of Tropical Storm Isaac, which is expected to make landfall in the region as a hurricane this evening in Plaquemines Parish, La., Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2012. Forecasters at the National Hurricane Center warned that Isaac, especially if it strikes at high tide, could cause storm surges of up to 12 feet (3.6 meters) along the coasts of southeast Louisiana and Mississippi and up to 6 feet (1.8 meters) as far away as the Florida Panhandle. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

Estanislao Fabian

Estanislao Fabian loads food into their car as they evacuate their home in advance of Tropical Storm Isaac, which is expected to make landfall in the region as a hurricane this evening in Plaquemines Parish, La., Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2012. Forecasters at the National Hurricane Center warned that Isaac, especially if it strikes at high tide, could cause storm surges of up to 12 feet (3.6 meters) along the coasts of southeast Louisiana and Mississippi and up to 6 feet (1.8 meters) as far away as the Florida Panhandle. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

A woman stands among her belongings outside her damaged home after the passing of Tropical Storm Isaac in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Sunday Aug. 26, 2012. The death toll in Haiti from Tropical Storm Isaac has climbed to seven after an initial report of four deaths, the Haitian government said Sunday. (AP Photo/Dieu Nalio Chery)

Rick Knabb, Stacy Stewart, James Franklin

Dr. Rick Knabb, center, director of the National Hurricane Center, Stacy Stewart, right, senior hurricane specialist, and James Franklin, chief hurricane specialist, track Tropical Storm Issac at the National Hurricane Center in Miami, Monday, Aug. 2, 2012. Tropical Storm Isaac targeted a broad swath of the Gulf Coast on Monday and had New Orleans in its crosshairs, bearing down just ahead of the seventh anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. (AP Photo/Alan Diaz)

A woman jogs along Bayshore Boulevanrd in between squalls blowing across the bay in Tampa, Fla., Monday, Aug. 27, 2012. The Republican National Convention has delayed it's start because of the approaching tropical storm Isaac which is churning it's way across the Gulf of Mexico. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

A Coast Guard patrol boat cruises past the Tampa Bay Times Forum in Tampa, Fla., Monday, Aug. 27, 2012. The start of the Republican National Convention, being held at the facility, has been delayed because of the approaching tropical storm Isaac. (AP Photo/Dave Martin)

Willie Shook

Willie Shook, 65, a survivor of Hurricane Katrina, takes a break from assisting her neighbor's packing up her belongings in preparation of leaving their beach front homes in Long Beach, Miss., prior to Tropical Storm Isaac making landfall, Monday, Aug. 27, 2012. Shook and her neighbors were completely wiped out by Hurricane Katrina seven years ago, but said regardless of the effects of this latest storm, she will come back to her home and rebuild if necessary. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)

Daniel Shedd, left, and George Lopez board up a local Bruster's in Gulf Shores, Ala. on Monday, Aug. 27, 2012. The National Hurricane Center predicted Isaac would grow to a Category 1 hurricane over the warm Gulf and possibly hit late Tuesday somewhere along a roughly 300-mile (500-kilometer) stretch from the bayous southwest of New Orleans to the Florida Panhandle.?The size of the warning area and the storm's wide bands of rain and wind prompted emergency declarations in four states, and hurricane-tested residents were boarding up homes, stocking up on food and water or getting ready to evacuate. (AP Photo/Butch Dill)

Isaac Soaks Florida Keys, Leaves Little Damage Behind

KEY WEST, FL - AUGUST 27: A Monroe County worker collects downed Sea Grape trees after Tropical Storm Isaac moved through the Florida Keys on August 27, 2012 in Key West, Florida. Isaac, still rated as a tropical storm, is expected to strengthen into at least a Category 1 hurricane before making landfall somewhere over an approximately 300 mile portion of the Gulf Coast, which includes New Orleans, on August 29, the seven-year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. (Photo by Marc Serota/Getty Images)

People ride motorbikes in a flooded street in Havana on August 26, 2012, following the passage of tropical storm Isaac. With winds reaching 50 miles (85 kilometers) per hour, the storm brought heavy rain and choppy seas to the Florida Keys after battering Haiti and sweeping across Cuba late Saturday, the US National Hurricane Center said. (ADALBERTO ROQUE/AFP/GettyImages)

HAITI-WEATHER-STORM

Haitians living in a tent camp walk in the rain August 25, 2012 as Tropical Storm Isaac barrels through Port-Au-Prince. Forecasters earlier said Isaac was near hurricane strength when the eye of the storm passed over Haiti, where hundreds of thousands of people are still living in squalid, makeshift camps following a catastrophic 2010 earthquake. An eight-year-old Haitian girl died when a wall collapsed at her home and a 51-year-old woman died when her roof collapsed, according to officials, who later said two other people had died in the storm. Haiti was the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere even before the earthquake killed 250,000 people, and 400,000 citizens are still living in tent camps in and around the devastated capital Port-au-Prince. More than 3,300 families had been evacuated to temporary shelters ahead of Isaac as aid groups provided clean water and hygiene kits to try to limit the risk of contaminated water and the spread of disease. AFP PHOTO/Thony BELIZAIRE (Photo credit should read THONY BELIZAIRE/AFP/GettyImages)

Contractors work to remove the first of three barge haul units at the Pinto Terminal on Monday morning, Aug. 27, 2012, in Mobile, Ala., as the Alabama State Port Authority prepares for Tropical Storm Isaac. These one-of-kind units guide barges via remote control by the crane operator during ship unloading operations and are valued at $2.5 million each. (AP Photo/Press-Register, Mike Kittrell) MAGS OUT

Waves batter Havana's seafront on August 26, 2012, following the passage of tropical storm Isaac. With winds reaching 50 miles (85 kilometers) per hour, the storm brought heavy rain and choppy seas to the Florida Keys after battering Haiti and sweeping across Cuba late Saturday, the US National Hurricane Center said. (ADALBERTO ROQUE/AFP/GettyImages)

A horse is loaded into a trailer by workers at the Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, after a mandatory evacuation of the animals was issued by the track, in preparation for Tropical Storm Isaac, which is expected to become a hurricane as it moves into the Gulf of Mexico, in New Orleans, Sunday, Aug. 26, 2012. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

Heavy storm clouds hover over the skyline of downtown Miami as Tropical Storm Isaac's weather bands reach the Miami area aon Sunday, Aug. 26, 2012. Isaac gained fresh muscle Sunday as it bore down on the Florida Keys, with forecasters warning it could grow into a dangerous Category 2 hurricane as it nears the northern Gulf Coast. (AP Photo/The Miami Herald, Carl Juste)

Folko Weltzien, 38, kite surfs as high winds from Hurricane Isaac gusts on Sunday, Aug. 26, 2012, in Miami. Isaac gained fresh muscle Sunday as it bore down on the Florida Keys, with forecasters warning it could grow into a dangerous Category 2 hurricane as it nears the northern Gulf Coast. (AP Photo/The Miami Herald, Carl Juste)

A person walks by a sign warning about Hurricane Isaac, in Key West, Fla., Sunday, Aug. 26, 2012. Isaac gained fresh muscle Sunday as it bore down on the Florida Keys, with forecasters warning it could grow into a dangerous Category 2 hurricane as it nears the northern Gulf Coast. (AP Photo/Alan Diaz)

A message warns drivers of severe weather on Sunday, Aug. 26, 2012, in Miami. Isaac gained fresh muscle Sunday as it bore down on the Florida Keys, with forecasters warning it could grow into a dangerous Category 2 hurricane as it nears the northern Gulf Coast. (AP Photo/The Miami Herald, Hector Gabino)

Workers put up shutters at a local cafe in Key West, Fla., Sunday, Aug. 26, 2012, as the prepare for Tropical Storm Isaac. Isaac gained fresh muscle Sunday as it bore down on the Florida Keys, with forecasters warning it could grow into a dangerous Category 2 hurricane as it nears the northern Gulf Coast. (AP Photo/Alan Diaz)

A cyclist rides his bike in Key West, Fla., Sunday, Aug. 26, 2012. Tropical Storm Isaac gained fresh muscle Sunday as it bore down on the Florida Keys, with forecasters warning it could grow into a dangerous Category 2 hurricane as it nears the northern Gulf Coast. (AP Photo/Alan Diaz)

Craig Jones, left, and Kimberly Branson secure their boat in Key West, Fla., Sunday, Aug. 26, 2012 in preparation for Tropical Storm Isaac. Tropical Storm Isaac gained fresh muscle Sunday as it bore down on the Florida Keys, with forecasters warning it could grow into a dangerous Category 2 hurricane as it nears the northern Gulf Coast. (AP Photo/Alan Diaz)

Shira Edllan Gervasi, of Israel, puts her name on plywood protecting a storefront in Key West, Fla., in anticipation of Tropical Storm Isaac on Saturday, Aug. 25, 2012. Isaac's winds are expected to be felt in the Florida Keys by sunrise Sunday morning. (AP Photo/Alan Diaz)

Oren Eshel boards a storefront on Duval Street in Key West, Fla., Saturday, Aug. 25, 2012 in preparation for Tropical Storm Isaac, Saturday, Aug. 25, 2012. Isaac's winds are expected to be felt in the Florida Keys by sunrise Sunday morning. (AP Photo/Alan Diaz)

A person braves the rain at Clarence Higgs Beach in Key West, Fla., as Tropical Storm Isaac hits the area on Sunday, Aug. 26, 2012. Isaac gained fresh muscle Sunday as it bore down on the Florida Keys, with forecasters warning it could grow into a dangerous Category 2 hurricane as it nears the northern Gulf Coast. (AP Photo/The Miami Herald, Walter Michot)

People react as they survey the damage in Jacmel, Haiti, a day after Tropical Storm Isaac brought rains and winds across the nation, Sunday, Aug. 26, 2012. At least seven people were killed by flooding in Haiti, including in tent cities filled with earthquake victims, and two others in the Dominican Republic. (AP Photo/The Miami Herald, Patrick Farrell)

A van passes along a road that gave way on the way to Jacmel, Haiti, a day after Tropical Storm Isaac brought rains and winds across the nation, Sunday, Aug. 26, 2012. At least seven people were killed by flooding in Haiti, including in tent cities filled with earthquake victims, and two others in the Dominican Republic. (AP Photo/The Miami Herald, Patrick Farrell)

A man walks on the beach in Key West, Fla., Sunday, Aug. 26, 2012 as heavy winds hit the northern coast from Tropical Storm Isaac. Isaac is expected to continue streaming across Marion County Monday as it continues toward the northern Gulf of Mexico. National Weather Service officials in Jacksonville on Sunday said Marion County began getting rain bands from Isaac around 2 p.m. and that the rain would continue through Tuesday. (AP Photo/Alan Diaz)

In this photo provided by Florida Power & Light Company, line specialist Dustin Pezet works to restore power as Tropical Storm Isaac strikes in Miami on Sunday, Aug. 26, 2012. Isaac gained fresh muscle Sunday as it bore down on the Florida Keys, with forecasters warning it could grow into a dangerous Category 2 hurricane as it nears the northern Gulf Coast. (AP Photo/Florida Power & Light Company, David Adame)

Lifeguard Duane Gonzalez takes down the red warning flag on a beach in Tampa, Fla., Sunday, Aug. 26, 2012. Some rain and winds from Tropical Storm Isaac are beginning to reach Tampa where the Republican National Convention has postponed the start of their meeting because of the approaching storm. (AP Photo/Dave Martin)

Residents skin a goat killed during the passing of Tropical Storm Isaac in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Sunday Aug. 26, 2012. The death toll in Haiti from Tropical Storm Isaac has climbed to seven after an initial report of four deaths, the Haitian government said Sunday. (AP Photo/Dieu Nalio Chery)

A girl recovers a toy from muddy waters at her flooded house after the passing of Tropical Storm Isaac in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Sunday Aug. 26, 2012. The death toll in Haiti from Tropical Storm Isaac has climbed to seven after an initial report of four deaths, the Haitian government said Sunday. (AP Photo/Dieu Nalio Chery)

Workers move horses into trailers at the Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, after a mandatory evacuation of the animals was issued by the track, in preparation for Tropical Storm Isaac, which is expected to become a hurricane as it moves into the Gulf of Mexico, in New Orleans, Sunday, Aug. 26, 2012. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

An elderly gentleman clears a tree from the road in Jacmel, Haiti, a day after Tropical Storm Isaac brought rains and winds across the nation, Sunday, Aug. 26, 2012. At least seven people were killed by flooding in Haiti, including in tent cities filled with earthquake victims, and two others in the Dominican Republic. (AP Photo/The Miami Herald, Patrick Farrell)

Richard McKean

Richard McKean buys gas for a generator as residents and property owners prepare for Tropical Storm Isaac on Sunday, Aug. 26, 2012, in Dauphin Island, Ala. (AP Photo/Press-Register, Mike Kittrell) MAGS OUT

A bus drives past Havana's malecon (seafront) on August 26, 2012, following the passage of tropical storm Isaac. With winds reaching 50 miles (85 kilometers) per hour, the storm brought heavy rain and choppy seas to the Florida Keys after battering Haiti and sweeping across Cuba late Saturday, the US National Hurricane Center said. (ADALBERTO ROQUE/AFP/GettyImages)

A local resident carries a sandbag in anticipation of floods possibly generated by the weather system Isaac in Tampa, Florida on August 24, 2012. According to the National Weather Service, Isaac's projected path would most likely take it just to the west of Tampa as a Category 1 hurricane at the same time when the 2012 Republican National Convention will be held at the Tampa Bay Times Forum from August 27-30, 2012. (MLADEN ANTONOV/AFP/GettyImages)

A local resident loads sandbags in his pick-up car in anticipation of floods possibly generated by the weather system Isaac in Tampa, Florida on August 24, 2012. According to the National Weather Service, Isaac's projected path would most likely take it just to the west of Tampa as a Category 1 hurricane at the same time when the 2012 Republican National Convention will be held at the Tampa Bay Times Forum from August 27-30, 2012. (MLADEN ANTONOV/AFP/GettyImages)

A resident walks along the pier at Ballast Park in Tampa, Fla., Monday, Aug. 27, 2012. The Republican National Convention has delayed it's start because of the approaching tropical storm Isaac which is churning it's way across the Gulf of Mexico. (AP Photo/Dave Martin)

Phil Bryant, Rupert Lacy

Harrison County Emergency Management Agency Director Rupert Lacy, left, listens as Gov. Phil Bryant discusses Gulf Coast preparations for Tropical Storm Isaac during a news conference at the Harrison County Emergency Operations Center in Gulfport, Miss., Monday, Aug. 27, 2012. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)

In this photo taken Monday, July 2, 2012, early morning sunlight illuminates fuel storage tanks at a North Little Rock, Ark., petroleum distributorship. The price of oil fell Monday, Aug. 27, 2012, as the threat to production from Tropical Storm Isaac appeared to lessen and traders speculated about a release of oil from U.S. reserves. (AP Photo/Danny Johnston)

Isaac Soaks Florida Keys, Leaves Little Damage Behind

KEY WEST, FL - AUGUST 27: A Monroe County Utility worker repairs power lines after Tropical Storm Isaac moved through the Florida Keys on August 27, 2012 in Key West, Florida. Isaac, still rated as a tropical storm, is expected to strengthen into at least a Category 1 hurricane before making landfall somewhere over an approximately 300 mile portion of the Gulf Coast, which includes New Orleans, on August 29, the seven-year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. (Photo by Marc Serota/Getty Images)

Isaac Soaks Florida Keys, Leaves Little Damage Behind

KEY WEST, FL - AUGUST 27: A Monroe County Utility worker repairs power lines after Tropical Storm Isaac moved through the Florida Keys on August 27, 2012 in Key West, Florida. Isaac, still rated as a tropical storm, is expected to strengthen into at least a Category 1 hurricane before making landfall somewhere over an approximately 300 mile portion of the Gulf Coast, which includes New Orleans, on August 29, the seven-year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. (Photo by Marc Serota/Getty Images)

US-VOTE-2012-REPUBLICAN CONVENTION

A local resident loads his car with bottled water outside a Walmart store in anticipation of water shortage caused by the oncoming Tropical Storm in Tampa, Florida on August 26, 2012. A strengthening Tropical Storm Isaac barreled toward Florida and was predicted to become a hurricane on Sunday, forcing a one-day delay to the main events of the Republican convention. A hurricane warning was in effect for the Florida Keys and parts of the state's southwest coast and the Republican Party announced that severe weather warnings had postponed the start of its four-day gathering in Tampa. The proceedings will now start on Tuesday afternoon instead of Monday. Early Sunday, the storm was around 205 miles (330 kilometers) east-southeast of Key West, Florida and it was moving northwest at 18 miles (30 kilometers) per hour, with forecasts suggesting it would strengthen even over the next 48 hours, the NHC said. 'Isaac is expected to be at or near hurricane strength when it reaches the Florida Keys,' the center warned. AFP PHOTO/MLADEN ANTONOV (Photo credit should read MLADEN ANTONOV/AFP/GettyImages)

Brenda Johns, Willie Shooks

Willie Shooks, right, and Brenda Johns, next door neighbors and survivors of Hurricane Katrina seven years ago, say while they trust the Lord will protect them, they are taking no chances, securing their homes and moving off the beach front lots in Long Beach, Miss., before Tropical Storm Isaac becomes a hurricane, Monday, Aug. 27, 2012. When Hurricane Katrina hit, the two neighbors lost everything, returning to foundations and debris where houses once stood. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)

Daniel Sobel, of New City, N.Y., left, and his sister Joanna Sobel, right, lift his 8-year-old daughter Rachel over a wave as it comes crashing ashore in Point Pleasant Beach, N.J., Monday, Aug. 27, 2012. The effects of Tropical Storm Isaac, more than 1,100 miles away, have been roiling the surf at the Jersey Shore, restricting swimming and keeping lifeguards on their toes. (AP Photo/Wayne Parry)

Shrimp boats are tied up Monday, Aug. 27, 2012 in Bayou La Batre, Ala. as residents prepare for the arrival of Tropical Storm Isaac along the Gulf Coast . (AP Photo/Press-Register, G.M. Andrews) MAGS OUT

Rick McLendon looks out from the front of his boarded-up business, Bayou Produce, while he awaits customers Monday, Aug. 27, 2012 in Bayou La Batre, Ala. as residents prepare for the arrival of Tropical Storm Isaac along the Gulf Coast. (AP Photo/Press-Register, G.M. Andrews) MAGS OUT

Mike Palmer

Mike Palmer surfs in waves ahead of Tropical Storm Isaac in Perdido Key, Fla., Monday, Aug. 27, 2012. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)

Rick Knabb

Dr. Rick Knabb, director of the National Hurricane Center, gives an update on Tropical Storm Isaac at the National Hurricane Center in Miami, Monday, Aug. 27, 2012. Tropical Storm Isaac targeted a broad swath of the Gulf Coast on Monday and had New Orleans in its crosshairs, bearing down just ahead of the seventh anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. (AP Photo/Alan Diaz)

Some residence are boarding up their homes while others have chosen not to take Isaac seriously in Gulf Shores, Ala. on Monday, Aug. 27, 2012. The National Hurricane Center predicted Isaac would grow to a Category 1 hurricane over the warm Gulf and possibly hit late Tuesday somewhere along a roughly 300-mile (500-kilometer) stretch from the bayous southwest of New Orleans to the Florida Panhandle.?The size of the warning area and the storm's wide bands of rain and wind prompted emergency declarations in four states, and hurricane-tested residents were boarding up homes, stocking up on food and water or getting ready to evacuate. (AP Photo/Butch Dill)

Hurricane specialist John Cangialosi tracks the center of Tropical Storm Isaac at the National Hurricane Center in Miami, Monday, Aug. 27, 2012. Tropical Storm Isaac targeted a broad swath of the Gulf Coast on Monday and had New Orleans in its crosshairs, bearing down just ahead of the seventh anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. (AP Photo/Alan Diaz)

Larry Fabacher carries bags of ice to his home as he prepares for Tropical Storm Isaac Monday, Aug. 27, 2012, in New Orleans. Isaac is churning it's way across the Gulf of Mexico. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

Gus Williams, Somaya Washington, Areonisha Washington

Gus Williams, left, feeds his step-granddaughter Somaya Washington, right, as her mother, Areonisha Washington, center, watches after evacuating to a shelter in Houma, La., Tuesday, May 28, 2012. Forecasters at the National Hurricane Center warned that Isaac, especially if it strikes at high tide, could cause storm surges of up to 12 feet (3.6 meters) along the coasts of southeast Louisiana and Mississippi and up to 6 feet (1.8 meters) as far away as the Florida Panhandle. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

Meteorologist Monica Bozeman tracks Tropical Storm Isaac at the National Hurricane Center in Miami, Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2012. Forecasters at the National Hurricane Center warned that Isaac, especially if it strikes at high tide, could cause storm surges of up to 12 feet (3.6 meters) along the coasts of southeast Louisiana and Mississippi and up to 6 feet (1.8 meters) as far away as the Florida Panhandle. (AP Photo/Alan Diaz)

Workers fill Hesco baskets at a flood wall at Route 23, in advance of Tropical Storm Isaac in Plaquemines Parish, La., Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2012. Forecasters at the National Hurricane Center warned that Isaac, especially if it strikes at high tide, could cause storm surges of up to 12 feet (3.6 meters) along the coasts of southeast Louisiana and Mississippi and up to 6 feet (1.8 meters) as far away as the Florida Panhandle. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

A sailboat is grounded on the beach in Pass Christian, Miss., on Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2012. Forecasters at the National Hurricane Center warned that Isaac, especially if it strikes at high tide, could cause storm surges of up to 12 feet (3.6 meters) along the coasts of southeast Louisiana and Mississippi and up to 6 feet (1.8 meters) as far away as the Florida Panhandle. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)

Estanislao Fabian, Jordan Fabian, Jaylah Cole, Jaden Fabian

Estanislao Fabian loads the their car as Jordan Fabian, 6, and Jaylah Cole, 6, comfort Jaden Fabian, 1, as they evacuate their home in advance of Tropical Storm Isaac, which is expected to make landfall in the region as a hurricane this evening in Plaquemines Parish, La., Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2012. Forecasters at the National Hurricane Center warned that Isaac, especially if it strikes at high tide, could cause storm surges of up to 12 feet (3.6 meters) along the coasts of southeast Louisiana and Mississippi and up to 6 feet (1.8 meters) as far away as the Florida Panhandle. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

A sailboat is grounded on the beach in Pass Christian, Miss., on Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2012. Forecasters at the National Hurricane Center warned that Isaac, especially if it strikes at high tide, could cause storm surges of up to 12 feet (3.6 meters) along the coasts of southeast Louisiana and Mississippi and up to 6 feet (1.8 meters) as far away as the Florida Panhandle. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)

Sea gulls fly over rising tides and brisk winds due to Tropical Storm Isaac along the water in west Gulfport, Miss., Tuesday morning, Aug. 28, 2012. Mississippi utility companies have extra crews on hand for possible widespread outages from Isaac. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)

Stacey Davis

Stacey Davis, left, and his board up windows on their home before Tropical Storm Isaac hits Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2012, in New Orleans. Tropical Storm Isaac is churning it's way across the Gulf of Mexico towards New Orleans. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

John Richardson and his nephew Myles Erickson get in some fishing time while the rest of the family prepares for Isaac in Bayou La Batre, Ala. on Monday, Aug. 27, 2012. The National Hurricane Center predicted Isaac would grow to a Category 1 hurricane over the warm Gulf and possibly hit late Tuesday somewhere along a roughly 300-mile (500-kilometer) stretch from the bayous southwest of New Orleans to the Florida Panhandle.?The size of the warning area and the storm's wide bands of rain and wind prompted emergency declarations in four states, and hurricane-tested residents were boarding up homes, stocking up on food and water or getting ready to evacuate. (AP Photo/Butch Dill)

Tropical Storm Isaac

Surfers head out to catch waves whipped up by Tropical Storm Isaac at Haulover Beach Park in Miami Beach, Fla., Monday, Aug. 27, 2012. Forecasters predicted Isaac would intensify into a Category 1 hurricane later Monday or Tuesday with top sustained winds of between 74 and 95 mph. The center of its projected path took Isaac directly toward New Orleans on Wednesday, but hurricane warnings extended across some 330 miles from Morgan City, La., to Destin, Fla. It could become the first hurricane to hit the Gulf Coast since 2008. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)

Rick Knabb, James Franklin, Ed Rappaport

Dr. Rick Knabb, director of the National Hurricane Center, standing center, James Franklin, chief hurricane specialist, at the National Hurricane Center, standing foreground left, and Ed Rappaport, and deputy director, National Hurricane Center, keep track of Isaac in Miami, Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2012. Isaac became a Category 1 hurricane Tuesday with winds of 75 mph. It could get stronger by the time it's expected to reach the swampy coast of southeast Louisiana. (AP Photo/Alan Diaz)

Pedestrians make their way down Bourbon Street as rain from Hurricane Isaac falls in the French Quarter Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2012, in New Orleans. The U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami said Isaac became a Category 1 hurricane Tuesday with winds of 75 mph. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

U.S. Senator David Vitter, R- La., left, Jefferson Parish President John Young, second left, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal and Army Corps of Engineers Col. Ed Fleming, right, talk as they tour the new levee wall and pumps at the 17th Street Canal in New Orleans, built after Hurricane Katrina, as Hurricane Isaac approaches New Orleans, Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2012. The Category 1 hurricane is expected to hit New Orleans overnight. (AP Photo/Cheryl Gerber)

FLORIDA HURRICANE ISAAC

Waves from Isaac crash against the Jetty East condominium in Destin, Fla., Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2012 as the storm makes its way toward expected landfall in Louisiana. (AP Photo/Northwest Florida Daily News, Devon Ravine)

FLORIDA HURRICANE ISAAC

L'Rena Anderson leans into the wind as she walks along the beach on Okaloosa Island in Fort Walton Beach, Fla., Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2012. Anderson was among many local residents who turned out to watch the effects of Hurricane Isaac as it churns through the Gulf of Mexico toward an expected landfall in Louisiana. (AP Photo/Northwest Florida Daily News, Devon Ravine)

FLORIDA HURRICANE ISAAC

A crowd gathers on the end of the boardwalk on Okaloosa Island in Fort Walton Beach, Fla., Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2012 to watch rough surf generated by Hurricane Isaac as it moves through the Gulf of Mexico with an expected landfall in Louisiana. (AP Photo/Northwest Florida Daily News, Devon Ravine)

Tommy Leonard

Tommy Leonard, of Port Sulphur, La.., says goodbye to his dog 'Snuggles,' before he hands him over to animal control officers, who are keeping evacuees pets for them, at an evacuation shelter in Belle Chasse, La., due to the impending landfall of Isaac, which is expected reach the region as a hurricane this evening, Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2012. The U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami said Isaac became a Category 1 hurricane Tuesday with winds of 75 mph. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

Crayione Alexis, Ra'yna Williams

Crayione Alexis, 9, of Phoenix, La., left, and Ra'yna Williams, 5, of Davant, La., play while in an evacuation shelter in Belle Chasse, La., due to the impending landfall of Isaac, which is expected reach the region as a hurricane this evening, Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2012. The U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami said Isaac became a Category 1 hurricane Tuesday with winds of 75 mph. It could get stronger by the time it's expected to reach the swampy coast of southeast Louisiana. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

Shajuana Turner, Ra-Maz Williams

Shajuana Turner plays with her cousin Ra-Maz Williams, five months, in an evacuation shelter in Belle Chasse, La. on Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2012. The U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami said Isaac became a Category 1 hurricane Tuesday with winds of 75 mph. It could get stronger by the time it's expected to reach the swampy coast of southeast Louisiana. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

People staying at the Theodore High School shelter line up for lunch on Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2012. The U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami said Isaac became a Category 1 hurricane Tuesday with winds of 75 mph. It could get stronger by the time it's expected to reach the swampy coast of southeast Louisiana. (AP Photo/Butch Dill)

Wendy Curtis

Wendy Curtis walks through the wind and rain from Isaac as the outer bands make landfall Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2012, in Chalmette, La. The U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami said Isaac became a Category 1 hurricane Tuesday with winds of 75 mph. It could get stronger by the time it's expected to reach the swampy coast of southeast Louisiana. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

From left, Jill Croy and Rachel Croy sit on the new levee wall that was built after Hurricane Katrina as Isaac continues its path to New Orleans, Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2012. The U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami said Isaac became a Category 1 hurricane Tuesday with winds of 75 mph. It could get stronger by the time it's expected to reach the swampy coast of southeast Louisiana. (AP Photo/Cheryl Gerber)

Sand drifts float across the parking lot of the Silver Slipper Casino in Waveland, Miss., Tuesday Aug. 28, 2012. The U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami said Isaac became a Category 1 hurricane Tuesday with winds of 75 mph. It could get stronger by the time it's expected to reach the swampy coast of southeast Louisiana. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)

Barack Obama

In this photo taken Aug. 28, 2012, President Barack Obama speaks about Tropical Storm Isaac, in the Diplomatic Room of the White House in Washington. Trying to keep his job as he does his job, President Barack Obama assures the nation his administration is on top of the looming Gulf Coast hurricane Isaac, then gets on a waiting helicopter to head out for votes. The swift pivot illustrates the president's juggle of governing and campaigning -- neither of which ever stops. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

A Louisiana National Guard vehicle rolls down Bourbon Street as Isaac continues its path to New Orleans, Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2012. The U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami said Isaac became a Category 1 hurricane Tuesday with winds of 75 mph. It could get stronger by the time it's expected to reach the swampy coast of southeast Louisiana. (AP Photo/Cheryl Gerber)

High waters surround signs noting reserved parking for Dauphin Island Ferry employees and for bait shop customers at the ferry landing Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2012 on Dauphin Island, Ala. as residents prepare for the landfall of Hurricane Isaac along the Gulf Coast. The U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami said Isaac became a Category 1 hurricane Tuesday with winds of 75 mph. It could get stronger by the time it's expected to reach the swampy coast of southeast Louisiana.(AP Photo/Mobile Register, G.M. Andrews) MAGS OUT

A man sleeps outside a boarded-up building on Canal Street in New Orleans Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2012, prior to the approach of Isaac, which is expected to reach the swampy coast of southeast Louisiana by early Wednesday. The U.S. National Hurricane Center said the storm, with 75 mph (120 kph) winds, had gained strength as it moved over the warm, open waters of the Gulf of Mexico. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

Mobile County Sheriff's Deputy Aaron Swayze uses binoculars to view the the road conditions of the partially-flooded Highway 193 leading to Dauphin Island, Ala., Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2012 as residents prepare for the landfall of Isaac along the Gulf Coast. The U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami said Isaac became a Category 1 hurricane Tuesday with winds of 75 mph. It could get stronger by the time it's expected to reach the swampy coast of southeast Louisiana.(AP Photo/Mobile Register, G.M. Andrews) MAGS OUT

A deserted Bourbon Street in the French Quarter is shown as Hurricane Isaac makes landfall Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2012, in New Orleans. Hurricane Isaac made landfall south of New Orleans Tuesday night. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

People play in the storm surge from Hurricane Isaac, on Lakeshore Drive along Lake Pontchartrain, as the storm nears land, in New Orleans, Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2012. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

Isaac's rain and winds buffeted the streets of Waveland, Miss., Wednesday, Aug. 29, 2012, the seventh anniversary of Hurricane Katrina hitting the Gulf Coast. Isaac was packing 80 mph winds, making it a Category 1 hurricane. It came ashore early Tuesday near the mouth of the Mississippi River, driving a wall of water nearly 11 feet high inland and soaking a neck of land that stretches into the Gulf. The storm stalled for several hours before resuming a slow trek inland, and forecasters said that was in keeping with the its erratic history. The slow motion over land means Isaac could be a major soaker, dumping up to 20 inches of rain in some areas. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)

US-WEATHER-STORM

People brave the rain and strong winds for a walk along the banks of the Mississippi River in New Orleans on August 28, 2012 in Louisiana, where Hurricane Isaac has made landfall. The US National Hurricane Center said a 'dangerous storm surge' was occurring along the northern Gulf Coast with storm surges of up to eight feet (2.4 meters) already being reported in Louisiana, Mississippi and Florida. States of emergency have been declared in Louisiana and Mississippi, allowing authorities to coordinate disaster relief and seek emergency federal funds. AFP PHOTO / Frederic J. BROWN (Photo credit should read FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP/GettyImages)

US-WEATHER-STORM

A group of men walk along a deserted Bourbon Street in New Orleans on August 28, 2012 in Louisiana, where Hurricane Isaac has made landfall. The US National Hurricane Center said a 'dangerous storm surge' was occurring along the northern Gulf Coast with storm surges of up to eight feet (2.4 meters) already being reported in Louisiana, Mississippi and Florida. States of emergency have been declared in Louisiana and Mississippi, allowing authorities to coordinate disaster relief and seek emergency federal funds. AFP PHOTO / Frederic J. BROWN (Photo credit should read FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP/GettyImages)

US-WEATHER-STORM

Strong winds and big waves engulf Lake Pontchartrain in New Orleans on August 28, 2012 in Louisiana, where Hurricane Isaac has made landfall. The US National Hurricane Center said a 'dangerous storm surge' was occurring along the northern Gulf Coast with storm surges of up to eight feet (2.4 meters) already being reported in Louisiana, Mississippi and Florida. States of emergency have been declared in Louisiana and Mississippi, allowing authorities to coordinate disaster relief and seek emergency federal funds. AFP PHOTO / Frederic J. BROWN (Photo credit should read FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP/GettyImages)

US Gulf Coast Prepares For Approaching Isaac

BAY ST. LOUIS, MS - AUGUST 28: Gene Gibson pets his cat as water rises from the rising bayeux waters, flooding his property ahead of the arrival of Hurricane Isaac on August 28, 2012 in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi. Many residents of the area decided to stay in their homes instead of evacuate for the Level 1 hurricane. The area was devastated by Hurricane Katrina in 2005. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images)

Residents of the Riverbend Nursing Center are evacuated to higher and safer ground as Hurricane Isaac makes landfall, Wednesday, Aug. 29, 2012, in Jesuit Bend, La. Plaquemines Parish ordered a mandatory evacuation for the west bank of the Mississippi below Belle Chasse because of worries about a storm surge. The order affected about 3,000 people, including residents of the nursing home. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

Danessa Lee, Ashanti Lee

Danessa Lee, left, comforts her granddaughter Ashanti Lee, 12, after their family was rescued in Pearlington, Miss., by law enforcement officers and first responders using boats, Wednesday, Aug. 29, 2012, during the nonstop rain from Isaac. A number of residents of the small community were trapped by the rising waters and had be rescued or waited until the low tide when waters receded so they could walk out. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)

Pearlington, Miss., residents are brought out of their flooded community by law enforcement officers and first responders using boats, Wednesday, Aug. 29, 2012, during the nonstop rain from Isaac. A number of residents of the small community were trapped by the rising waters and had be rescued or waited until the low tide when waters receded so they could walk out. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)

Toccara Williams, Ra-Maaz Williams, Romaule Williams

Toccara Williams, of Davant, La., hands their 5-month-old daughter Ra-Maaz Williams to her husband, Romaule Williams Jr., at an evacuation shelter after Isaac made landfall as a Hurricane, in Belle Chasse, La., Wednesday, Aug. 29, 2012. Plaquemines Parish ordered a mandatory evacuation for the west bank of the Mississippi below Belle Chasse because of worries about a storm surge. The order affected about 3,000 people, including a nursing home with 112 residents. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

Water flows out of the new 17th Street Canal pumping station as Hurricane Isaac hits Wednesday, Aug. 29, 2012, in New Orleans. As Isaac made landfall, it was expected to dump as much as 20 inches of rain in several parts of Louisiana. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

Hurricane Isaac Hits New Orleans, Gulf Coast

SLIDELL, LA - AUGUST 30: A resident evacuates from flooding from Hurricane Isaac's storm surge on the north shore of Lake Ponchartrain on August 30, 2012 in Slidell, Louisiana. The large Category 1 hurricane had slowly moved across southeast Louisiana, dumping huge amounts of rain and knocking out power to Louisianans in scattered parts of the state. The weather system has now been downgraded to a tropical storm but is still producing heavy rains and flooding as it moves north. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images)

Hurricane Isaac Hits New Orleans, Gulf Coast

LAPLACE, LA - AUGUST 30: A man heads to check on his house through flood water that came on shore from Lake Pontratrain during Hurricane Isaac near the Indigo Lakes subdivsion on August 30, 2012 in LaPlace, Louisiana.The large Category 1 hurricane had slowly moved across southeast Louisiana, dumping huge amounts of rain and knocking out power to Louisianans in scattered parts of the state. The weather system has now been downgraded to a tropical storm but is still producing heavy rains and flooding as it moves north. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)

Hurricane Isaac Hits New Orleans, Gulf Coast

SLIDELL, LA - AUGUST 30: A Slidell Police Department SWAT vehicle searches for people stranded by flooding from Hurricane Isaac storm surge on the north shore of Lake Ponchartrain August 30, 2012 in Slidell, Louisiana. The large Category 1 hurricane had slowly moved across southeast Louisiana, dumping huge amounts of rain and knocking out power to Louisianans in scattered parts of the state. The weather system has now been downgraded to a tropical storm but is still producing heavy rains and flooding as it moves north. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images)

A submerged cow is stranded amid debris in floodwaters after Isaac passed through the region, in Plaquemines Parish, La., Thursday, Aug. 30, 2012. Isaac staggered toward central Louisiana early Thursday, its weakening winds still potent enough to drive storm surge into portions of the coast and the River Parishes between New Orleans and Baton Rouge. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

People rescue cows from floodwaters after Isaac passed through the region, in Plaquemines Parish, La., Thursday, Aug. 30, 2012. Isaac staggered toward central Louisiana early Thursday, its weakening winds still potent enough to drive storm surge into portions of the coast and the River Parishes between New Orleans and Baton Rouge. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

Flooded water surrounds homes after Isaac passed through the region, in Plaquemines Parish, La., Thursday, Aug. 30, 2012. Isaac staggered toward central Louisiana early Thursday, its weakening winds still potent enough to drive storm surge into portions of the coast and the River Parishes between New Orleans and Baton Rouge. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

A car sits submerged after Isaac passed through the region, in Plaquemines Parish, La., Thursday, Aug. 30, 2012. Isaac staggered toward central Louisiana early Thursday, its weakening winds still potent enough to drive storm surge into portions of the coast and the River Parishes between New Orleans and Baton Rouge. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

The St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church is seen flooded after Isaac passed through the region, in Plaquemines Parish, La., Thursday, Aug. 30, 2012. Isaac staggered toward central Louisiana early Thursday, its weakening winds still potent enough to drive storm surge into portions of the coast and the River Parishes between New Orleans and Baton Rouge. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/30/hurricane-isaac-2012-new-orleans-plaquemines-parish-_n_1841867.html

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Ghana Business News ? Experts call for attractive tax laws

You Are Here: Home ? General News, Second Lead ? Experts call for attractive tax laws

Page last updated at Thursday, August 30, 2012 8:08 AM //

The 2012 Chartered Institute of Taxation, Ghana (CITG) Annual Conference to create awareness on tax policies and compliance, opened in Accra on Wednesday with a call on policy makers to make tax laws attractive for effective compliance.

Professor Riel C.D. Franzsen, Director of the African Tax Institute, Department of Economics, University of Pretoria, South Africa, who made the call, said although no one liked taxes they were important tool for national development.

He said taxes were necessary both to finance desired public spending in a non-inflationary way and also to ensure that the burden of paying for such spending was fairly distributed.

??While necessary, taxes impose real costs on society and good tax policy sought to minimize those costs,? he added.

The three-day conference forms part of the CITG?s awareness drive in the field of taxation and also as a? platform for interactions between tax administrators, taxpayers, the Institute, tax practitioners, students and the public.

Over 300 delegates from Ghana, Nigeria, Benin, Togo, Mali, Liberia, Sierra Leone, La Cote d? Ivoire, Burkina Faso and Niger are attending the conference under the theme: ?Taxation and National Development: Challenges and Perspectives.?

Prof? Franzsen said tax policies must translate into good laws which could be administrated in practice, adding that complexity of laws and regulations increased compliance cost and led to evasion.

That, he said, could be achieved through creating the appropriate environments such as political, policy, legal, institutional and administrative environment.

He said institutional structures needed to be strengthened to collate good data, proper processes, and efficient collection of due taxes and provision of taxpayer support services.

?We must also put in place appropriate penalty structures to reduce evasion as well as appropriate relief and enforcement mechanism and support to ensure compliance,? he said.

On taxpayers, the Professor said taxpayers? morality, compliance behaviour, perceptions or voluntary compliance would depend on efficiency and efficacy of government services ? whether revenue was spent appropriately in accountable manner among the citizenry and levels of trust in the administration of the policy.

Prof. Franzsen mentioned complexity of tax system, taxpayer?s trust/confidence, and perceptions on the fairness of the system, social setting and norms, effective administration and enforcement as factors impacting on compliance.

Mr Lee Ocran, Minister for Education, in a speech read for him, said the conference was a suitable platform where tax experts met to discuss issues and stressed the need to encourage such meetings to improve tax compliance in the sub region.

He urged CITG to institute schemes that would accelerate growth while increasing tax revenue.

The Minister announced that the Chartered Institute of Taxation Bill would soon be laid in Parliament and expressed the hope that when passed it would help improve compliance level in the country.

Mr Felix Ahima-Adonteng, President of CITG, said the fora would enable delegates to discuss, share ideas, learn new ways and add improved and innovative dimensions to doing old things, a process that should benefit the taxpayer, the tax collector and the tax adviser.

He, therefore, urged the public to cultivate the habit of paying their taxes to empower government to improve lives of the citizenry.

Source: GNA

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Source: http://www.ghanabusinessnews.com/experts-call-for-attractive-tax-laws/

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