Republican Leaders Call for LIHEAP Changes to Enhance Relief Packages
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASENovember 16, 2007
AUGUSTA – Republican legislative leaders today called for strengthening the Low Income Heating Assistance Program due to the dramatic increase in the price of heating oil. Specifically, they recommended that the Maine State Housing Authority (MSHA) suspend its practice of extracting large amounts of money from the program for administration.
Last year, Maine received $24.2 million from the federal government to assist low-income homeowners, and MSHA siphoned off some $510,000 to administer the program. Another $1.8 million went to the community action agencies (CAPs) around the state that monitor and administer the LIHEAP program at local levels.
Rep. Josh Tardy, leader of the House Republicans, and Sen. Carol Weston, leader of the Senate Republicans, said MSHA officials need to absorb the cost and make do with less to help the state through a crisis situation. They do not recommend a suspension of the CAP administrative funds, saying the CAP personnel are vital components of the program.
“We’re all going to be tightening our belts this winter because of the cost of heating oil, now more than $3 per gallon,” said Rep. Tardy (R-Newport). “The folks at the Housing Authority need to do their part for the greater good of the state.”
Sen. Weston ( R-Waldo County) said that MSHA takes between $500,000 and $600,000 for administration every year. “That sounds to me like a lot of money to run a program where most of the work is done by the local CAPs,” she said. “If we could save that $500,000, we could provide additional relief to Maine’s most needy families.”
The average relief for most LIHEAP recipients this year will be in the range of $500. Maine depends more on heating oil than any other state in the country, with the average home burning approximately 1,000 gallons a year. “At current prices, $500 is not even enough to fill the typical oil tank once,” said Rep. Tardy. “If this is a normal Maine winter, folks will go through a 250-gallon tank in less than a month. They could be out another $2,500 by spring. This is a crisis, and the people at MSHA need to pitch in and help.”
At a press conference on energy initiatives on Nov. 16 th, Governor Baldacci said state officials will make sure that Mainers will not go cold this winter, no matter what it takes. “What we can do, we must do and we will do,” he said.
Sen. Weston believes flexibility is important at this critical time. “This winter we all have to do more with less, and the director of the Maine State Housing Authority should not keep LIHEAP money to staff her office when it could be used to keep Mainers warm.”
William Thompson 287-1505 (o)
Communications Director, Senate Republican Office