Heating costs imperil those who rely on aid

[RamboLiberal]

http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2005/12/30/heating_costs_imperil_those_who_rely_on_aid/

Angela Marshall of Hyde Park owes $951.66 on her most recent electric bill, the vast majority of it from heating costs, she said. Having nearly exhausted her government heating aid, she worries that her thermostat will have to stay low for the rest of winter.

In Mattapan, Michelle Lorquet, 40, figures she will run out of money to heat her home by the middle of next month. The blind mother of two has already paid $300 this month to heat her three-bedroom apartment and has nearly exhausted government heating assistance.

''I know it's going to get very cold in my house, but what can I do?" she said, explaining that she has devised a plan to keep herself and two teenage children warm. ''I have a little electric heater. And all of us will stay together in one room to stay warm."

The heating equation for the nearly 150,000 Massachusetts households like Marshall's and Lorquet's that receive heating assistance is worrisome. The maximum combined federal and state government subsidy this winter for Massachusetts is $765, and most households on the margins receive less. But with surging world demand driving up energy prices, that amount covers only one-quarter to one-third of a household's winter heating needs, said energy specialists. And this winter could be fierce: The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicts it will be 3.2 percent colder than last winter.

[bluestateguy]

1. It's incomprehensible to me to imagine an electric bill that high

In central Texas, we can mostly avoid this problem in the winter: it's cold enough to not have the AC on, but usually not cold enough to require the heater; so I like the winter because I have nice low electric bills (only $47 last month). The summers are a bit more pricey, but even then, the highest bill I ever had was $150. Because Sun Belt states like Texas, Arizona and Florida are growing so fast, I suspect you have a lot of Republicans representing these states who could give a rat's ass about federal heating assistance.

[mom cat]

4. Massachusetts is a fer piece fron central Texas.

I lived in central Texas and never saw 20 below zero. I saw that last year here in Mass.
Mattapan has a lot of poorly insulated homes and electricity is the most expensive way to heat. If one is renting, there are not many choices. :cry:

[mbperrin]

5. Here in Odessa, TX, we used 1400 kw last month for $240

And TXU gets another 12% increase effective January 2. We're paying 14.15 cents now, according to TXU.

[ninkasi]

2. Republicans will let people freeze, starve, or die from lack of medicine

before they stop cutting the rich people's taxes. They then dare to call themselves the party of "values" and "morals", for no other reason than that they prevent gay marriage, try to control whether a woman has a child or not, and wants to do away with real science and substitute religious beliefs. It's mind boggling to me that anybody with an ounce of human decency could even think of voting for a Republican.

They are the most immoral, and the most hypocritical party our country has ever seen. Regardless of a person's religious beliefs, or lack of them, plain, common human decency should lead us to protect the members of our society who need help. Will it take hundreds of people freezing to death before people pay attention to this coming crisis?

[fasttense]

3. Isn't it just so wonderful to know that no matter how many poor die

this winter, the super rich will still be getting their tax cuts. :sarcasm:

[Sgent]

6. Yea...

Government owned utilities suck so much...

Yet I'm paying $0.065/kilowatt-hour with a combination of TVA & City Utility. I'll take this way with a little waste, fraud and abuse over a $.12kwhr private utility any day.