Submitted article
State Sen. Darrel J. Aubertine (D-Cape Vincent) today called on his colleagues in the state Legislature to make home energy costs a top priority in the upcoming Aug. 19.
“We have a lot of important issues to address in Albany next week, but we cannot lose sight of the impact rising home heating costs will have on many Central and Northern New Yorkers this winter,” Sen. Aubertine said. “We must act now and with a comprehensive approach with both short term solutions for this winter, and long term solutions to address these rising costs in the future.”
Sen. Aubertine and the Democratic Senate Conference rolled out a comprehensive energy plan last week in Albany and the announcement in Watertown today was designed to bring that message home to the 48th Senate District.
The home heating and energy package includes:
* Creation of a new Middle-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (MIHEAP) to extend benefits to middle-class families;
* Expansion of the existing Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) by doubling the average benefit for the 2008-09 winter heating season for families making up to $45,000 per year;
* A large-scale investment in home weatherization improvements that will save families up to 40 percent on energy costs and create tens of thousands of new green jobs;
“The key to all of this is that we can fund these programs without worsening our state’s financial situation,” Sen. Aubertine said. “What’s better is that these programs will directly impact the lives of so many New Yorkers and position us to generate revenue for the state through economic development.”
Under this proposal, the MIHEAP program would be funded through the sale of carbon permits auctioned as part of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI). The expanded benefits for LIHEAP will be paid for federally and the weatherization program would be paid for through a bond and paid back by consumers through their utility bills.
“We’ve called on our federal representatives to expand the funding for LIHEAP,” Sen. Aubertine said. “Our Congressman and our two state Senators are working to open up this funding, but we must be prepared at the state level.”
The Senator again emphasized his priorities for the upcoming Aug. 19 “emergency economic session” called by Gov. David Paterson. He said the Legislature must make careful cuts to trim government spending and close the state’s projected shortfalls.
“There is no doubt that cuts have to be made,” Sen. Aubertine said. “However, we cannot cut without considering the consequences of our actions. If we eliminate or negatively affect vital services or just pass the state’s troubles down to local governments, then we’re not really solving anything.”
The Senator added that he will also continue pushing for several pieces of home rule legislation that the Senate Majority has to this point blocked for political reasons. He called on the Senate Republicans to allow his home rule bills to the floor for a vote.
“They cannot say their working for the people of New York when they let their partisan dysfunction get in the way of bills that would benefit our communities in Watertown, Parish and Granby,” Sen. Aubertine said. “I have made it clear to the majority the importance of these bills and I hope they set party aside and step up to do what is right.”
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