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 $1,450
for the 2003-2004 fiscal year; and
WHEREAS, Federal nationwide assistance for the cost of home energy has been stagnant since approximately 1982; and
WHEREAS, The 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; and
WHEREAS, One-half of all states provide 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 which does not provide any supplemental assistance to households that qualify for LIHEAP; and
WHEREAS, PGW customers are already paying rates which include substantial expenses in the range of $125 million for uncollectible billings and programs which provide rate discounts to low-income and senior citizen customers; and
WHEREAS, Additional 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, That the Council of the City of Philadelphia hereby requests that the Governor and General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania adopt a plan to supplement the federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (“LIHEAP”) that will be available for all households throughout the Commonwealth which qualify for LIHEAP assistance.
FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this Resolution be forwarded to the Governor and the leaders of both houses of the General Assembly.
End