WHEREAS, The Philadelphia Gas Works offers a discount of 20 per cent of the gas bill for more than 70,000 senior citizens; and
WHEREAS The Philadelphia Gas Works retained Pension Benefit Information of Tiburon, California to audit the senior citizens discount program; and
WHEREAS, Pension Benefit Information has identified more than 12,000 households where the eligibility for the discounts is in question because the person in whose name the discount was awarded is deceased; and
WHEREAS, Philadelphia Gas Works is sending letters to these households, advising customers to contact PGW to update their files or lose their discounts in 30 days; and
WHEREAS, These letters have created fear, confusion and uncertainty among many senior citizens; and
WHEREAS, Seniors who are able to travel have been inconvenienced with long lines and insufficient parking at Philadelphia Gas Works service centers; and
WHEREAS, Philadelphia Gas Works has requested that seniors unable to travel telephone PGW to make appointments for home visits; and
WHEREAS, Many home bound senior citizens have been unable to arrange for such visits, due to long waits on the telephone, confusing telephone menus, and inadequate staff to make home visits; and as a result thereof, many seniors are in jeopardy of losing their discounts because they are unable to comply with the 30 day reply requirement; now therefore
RESOLVED, That the Committee on Finance conduct hearings on the audit of the Senior Citizens Discount program offered by the Philadelphia Gas Works, including alternative methods of verification and extending the verification period.
End