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MAIN
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A Joint Project of the Maine
Association of Interdependent Neighborhoods |
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Volume 10 No. 1 |
March 2006 |
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MAIN
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A Joint Project of the Maine
Association of Interdependent Neighborhoods |
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Volume 10 No. 1 |
March 2006 |
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$ $ $ More Money for Heating Assistance $ $ $
State jumps in to help fill gap caused by federal flat funding and high heating costsLast fall Maine’s congressional delegation worked hard to try to secure additional funding for the low-income heating assistance program (LIHEAP). This program helps low-income seniors, families and other individuals to purchase heating fuel. Additional funds were needed for LIHEAP to fill the gap created by the winter’s high heating costs. Senator Collins took the lead in the Senate and attempted to include funding for LIHEAP in a number of federal bills. Unfortunately her efforts were continually thwarted. By the time the Maine Legislature returned to Augusta at the beginning of January, Congress had not appropriated the needed funds.
The Governor and members of the legislature quickly acknowledged that the state would have to step in to help those in need. When the legislature met in January, its first action was to unanimously pass legislation appropriating $5 million to help to fill the gap in LIHEAP funding. It’s not enough to fill the entire gap created by the flat funding at the federal level and the increase in the cost of heating fuel, but it was an important step in the right direction that has helped thousands of Mainers purchase needed heating fuel.
In addition, the Governor has been promoting the Keep ME Warm Fund that collects private donations to help individuals and families purchase heating fuel. The Keep ME Warm fund is designed to help people with incomes just over the eligibility limits for the LIHEAP program.
Following the Legislature’s action in January, Representative Arthur Lerman (D. Augusta) presented a bill, (LD 1940), to provide additional state funding to both LIHEAP and the Keep ME Warm Fund. Russell Anderson, President of the Maine Association for Interdependent Neighborhoods, testified at the hearing on that bill held on February 14. Russ explained in his testimony that heating our homes can be a matter of life and death and that “people will suffer in Maine without additional help from the LIHEAP program.”
Legislators should be thanked for their early action appropriating state dollars to the LIHEAP program. But they should also know that these dollars are not enough to give people the help that they need—the funds appropriated don’t even provide the same levels of assistance that people received last year. More funding is needed to help low-income Mainers make it through the rest of the winter. MAIN will keep people updated on the progress of LD 1940.
