Resolution 040926

..Title Memorializing the Governor and General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to appropriate supplemental state funds for the federally-funded Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program ("LIHEAP") allocation that will be available for all households throughout the Commonwealth that qualify for federal assistance. ..Body WHEREAS, The Philadelphia Gas Works ("PGW") rates are the highest in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the annual bill for a typical PGW residential heating customer is projected to exceed $1550 for the 2004-2005 fiscal year; and WHEREAS, Federal assistance for the cost of home energy has been stagnant since approximately 1982; and WHEREAS, Federal energy assistance to Pennsylvania is only sufficient to provide funds to one-half of all households who are qualified to receive assistance under federal guidelines, both statewide and within Philadelphia County; and WHEREAS, One-half of all states provide state-funded energy assistance to households that qualify under federal guidelines; and WHEREAS, Pennsylvania is only one of two cold weather states in the Northeast and Midwest that does not provide any supplemental assistance to households that qualify for LIHEAP; and WHEREAS, PGW customers are already paying rates that include substantial expenses in the range of $125 million for uncollectible billings and programs that provide rate discounts to low-income and senior citizen customers; and WHEREAS, Federal aid would almost have to double in order to provide the level of funding that existed in 1982; and WHEREAS, It is highly unlikely that the current administration in Washington, D.C. will authorize additional LIHEAP appropriations; now therefore RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That we hereby request that the Governor and General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania appropriate state funds to supplement the federally-funded Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program ("LIHEAP"), which will be available for households throughout the Commonwealth that qualify for LIHEAP assistance, and use these funds to pay for the cost of the household's primary heating source; and FURTHER RESOLVED, That the Governor and the General Assembly provide an emergency appropriation of $50 million for the heating season 2004 - 2005 and continue budget appropriations in subsequent years. RESOLVED FURTHER, That copies of this Resolution be forwarded to the Governor and the leaders of both houses of the General Assembly. ..End