Tuesday, January 9, 2007
Contact: Jessica Robinson, 573-751-0290
Blunt, Missouri Officials Announce Plan to Help Low Income Missourians Pay Heating Costs
Community Leaders Support Plan To Help Vulnerable Missourians
JEFFERSON CITY–Gov. Matt Blunt, Lt. Governor Peter Kinder, President Pro Tem Michael R. Gibbons, House Speaker Rod Jetton, State Sen. Chuck Gross and State Rep. Allen Icet today announced their plan to help low-income Missourians pay for their home heating costs. Joined by more than a dozen Community Action Agency leaders, the elected officials unveiled their plan to provide $6.3 million to fully fund Utilicare, the state’s program to help vulnerable Missourians with their winter utility costs.
“No Missourian should have to choose between heating their home and the necessities of life such as food and prescription medicine,” Governor Blunt said. “When I became Governor, Utilicare had not been funded since 2001. We changed that when my administration was the first to fully fund Utilicare. The plan we are announcing today would fully fund this energy assistance for those who need it the most for the second year in a row. The leaders joining me today believe as I do in the need to help low-income families with rising energy costs.”
“I want to commend Governor Blunt for caring about the daily lives of low income Missourians” said Lt. Governor Peter Kinder. He added, “My role as Senior Advocate has made me critically aware of the real needs our state's seniors face during the winter. For the second year in a row, the Governor's strong actions will provide much needed help for many of our citizens who may need help to keep their families warm this winter.”
“Fully funding Utilicare expands our commitment to protect our state’s most vulnerable citizens,” President Pro Tem Gibbons said. “Affordable energy is important for all Missourians to have, but it can be a life and death situation for the poor.”
“We are glad that we can utilize some of our budget surplus and help vulnerable seniors this time of year with their energy costs, especially when many of them are living on a fixed income,” said House Speaker Jetton.
“Our members are pleased with Governor Blunt’s proposal to fully fund UTILICARE at $6.3 million for the benefit of Missouri families with limited wages,” said Ann Graff, President, Missouri Association for Community Action (MACA). “These funds will not only help Missouri families and children, they will prevent the elderly from having to make choices between paying their utility bill or purchasing their medication and food.”
The plan calls for a supplemental budget which includes $6.3 million in funding for the Utilicare program.
Last year Blunt, Gibbons and Jetton secured a $6.1 million emergency supplemental, fully funding Utilicare and providing support to over 12,000 low-income households. As Missouri’s senior advocate, Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder has been a champion for increased funding for Utilicare.
The Public Service Commission estimates that the average five month winter cost for Missourians to heat their homes with natural gas will exceed $800 before taxes and transportation charges.
Eligible Missourians can sign up for Utilicare and LIHEAP, the federal low-income winter heating bill assistance program, through Local Community Action Agencies. For more information about Local Community Action Agencies visit http://www.communityaction.org/CAAServiceAreas.htm.
If approved by the legislature, ten percent of the Utilicare funding would be allocated for weatherization, helping households improve the energy efficiency of their homes and reduce their heating and cooling costs.
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