JUNEAU — The Alaska Senate on Monday passed a bill that would give every adult recipient of an Alaska Permanent Fund Dividend this fall a voucher to help address high energy costs.
SB203, sponsored by Sen. Joe Thomas, D-Fairbanks, would provide vouchers for 250 gallons of heating oil, 35,000 cubic feet of natural gas, 1,500 kilowatt hours of electricity or 31 million BTUs of hot water or steam district heat.
The program is intended to be a short-term fix, coming after a harsh winter across much of Alaska, and provide the equivalent of up to two months of energy, based on estimates of average statewide residential consumption. The bill also seeks a longer-term fix and calls on the governor to evaluate other alternatives to provide energy assistance.
The estimated cost of the vouchers is $328.3 million to $465 million.
The bill passed 15-4, with Sens. John Coghill, Cathy Giessel, Lesil McGuire and Kevin Meyer voting against it. The bill will next go to the House.
Coghill, R-North Pole, acknowledged that long-term solutions to addressing energy costs and needs are “frustratingly slow” in coming. However, he said he worries the bill sets up an expectation that “this goes on and on and on.”
Coghill, the Senate minority leader, said it’s painful for him to say that he doesn’t believe this is the best solution because people in his district are hurting because of high energy costs.
Sen. Lyman Hoffman, D-Bethel, said the state has the money, thanks to high oil prices, and when someone in your family hurts, you help them.
“I do not say that this is the perfect solution, but this is the best solution so far,” he said. “If any member has a better idea to assist our Alaskan family, I will look at it and embrace it.”
This isn’t a long-term solution but seeks to put in a place a program “acknowledging the problem that everyone in this room knows exists,” he said.
Gov. Sean Parnell has said he doesn’t understand why Alaskans who aren’t suffering from high costs should receive the same benefit as those who are. He said he is focused on longer-term solutions, and spoken with legislators about regional solutions.
Comments (11)
Add commentenergy assistance
I would like to see some kind of assistance, but this seems
a bit excessive, to give everyone who received a pfd 250
gallons of heating oil. Obviously for a family of 4 that would
be a thousand gallons of product. Maybe pare it down to
250 gallons per house hold. I don't know of any place in
Alaska right now where heating oil is less than 4 bucks a
gallon. It's almost 5 where I live. If my wife and I each get
250 gallons, that would heat my house for two plus years.
That would save us almost 2500 bucks over those two
years. I hope some sort of plan makes it through, any
help is better than none.
election year
and our legislators are buying your votes. For last year was not an election year and apparently fuel prices were not high enough to get any attention. Next year when it not election time the problem will not get any attention.
"SB203, sponsored by Sen. Joe
"SB203, sponsored by Sen. Joe Thomas, D-Fairbanks" - nuff said...
I smell some funny democrat math too.
How much does 250 gallons of heating oil cost?
They'll be lucky to get away with a $465M payout.
"Nineteen of Alaska's 20 state senators will be up for re-election in what promises to be a scramble for power — the Senate is evenly divided between Republicans and Democrats.
State Senate elections normally are staggered, with 10 senators elected every two years. However, after redistricting, all but one state senator must face voters in 2012."
In total 59 of 60 legislators are up for re-election.
@bigdan
That's every ADULT recipient of a PFD, with provisions for emancipated children and a few others..
Heck, I'll take it
Heck, I'll take it
Why not?
Sarah Palin bought her popularity this way, why not the other politicians?
Will be interesting to see how vouchers are handled
Will vouchers be mailed to adults separately or must you apply and designate fuel or electricity to receive the appropriate voucher. If utilities are under one person's name (such as a roommate situation) is the voucher transferable? Wonder if the Homeless will be able to sell their vouchers--it will be interesting to see how this is handled.
Good Grief......
another give away when we haven't paid down indebtedness yet.
If my household addressed the annual bills the way the state does, we'd be called irresponsible.
I'd rather see those funds go towards debt or 'rainy day' fund.
It should be about twice that amount
If we handed out twice that amount or maybe even three times that it would be a good idea. A better idea would be to add to the bill that next year it doubles yet again and the year after that it again goes up. It seems that this is the only method that will force the legislature to do something to address a problem that Alaska has always had. The Legislature has met every year since 1959 and have yet to make any serious attempt to solve our in state energy problems.
interties
interties Governor.
Some people live alone, and
Some people live alone, and the energy assistance is merely that, assistance after a costly, severe winter.