Heat vs. food? Heat vs. Medicine? Oil prices to cost Mass. families extra $1000

[Bluebear]

Boston (AP) -- Rising oil prices are expected to boost heating oil costs by nearly $1,000 for the average Massachusetts family this winter.

A coalition of business, labor and community organizations bases its estimate on the state's average heating oil price last week. The average is 39 percent higher than it was during the same week a year earlier.

The coalition, called the Massachusetts Affordable Reliable Electricity Alliance, says that increase translates to nearly $1,000 more for a family's winter heating bill, compared with a year ago. That figure assumes a family will refill a 250-gallon oil tank four times over the winter.

In Massachusetts, nearly a third of all households depend on fuel oil, kerosene or propane for heat.

http://wbz.com/Rising-oil-costs-expected-to-increase-heating-cost/1284196

[robinlynne]

1. four times? When I lived there, in a household of 4 people, we filled our tank two times per winter.

Because we were careful. (young and didn't have much money.)

[Tesha]

4. Depends how big your tank was, ehh? 1000 gallons/heating season isn't unreasonable. (NT)

[gateley]

2. America. nt

[Ravy]

3. How much of that is due to the false Bush/Cheney rhetoric

about Iran, despite their knowledge that it was false.

And, did these two oil men do that by accident?

[Bluebear]

8. 'And, did these two oil men do that by accident?' ......

Anybody who still believes that that is an accident is a complete fool, you are correct.

[robinlynne]

9. excellent point. Someone stated in an Op yesterday that there is an extra

$30 per barrel "risk fee".

[Vinca]

5. And Bush wants to cut heating assistance to those who need it.

Maybe he figures he can cull the herd over the winter.

[flashl]

6. WE are not in a recession YET

Without acknowledgement from the "experts" on the economy about recession, these folks must be some chicken-little pretenders? :sarcasm:

[SecularMotion]

7. More consequences

A local non-profit has to suspend it's holiday program to distribute clothes & toys to children of low-income families to focus on heating assistance.

http://www.berkshireeagle.com/headlines/ci_7638316