Resolution 030156

..Title Calling on Pennsylvania's Department of Public Welfare to continue the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) until all of its federally appropriated money is spent this year on helping low-income residents with their home heating needs. ..Body WHEREAS, The Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare (DPW) administers LIHEAP, which consists of the following components: cash benefits given to low-income households for their home heating fuel; crisis payments to resolve weather related, supply shortage and other household energy emergencies, including immanent loss of heating due to inability to pay; and energy conservation and weatherization measures to address long-range solutions to home-heating problems faced by low-income households; and WHEREAS, The Federal Government each year appropriates money for LIHEAP to Pennsylvania's Department of Public Welfare to distribute within various regions of the Commonwealth. For FY 2002-2003, the Federal LIHEAP appropriation for Pennsylvania was approximately $136 million; and WHEREAS, DPW began its LIHEAP services on November 12, 2002 and it is expected that their services will close on March 27, 2003; and WHEREAS, For FY 2001-2002, DPW closed the program having over $10 million in unspent LIHEAP money in their budget, which carried over into their FY 2002-2003 budget; and WHEREAS, Pennsylvania has received additional LIHEAP monies for use in this FY 2002-2003; and WHEREAS, Hundreds of thousands of low-income residents and seniors in Philadelphia have suffered through one of the most severe winters in the city's history and now face insurmountable energy bills and a loss of gas and electric heating service in a matter of weeks; and WHEREAS, LIHEAP as a matter of public policy as well as conscience should continue to operate until all of its federally appropriated money reaches this City's low-income residents and seniors for whom these federal funds were intended; and RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That Pennsylvania's Department of Public Welfare continue 2002-2003 LIHEAP Program Year until all of its federally appropriated LIHEAP money is spent for FY 2002-2003. ..End