HARTFORD, Conn. — The cost to heat your home is going up and Monday, the state Senate and House Republican leaders submitted petitions requesting a special legislative session to address funding for home heating assistance.
They say the current budget for the program won’t last, but state Democrats argue Republicans are just playing politics.
“This isn't politics, this is people in need,” said Senate Republican Leader Sen. Kevin Kelly, (R-Stratford).
Last week, retail heating oil prices in Connecticut averaged nearly $4.80 a gallon. That’s down slightly from previous weeks, but still more than 68% higher than this time last year.
“When you need heat, you need heat,” Kelly said. “This will be a crisis.”
The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) helps residents afford heat for their houses, but this year Connecticut is receiving fewer federal dollars than in previous years.
The state is getting a proposed $79 million in the 2023 fiscal year which starts Oct. 1 and state Republicans say this isn’t enough money to run the program, citing a projected increase in applicants combined with the rising cost of oil.
“This is an issue that needs to be addressed now, in order to have a properly running program,” said House Republican Leader Rep. Vincent Candelora, (R-North Branford). “To say that this program is okay the way it is, is completely nonsensical. On every level, it is going to be over-strapped.”
State Democrats say this call for a special session is “premature.”
They argue waiting until the next legislative session to take additional action is fine because applications for the program don’t close for the previous winter until May 31, 2023.
They also point to Connecticut’s winter moratorium on home energy shutoff, saying people won’t need to “resort to portable electric heaters or gas stoves.”
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In a statement, a spokesperson for Gov. Ned Lamont wrote:
“Republican calls for a special session to address home heating assistance, which is a federally funded program, are premature. President Biden has requested increased funding for home heating assistance nationally, including in Connecticut, and Governor Lamont supports additional federal funds being added to the program to support working families and seniors. Should Senator Kelly and Representative Candelora want to take action on affordability and home heating assistance, they should implore their Republican counterparts in Congress, Senator Mitch McConnell and Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, to accept the President’s request for $500 million additional dollars on top of existing home heating assistance funding.”
Republicans claim the state is sitting on millions in additional federal funding which could be allocated toward this program.
“The reality is, there is a real need out there and people are suffering,” said Candelora. “I would argue that they're the ones being political by not addressing it.”
Republicans would need 50% support from each chamber for a special session. Right now, they only have 10 members of the Senate and 40 House representatives signed on.
Emma Wulfhorst is a political reporter for FOX61 News. She can be reached at ewulfhorst@fox61.com. Follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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