March 31--Nearly four months after 14 people were killed and 24 wounded in the worst terrorist attack in the United States since 9/11, San Bernardino community leaders announced their distribution plan for $2.461 million donated to the Arrowhead United Way's Dec. 2 terror attack relief fund.
At the organization's first public meeting on the subject, about 100 people gathered Wednesday night in the council chambers at San Bernardino City Hall to review the plan and ask questions.
A committee of 15 large donors and community leaders presented their draft claim categories: Deceased victims' families will divide 80% of the funds, and physically injured victims will divide 15.5%. Those who were present in the room where the shootings occurred during a holiday party for county health workers but not injured will divide the remaining 4.5%.
None of the funds will go to administrative fees, officials said.
Each of the families of the 14 people killed by Syed Rizwan Farook and Tashfeen Malik will be eligible for about $140,629, and each of the estimated 24 who suffered physical injuries that required hospital transport will be eligible for a base of $5,000 and $1,000 for each overnight hospital stay.
An estimated 37 witnesses will be eligible for $2,993 each.
Former San Bernardino mayor and committee member Patrick Morris said the group, which has been meeting since January, studied the efforts for the distribution of donated funds following other attacks, including the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the Boston Marathon bombing and the Sandy Hook Elementary School mass shooting.
Morris said the committee faced a difficult task in trying to assign a dollar value to unimaginable loss.
"Money is a poor substitute ... but it is the best we can do," he said. "This is not fair compensation, no matter how the resources are divided."
Once the allocation plan is finalized April 4, victims and witnesses will need to file claim forms in order to receive payment, officials said.
If anyone does not file a claim or wishes to forgo the money, the funds will be distributed to other claimants across all categories based on the original distribution percentages.
Anita Busch, whose cousin was killed in the Aurora, Colo., theater mass shooting, stood up during public comment to warn about issues she and others have faced in which victims or their families did not receive money they were promised.
"We want to make sure every penny is given the families of these victims," she said. "I would strongly suggest that you ask a lot of questions."
Busch said she also wanted to ensure that the families receive the interest accrued on the donations and would not be taxed. She said she and members of 70 other families affected by mass shootings established the National Compassion Fund, which donates 100% of proceeds to victims, who are not taxed.
Morris said he would discuss the issue with Busch.
Following the meeting, many, such as Robert Velasco, whose daughter Yvette was killed in the attack, said they were satisfied with the plan as it was presented.
"It sounds like the committee did good by everybody," Velasco said. "I really appreciate the community and the country and everybody who contributed."
Others, however, had concerns about the distribution of funds.
Gregory Clayborn, whose daughter Sierra was killed, said he worried about the fairness. Some have already been compensated by workers' compensation, insurance or other ways. He said he's concerned that some -- including first responders -- may be able to "double dip."
"Those funds need to distributed to those who are most in need," Clayborn said.
Arlen Verdehyou, who lost his wife, Bennetta Betbadal, in the attack, said he was very grateful for the donations but would have liked to see a more even distribution of the funds among the categories of claimants.
Verdehyou said he knows some need the money more than he does, and he had spoken with others about pooling their potential claims to redistribute it on their own.
"We are all one family, and that family has to be equal in the end," Verdehyou said.
taylor.goldenstein@latimes.com
Twitter: @taygoldenstein
