In normal circumstances, Lowery said, his company would charge $300 to tarp a 2000-square-foot roof in Austin. For that same size job, the government is paying $2,980 to $3,500, or about 10 times as much, plus additional administrative fees that can't be readily calculated. The government doesn't pay contractors per roof, but for every square foot of blue tarp its workers tack down, according to copies of the three contracts for the New Orleans area obtained by Knight Ridder. The Shaw Group [former FEMA head and Bush buddy Joseph M Allbaugh's company] is getting paid the most for installing the tarps, $1.75 per square foot. Simon Roofing's contract calls for $1.72 per square foot, and LJC Construction gets $1.49 per square foot. TIME FOR NEW LEGISLATION...GOUGING THE TAXPAYERS DURING DISASTER RELIEF SHOULD BE PUNISHABLE BY PRISON TERMS, STIFF FINES, AND TOTAL REIMBURSEMENT OF THEFT TO THE U.S.TREASURY [BY SEIZURE OF PROPERTY AND ALL ASSETS JUST LIKE DRUG DEALERS]