Wisconsin: Doyle releases $5.6 million in heating aid
www.gmtoday.com March 8, 2003
MILWAUKEE - Saying this winter’s high energy costs have created a crisis for many Wisconsin families, Gov. Jim Doyle on Friday released $5.6 million in emergency energy assistance funding.
The extra money will help about 14,000 state residents pay their heating bills despite a spike in prices that has pushed the cost of natural gas 77 percent higher than last year, Doyle said.
‘‘We will not let anyone, particularly a senior citizen or a disabled person, make the awful and sometimes dangerous decision of not turning on the heat when it’s very, very cold outside,’’ Doyle said.
Doyle made the announcement, which includes $5.1 million in federal money, at the offices of the Social Development Commission, an agency that helps low-income Milwaukee County residents get assistance such as the heating help.
Deborah Blanks, the commission’s executive director, said the agency has already helped 24,000 low-income families through the end of January, a 4,000-family increase over the same time last year.
So far this winter, public funding has helped more than 100,000 state households, 12 percent more than last year, said Steve Tryon, director of the state’s Bureau of Energy Services.
The state Department of Administration said this week that natural gas prices are at their second highest level since the state began tracking the information.
Heating oil was $1.527 a gallon for the week of March 3, 55 percent higher than a year ago. LP gas was $1.465 a gallon, up 40.7 percent, the agency said.
Emma Mitchell, 68, went to the commission’s offices Friday to apply for help heating the Milwaukee home she owns.
‘‘It’s a struggle to pay the bills,’’ said Mitchell, who earns $8.50 an hour at her part-time job at an agency that provides care to seniors.
Her heating bills have been rising for the last few months - to $207 this month - and she’s finding it hard to meet her monthly $300 mortgage payment as well as clothe and feed her daughter and foster daughter, both 10.
‘‘They are lacking for some things I would love to have them have,’’ Mitchell said.
Intake worker Erica Coles said Mitchell would qualify for some type of monthly assistance.
The state had predicted heating costs would rise an average of 25 percent this winter because of expected colder weather. Costs have climbed higher than expected, partly because of a possible war in Iraq and an oil strike in Venezuela that has reduced crude oil suppliesin the United States.
About 66 percent of Wisconsin homes heat with natural gas, 11 percent with propane and 8 percent with heating oil.