LANSING – State Rep. Gino H. Polidori (D-Dearborn) today renewed his call for action on an emergency energy plan that will help families get through the winter without their heat being turned off. On Wednesday, state regulators approved a rate hike of up to 47 percent – or an average of up to $62 a month – for Consumers Energy customers.
"This legislation will help many families on fixed incomes keep their homes heated during the cold months," Polidori said. "Michigan citizens already struggling to make ends meet should not have to choose between buying food and heating their homes. This legislation will bring much-needed relief to them, and I call on the Legislature to act quickly on it."
The legislation, called Winter Assistance and Relief for Michigan (WARM), will:
- Ban utility companies from shutting off heat service through March 31, 2006;
- Provide additional funding for energy assistance funds;
- Give the Michigan Public Service Commission the power to shift $5 million from research into a fund to help people pay heating bills;
- Set up a database to coordinate volunteers willing to help with winterization efforts; and
- Give residents a tax deduction if they winterize their homes.