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JPZenger

(6,819 posts)
Fri Jun 7, 2013, 09:37 AM Jun 2013

Pa. Delaying Use of Federal Funds to Help Low Income People Pay Utility Bills (Inquirer Editorial)

June 04, 2013

http://articles.philly.com/2013-06-04/news/39743408_1_corbett-utility-bills-working-families

"The Corbett administration doesn't seem to care that it has acquired a reputation for callous treatment of poor people. If it cared, it wouldn't have failed to process federal energy assistance applications and risk thousands of low-income customers having to pay reconnection fees through no fault of their own.

The state Department of Public Welfare is responsible for processing applications for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), which helps families pay utility bills. The $185 million program is fully funded by the federal government, so the DPW cannot use a lack of funds as an excuse for its failure to process the applications of 8,000 families who have been waiting more than 90 days for an answer. State rules require Pennsylvania to process applications in 30 days.

When an applications backlog occurred last year, then-Secretary of Welfare Gary Alexander promised it wouldn't happen again. But it has. The state has a total backlog of 14,000 applications. That's 14,000 families in danger of losing their power and having to live without hot water for bathing or washing dishes and clothes. When the LIHEAP checks do arrive, families paying their utility bills late may have to pay reconnection fees, straining fragile budgets."

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Pa. Delaying Use of Federal Funds to Help Low Income People Pay Utility Bills (Inquirer Editorial) (Original Post) JPZenger Jun 2013 OP
But that money could be better used Ednahilda Jun 2013 #1
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