Five point one billion dollars. This is about how much LIHEAP has been funded for the last couple of years. Obama's proposed budget wants to slash this amount to about $2.6 billion. This would leave millions of households with back fuel bills and in turn making them COD (cash on delivery only) with their fuel companies and left in the cold. Most households are not able to pay $450+ for a deliverable fuel right up front. I have known households in the Upper Valley that spend this much a week to keep their home heated. Remember the oldest homes in the United States of America are here in New England. There are many homes that are in need of weatherization. Weatherizing ones home can become costly and without the proper funding of LIHEAP there will be less homes getting the improvements they need in order to reduce their energy costs. If were reducing energy costs then we are reducing the amount of Federal need when it comes to LIHEAP...hmmm, well I guess it would make sense to weatherize the heck out of New England homes. I wish I had a figure of how much New Englander's would be saving if this were a possibility.
The last several years I have helped disburse supplemental benefits which are "extra" federal monies available to help those with deliverable fuels at the end of the season. New Hampshire has not received enough funding this year to do supplemental benefits. According to Kathy McCosh, Tri-County CAPs EHCCO Coordinator, last year the supplemental for New Hampshire cost $10 million. This year New Hampshire raised the income limits to 60% of the SMI as it has done for the past several years, at a total cost of around $2 million. She expects to be able to serve all persons applying for assistance at the 60% SMI level with a base benefit. Benefits range between $150-$1125. Most LIHEAP benefits are not enough for the cold Northeast winters and a lot of times the supplemental helps enough to finish off the cold seasons heating bills. There are no supplemental benfeits this year. Remember Obama wants to cut the LIHEAP aid.....
How are folks supposed to get through a winter with half the benefit amount. Most households will barely be able to get a minimum delivery on LIHEAP benefits if Obamas budget goes through as proposed. This will effect fixed income households, the elderly and disabled the most. RSA-165 can only go so far and the local agencies can only help by certain means. So call your State Senators, Representatives and Governor! Support your local CAP (community action program).
Oh one more side note...according to CNNmoney.com, "The top five oil companies in the United States made nearly $1 trillion in profit since 2000."....1 TRILLION IN PROFIT...PROFIT!
http://money.cnn.com/2011/02/04/news/economy/oil_subsidies_tax_breaks/index.htm
Interview with WCAX Joie and I regarding budget cuts.
http://www.wcax.com/Global/story.asp?S=14044921
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