Heating to crunch fixed incomes

[Cocoa]

http://www.argusleader.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050925/BUSINESS/309250002/1003

WASHINGTON – If it weren’t for a check from a federal heating help program last winter, 81-year-old Gertrude Lee said, she would have had to eat less or turn down the heat.

This winter, Lee and millions of others will find it more difficult to pay their heating bills.

With record increases in the cost of natural gas and heating oil expected this winter, the federal program that helped Lee won’t stretch as far.

In response, state officials and some lawmakers want to add billions to the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program to meet both higher bills and greater demand.

For Lee, the $150 LIHEAP grant that helped pay off a $196 heating bill “was a godsend” in a season where the budget is tight.

more...

[barbaraann]

1. Republican advice:

Gertrude should write her name in permanent marker on her arm.

[zanne]

4. Good one, babaraann

I think the American people have a false sense of security where the government is concerned. After Katrina, what we only suspected has become a reality--we're all on our own out here.

[SpiralHawk]

12. "Pull yourself up by your own bootstraps, Granny" - GOP & BushCo

"That's enough whining out of you seniors. We have to spend your tax dollars on Overseas Nation Building and spread "freedom" to oil-rich countries around the globe." - GOP

[aion]

29. When the Chimp-n-Chief calls NOLA 'that part of the world'

...I think your analysis is quite apropos.

[La Coliniere]

31. lol You have a talent for gallows humor

barbaraann! Unfortunately, there's more than a grain of truth to it.

[pecwae]

2. Good luck getting LIHEAP

I was semi involved in the program through the county I worked for in rural east TN. The window for signup was less than a month and a limited number of families could be assisted. There was usually one tiny ad in the weekly newspaper annoucing it and if you missed it tough luck.

[nonconformist]

3. Yep.

I'm in SE KY, pretty poor area. LIHEAP runs out of funding almost instantaneously here.

[Ladyhawk]

44. Yeah, I applied months ago...haven't heard a goddamn thing.

Luckily, I don't have much of a heating bill.

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

5. I have posted this before, but I will say it again:

I have a good friend who worked for UBSWarburg, made a pile and got out when he could not stand the institutionalized sociopathy any longer. He is as fine a man as I have ever met and I would expect this from him, knowing him as I do. He is a very committed Dem. He also has ethical bounderies, a problem in that line of work.

He has a lot of friends who are energy traders, as you might imagine. He was talking to them quite recently and this is what they, to a man, told him:

They common opinion of people in the energy trading sphere is that at some point this winter, the country is going to go, as regards emotions and mood, off the rails. Heating costs will be the cause, but not just the impact on people's pocketbooks. What they feel will be the real tipping point, the real Crossing of The Rubicon that will turn the mood against the maladministration and the repukes is that because of the massive cuts in home heating assistance, people will start freezing to death in their meager homes. Lots of people. Lots. Especially the elderly.

Their feeling is that the mood of the country will be "white hot" and "really ugly".

If you think that Der' Chimpenfuerher looks bad now...

[Cocoa]

7. I believe something like that is possible

a lot will depend on the weather.

But no doubt about it, individuals will for sure feel a shock. Even the people that are informed about the price situation don't realize how big it's going to be. And then there's the vast majority that have no clue what's coming.

[1932]

8. Republicans have a plan for when that happens:

sell more tasers and private security to the people making money off of high energy prices.

They'll go crazy with the F.U.D. and make even more money for the people whose interests they represent.

[Tellurian]

11. Their Plan is more malevolent than you've stated..

After Bush feels it necessary to proclaim Martial Law,
All who resist the RW Fascists will be securely incarcerated
in Holding Camps. Which formerly were known as Army/Airforce
Bases. Doesn't anyone think it strange, that in these times of
High Security as a priority, we would willingly dilute our
base of defense against aggression?

[1932]

15. Now, how are we going to go into huge credit card debt to make

corporate america rich if we don't have any jobs and can't go to the mall?

[Ladyhawk]

45. Really, TS? That's damn scary.

I feel a bit guilty that my high bills for energy are going to be over with in the winter.

What kind of country is this where we would allow folks to freeze to death?

I hope I don't get LIHEAP. People in cold regions need it more than I do.

[Ladyhawk]

46. If there are deaths of this sort, they will be covered up, I think.

Damn, that tinfoil hat is getting tight. Why am I so cynical? Why do I only believe the very WORST of this misadministration?

[Vinca]

50. This is my biggest fear - people freezing to death.

It could make Katrina look like a good period in American history. We live in New Hampshire and the cold is creeping in. It's frightening. We were able to buy a pellet stove and are now hoarding pellets, but I'm worried for people who cannot afford oil and have no other alternative heating source. Local government programs can't afford this kind of money. Sadly, it will take dozens of Mom and Popsicles before Bush notices and that will only be if his ratings go down.

[1932]

6. "fixed income" is such a funny phrase. Middle class incomes have stagnated

since 1973. David Shipler in his book on poverty in America talks to people who make LESS per hour today than they did in the 70s.

Unless you're in the top quintile in America, many Americas not only have fixed incomes, they have shrinking incomes.

But the media uses "fixed income" to make those people think that they're not all in the same boat (or, more accurately, in a sinking ship...in steerage class...with the gates to the main deck locked).

[wishlist]

9. Charities and churches are unable to meet the needs not filled by govt

We can all expect to be asked and expected to give much more in charitable donations despite the historically high federal deficit spending, while state and local taxes will go up too.

Lower and middle income Americans have always given generously at higher percentages of their disposable income than wealthier Americans on the whole, but I am afraid finances for many people are going to be stretched so much that charitable donations cannot keep up with needs.

[Ladyhawk]

43. Fundy churches won't pay bills for the poor.

At most, they give out canned goods. A couple of years ago, I scrounged up some money for a friend who couldn't pay the bills and the churches were ALL dead ends. We only have fundy churches around here and deep down, they don't really care.

[pecwae]

49. I called the churches

(mostly independent Baptist, a couple of Methodist)in the area I worked in, Johnson County, TN, and was quite blatantly told that they only help their own church members. I asked "What about Christian charity," and they said it was extended to members only. Only the newly built Catholic Church was willing to help non congregants. This is not to indict all Baptist and Methodist churches or praise all Catholic; it's just what happened.

[bleedingheart]

10. I have already told my mom that if she needs help we will provide it

I konw that she is scared out of her mind by the rising prices of everything from food to heating.

She is a better off than most but with interest rates having been so low, it has really screwed the people on fixed incomes who depended up on a fixed interest rate.

[area51]

13. Welcome to Bushworld.

GW Hoover & his buddies have truly remade this country into "Yeronyerownistan". Unless, of course, you're a corporation, in which case you'll get all kinds of welfare. :mad:

[BiggJawn]

14. This year, $150 will buy Gertrude 4 days of heat.

In the past 3 months, my price per Therm has almost doubled, from 72 Cents to a $1.29.

That means over $200 a month to keep this tiny 2-bedroom flat warm this winter.

Oh, sure, everyone can go on the "Budget" plan, but what happens when you get that $2,000 bill in August?

"...some lawmakers want to add billions to the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program ..."

Want in one hand, shit in the other.....

[Cocoa]

16. if you can lock in at that price

I'd suggest doing it. I have the feeling 1.29 is going to be seen as a bargain.

[BiggJawn]

17. Not going to do that.

Sure, it'd be great for everyone else who DOSEN'T "lock", who get to enjoy things after I "lock" at $1.29, then watch the market tumble to 35 Cents a therm...

Yes, that's irrational thinking, but past experience losing my ass on things that other people get rich on (investments, Real Estate) tells me that's exactly what would happen.

[Cocoa]

19. that's a good point

the current prices may in fact be inflated, who really knows, it's a crap shoot (with the dice loaded against the consumer).

But 35 cents is out of the question, if it got that low the energy companies' death squads wouldn't be able to handle their assassination quotas.

[BiggJawn]

20. Why I'm leery of "locks"

When I bought my first (and last) house, the lender was pressing me to "lock the Rate" ("It could go up, the market's kinda unstable right now")

So I locked at 7.6%.

By the time we got to closing, the rate was 6.8%, and no, I could NOT "relock" unless I had $3,000 up front money...

So I'm a good example of how NOT to do things.

My gas utility has been pushing various "plans" for a few years now. My BS detector tells me "What's the angle here? These people sound like they're BEGGING me to screw them out of their ill-gotten gains this winter. MUST be a catch!"

I live by "If it sounds too good to be true, it is."
Cost me more, but at least I'm spared the dissappointment.

[Turbineguy]

18. Here's some ideas

Have the heating system looked at. A $200 heat exchanger cleaning bill will look like a bargain by the end of the first cold month.

Check that the fireplace flues are closed. Blank off unused fireplaces. Check insulation and weather stripping.

Set the thermostat lower, wear a sweater, add a blanket. In my house we have already aclimatized to 65 degrees. I grew up in the Netherlands. We only had a heater in the living room. The bedrooms were not heated, we used to wake up with beautiful flowers of frost on the window.

With central heating, close off unused rooms.

Visit with friends and family. Get enough people in a room and you'll be wanting to open the windows from the heat.

[cmdrxog]

21. haven't seen 65 in two years

We kept the house at 60F 2 years ago, last winter saw 56F; this winter no oil at all will be used except for hot water. Over the next month or two we're installing heat cables on the pipes and closing off the upstairs bath. Unless we get lows staying in the teens I don't expect the house to get much below 38, and that only during the early AM hours.

Would use the fireplace but as soon as oil went up all the tree companies happy to dump wood for free are getting $150 or more for a face cord of 16 to 18" logs. Have a couple of kerosene heaters but only plan to use them if it hits 10 or less.

Heating costs are only part of the coming thrills, just can't wait to see the cost of food and local tax bill.

[Turbineguy]

27. Less than 65 degrees?

I went to 70 last year. Howls of protest!

With energy prices it may be economical to pack the family off to the Philppines or something for a few months.

[cmdrxog]

33. the family howls alright

but the price of heating is a harsh reality. With my wife and I both working our income is less than 1/2 of what it was 12 years ago when only I worked. There are very few jobs that pay a living wage anymore and when you are over 40 even fewer employers that will even consider hiring you at any price.

People that require heat for health reasons are up against the wall, my 88 year old father has an estimated $350 budgeted bill monthly to keep his house at 70F. This bill is for 12 months a year. His house has has a brand new ultra-high efficiency furnace, heavy insulation, and thermal windows.

[politicat]

48. How's electricity in your neck of the woods?

We're on natural gas / electricity here. So far, therms are up, but KW are still at median or below ($0.073/ KwH).

We have bought these eheat space heaters. We bought two last year and I bought another two for this year since we've moved to a different house. (The other house was more open plan.) The one thing we learned about them is to mount them on interior walls, not exterior.

They cost us less than the gas central heat did, and we can turn them on and off when we're in or not in a room as need dictates.

http://www.eheat.us

[kineneb]

23. but need ideas for dealing with chronic health issues

Hubby has diabetes & renal failure; he can't tolerate temperature extremes. I am caught between paying propane/electricity bills or paying for ambulance visits to ER. Guess ole BushCo would like to see Hubby die. But this mama bear is going to fight.

[Turbineguy]

25. One method might be localized heating

Watch TV while cuddled up in an electric blanket.

Obviously the Ambulance and E/R costs would be way above heating costs. Maybe your Doctor could write a letter for a "perscription for warmth". Given the costly alternative, your health issurance might be willing to split the difference. Maybe it's a crazy idea, but you never know....

[kineneb]

41. would love to have health insurance

We are "low income" and are on CMSP (MediCal f/adults), so no help there.

I will probably make Hubby a heavy fleece blankie- electric blankets might not be so good because he might not be able to sense if it overheats parts of his body (neuropathy).

We already get PG&E's low income discount, but there is no corresponding discounts on propane. (Our county is the only one in CA w/o natural gas service, so it is propane, kerosine, electricity or wood for heat). I will check with the docs since at one time we had the medical discount for electricity. I may dig out the space heaters again.

[Ladyhawk]

47. That's just it. Due to health problems, I'm very sensitive to heat.

I have to have it cool during the summer. I'm lucky to live in California on the second floor...won't have much of a bill this winter.

And yes, I think ShrubCo wouldn't mind a bit if the diabetics, old people, infirm, etc. kicked the bucket on his watch. He sure didn't give a damn about those poor people in NOLA.

[catmandu57]

22. The best thing I can tell you is to seal up

the best you can, cover windows, use weather seal, insulate everything possible.
We're going to spend a little more while we can on doing just this, we'll be covering windows that we left uncovered before, using foam insulation where we can, and shutting off parts of the house.

[aion]

24. Very good suggestions. Permit me to add some, based on psychology

Seeing cold oftentimes makes one cold. During the winter, keep your curtains/blinds/shades closed. You may want to throw in a few plants for effect as well.

My grandmother actually wore out one of those old-time mercury switches. And for some reason, she likes to freeze in summer and burn-up in winter. That, in my opinion, is wasteful.

I installed a programmable thermostat for her, and her utility bills dropped enormously.

[catmandu57]

26. Sounds like my wife

She called home a little while ago wanting me to turn the air on, but being a cheap bastard and a strong front coming down from the north, we'll sweat for a few hours.

[aion]

28. Better safe than sorry

My grandmother also has learned 'the hard way' that one doesn't run such heavy equipment during electrical storms.

[Skittles]

30. but................we are bulding schools in Iraq!!!!!!!!!!!!!

:puke:

[aion]

32. And that is a large part of the problem.

Iraqis should be building schools in Iraq. Or do we like to pretend that we know how to build schools better than they?

The greed of this so-called administration is rampant.

I can remember a teacher once who gave us a puzzle. Imagine a row of 100 lockers, and imagine that you are responsible for painting all of them.

I won't tell you the answer, as to which path leads to the most efficient use of time. But when you try to figure it out, try also to imagine the most inefficient use of time. That's the path BushCo will take. If they do this more than 50% of the time, I think that's evidence (proof?) that they're not so much stupid as they are foxy. FEMA's 'ice shipments to Maine' was a case in point.

[donco6]

35. I was reading about this a month ago.

They were saying that rebuilding takes so much longer because Americans are requiring the buildings meet American code - which translates to much higher profit for the non-Iraqi construction firms. If Iraqis were allowed to build according to their existing codes, they could be done much faster, and at much less cost.

But lower cost isn't really an incentive, is it?

[aion]

36. If we fit them with our electrical plugs...

Then they'll buy our electrical products.

[donco6]

39. And if we require roofs to hold 16 inches of snow per ft(2),

and all the other American codes that make no sense in a desert country, we can make billions off the American dime!

[donco6]

34. I had to increase the school district's budget by 30%

on looking at our natural gas suppliers and what others were telling me about the cost of gas this winter. That's an increase of about $65,000 for my small district. We're also paying enormously higher prices for diesel for the buses. And our funding increase this year (only due to a state constitutional amendment) was a whopping 1.01%.

[aion]

37. Did you ask for more, expecting to get less?

I know that some use this strategy.

"Okay kids, forget taking your jackets to your lockers this year."

[donco6]

38. At the district level, you don't even have the chance to ask for more.

You get what you get, and that's all you get. It's set in state statute. But under our restrictive TABOR (TAxpayers Bill Of Rights) amendment, revenue can only increase by the rate of inflation plus growth. So when prices rise precipitously (as they have with oil) we just have to "suck it up" somehow. And for things that aren't measured by the CPI (e.g., healthcare costs), we don't get any additional revenue to cover that.

[newswolf56]

40. What this story doesn't tell -- typical Gannett pandering to power --

is that Bush has been methodically slashing LIHEAP funds since he took office: more of his deliberate, methodical policies of a final solution to the poverty problem -- genocide by neglect.

Most of the cuts to the City of Tacoma were imposed c. 2002-2003, and I no longer remember the exact figures (don't have them on this computer), but Pierce County's LIHEAP was similarly whacked 17 percent between last year (2004-2005) and this (2005-2006) -- this with an increasing client population due to the increasing number of people who are officially poor.

And the income eligibility cut-off points are absurdly low: no more than $997 per month for a one-person household, no more than $2016 for a family of four. (Don't know if these are the same nationwide or vary with local costs of living. But Puget Sound's cost of living is the third highest in the U.S.; the city of Bellingham has calculated the minimum living wage in the area as $13 per hour -- $2253 per month before taxes, a palfrey sum that is still far above the LIHEAP cut-offs.

In short, people will literally die this winter because of skyrocketing fuel prices, whether they freeze to death, starve, or die due to lack of medication -- and every death is a direct, wholly foreseeable (and therefore deliberate) consequence of Bush's policies.

[Ladyhawk]

42. There's a huge waiting list here. I applied several months ago

and still haven't heard a thing. Luckily, my high bills are in the summer and I rarely--if ever--have to use heat because I'm on the second floor.

[0007]

51. High grocery cost are putting a crunch on the seniors also.

[tom_paine]

52. Busheviks sez' "If they are going to die, then let them die..."

"...and reduce the surplus population."

:puke:

[indepat]

53. Welcome to W's Amerika