Low-income people may get help with utility bills

Siobhan McDonough

Friday, March 16, 2001 | 9:45 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- Trying to cope with surging power costs, Assembly Ways and Means members reviewed a plan Thursday to help low-income Nevadans pay their utility bills.

"During the summer and fall, I heard from seniors in my district that they were concerned about having to choose between buying groceries and paying for prescription drugs," Assemblywoman Bonnie Parnell told the committee. "Now these individuals -- and many others -- must also worry about paying their utility bills."

Parnell, D-Carson City, introduced Assembly Bill 209, a one-time, $5 million appropriation to temporarily expand the number of people eligible for help under a state low-income home energy assistance program.

Eligible residents now receive about $213 a year.

Under the plan, the income ceiling for qualifying for the assistance would increase. A family of four would be able to make nearly $32,000 and be eligible. Now only residents making $25,575 or less may receive benefits.

State Welfare Administrator Mike Willden urged lawmakers to pass AB209, saying, "We need more money and we need to serve more people."

Willden said the new funds would help increase the average payment to about $300 per household.

The $5 million allocation would be spread over two years and would allow the program to operate year-round instead of eight months each year.

Willden said about 10,000 households are being served by the program. The proposed appropriation would allow the state to provide assistance to an additional 6,250 households.

Assemblyman David Goldwater, D-Las Vegas, and others were concerned about Southern Nevadans' utility bills when the hot weather months arrive.

"It's not the heating days we're worried about there. We're worried about the cooling months," he said.