PGHIMC - Pittsburgh Independent Media Center

PA to supplement federal home heating assistance
by stephen donahue Friday, Dec. 16, 2005 at 12:29 PM

House Bill 1539 is corporate welfare that also helps poor folks keep warm.

Today 12/16/05, Gov. Rendell will sign into law House Bill 1539. This law will take money paid by the utility companies via the "gross receipts tax on utilities" and instead of putting it into the state general fund it will be used to supplement LIHEAP (Federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program).

This is a major victory for low income advocacy groups in PA and HB 1539 will help lots of folks.

The fat cat utility lobby Energy Association of PA supported HB 1539 even as they still fight hard against any legislation that would deny them the ability to terminate gas and/or electric service for customers during the winter months.

In 2004 the state legislature after much arm twisting by utility company lobbyists passed a new law that made it much easier for utility companies to cut off customers even in the dead of winter.

Of course it was a no brainer for the Energy Association of PA to support HB 1539. This law takes money which the utilities pay in taxes on their gross receipts and then gives it back to them in payments to help the poor pay their utility bill.

The utility companies increase their profits and get to look like they give a fuck about poor people all at the same time.

Real progress will come when the utilities are simply told that they won't be cutting off customers during the winter. Legislation that will do that is of course stuck in committee.