By Warren Cornwall
Herald Writer
Snohomish County started Wednesday giving the cold shoulder to poor people seeking help with their energy bills.
Faced with dwindling money and a federal budget impasse, county staffers are telling callers they can’t make appointments to apply for energy assistance because there may be no money or staff to help.
"I would rather none of this happen," said Bill Beuscher, supervisor of the county’s energy assistance and weatherization program. "There was no point in making appointments when there wouldn’t be anyone there."
That was disappointing news for Ricky Fitch, one of an estimated 200 callers turned away Wednesday.
"I didn’t know quite what to think about that. It’s a help line, and I was really surprised," Fitch said.
The 42-year-old lives in a south Everett trailer park and is recovering from back surgery. He said he is unable to work and relies on public assistance to get by. But it isn’t enough to cover his electricity bill, which could reach $100 this month, he said.
In the past, he borrowed money to make ends meet. But he saw a notice about the county program and picked up the phone. While frustrated, he said the delay in government help could pose greater problems for others.
"There’s a lot of people out there other than me who are a lot worse off, that have a family and need to feed the kids," he said.
The county’s funding glitch will likely prove temporary. State and county officials say more money would be freed up if Congress approves a final budget for health and human services, labor and education. That’s expected to happen before Congress adjourns next week.
"We do expect it to be resolved before Congress goes home," said Jennifer Crider, spokeswoman for Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash.
In the meantime, Snohomish County and other agencies are preparing for the worst: that funding could dry up within weeks.
The problem stems from the circuitous federal budget process, said Will Graham, who manages the state office overseeing the energy assistance program.
As a conference committee of senators and representatives try to iron out the differences in the budget, the federal agency controlling the energy assistance grants is saying it can only release a portion of the funding, Graham said.
That leaves the state with less money to give to local agencies. And the money is running out, he said.
"Some of our other energy assistance program contractors have started getting booked up and are shutting down," he said.
In Snohomish County, Beuscher said the county probably has enough money to continue making grants through Dec. 21. After that, people who have appointments will be put on a waiting list. And people turned away without appointments are being told to call back after Jan. 1, when more money may become available, he said.
Graham said the result depends on the congressional conference committee wrapping up its business, and President Bush signing a budget bill.
"I’m keeping my fingers crossed that the conferees finish their work," he said.
Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., sits on that conference committee, according to her spokesman, Todd Webster.
However, Webster faulted the Bush administration. He said the problem could be eased if a $300 million allocation approved earlier were released. Washington’s Democratic lawmakers sent a letter to the president Monday urging the release of the funds.
"There are funds available that the administration has control over, and this could be resolved fairly quickly," Webster said.
A representative from the Department of Health and Human Services, which administers the program, did not return a call Wednesday.
At an Oct. 30 Senate hearing, U.S. assistant secretary for children and families Wade Horn defended the administration’s decision not to release the $300 million, saying high fuel supplies and predictions of a mild winter made it unnecessary.
You can call Herald Writer Warren Cornwall at 425-339-3463 or send e-mail to cornwall@heraldnet.com.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
