Legislators are facing a difficult and highly unpopular decision that will likely deny home heating assistance to tens of thousands of low-income families this winter — and they really have little choice but to do that.
Federal budget cuts to the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) will result in Connecticut receiving significantly less money this year to help pay for home heating costs. And because of the state’s own fiscal problems, it’s unable to make up the difference — meaning as many as 80,000 low-income households will likely be dropped from the program this winter.
Gov. Dannel P. Malloy’s administration is recommending that those families who heat with gas or electricity be eliminated from the program, and the limited funds available used to assist households that rely upon “deliverable fuels” — oil, propane, wood and coal.
The thinking is that because state law prohibits gas and electric utility companies from discontinuing service during the winter for customers who fall behind on payments, those families are protected whereas those who depend upon other fuel sources have no such protection.
The rationale behind the administration’s thinking is sound, but the reality is that the protection from utility shutoffs during the winter months offers no real relief to low-income families struggling to make ends meet; it only delays the inevitable.
Once the moratorium on winter shutoffs expires in the spring, those families will have to pay up or end up losing their utility services then. And because income levels are not a factor in determining eligibility for assistance, the administration’s proposal will create severe hardships for many.
The General Assembly’s Appropriations, Energy and Human Services Committees will hold a joint public hearing on the administration’s plan Tuesday at the Capitol. Several alternative proposals are likely to be raised, but the truth is, the options are limited.
Some are suggesting that the available funds be distributed evenly, but that would only restrict the amount of assistance available per family, and likely not enough to even cover the cost of one oil delivery.
Another suggestion is to raise income eligibility requirements so that only the most needy receive the help. That is probably the better, and fairer solution, but at one point do you draw the line?
Less help than last year
The federal government provided $115 million to the state last year, enabling the state to provide assistance to more than 117,000 households. This year the state is projected to receive roughly $46 million — enough to aid about 39,000 households at last year’s levels — and the cost of oil has gone up.
The state has no flexibility in its budget. The budget is already up against the mandatory spending cap, so increased spending is not possible without a declaration of emergency, and then the money would have to be borrowed, further adding to the state’s growing debt. And with hundreds of millions in anticipated savings needed to balance the budget — some of which is highly suspect — the ability to just move money around within the budget isn’t feasible.
As unpopular a decision as this is, lawmakers need to face the fiscal reality and approve the administration’s plan.
It’s a reasonable and practical solution under the circumstances. There simply isn’t any extra money available to do otherwise.
Source http://www.norwichbulletin.com/
No comments:
Post a Comment