July 10, 2008 Press Statement:

“My message is simple. The heating season will soon be here. Vermonters are in danger of going cold. And believe me, some are scared.

Everywhere I go, everyone I talk to is worried about how they will pay to heat their homes this winter. In the last few days I have talked with senior citizens, small business people, nursing home staff and working families who want to know what we are doing to help them.

The concern goes beyond low-income Vermonters. Middle class working families are wondering how they will pay for heat. Some are using home equity loans or maxing out credit cards. Local fuel dealers are being squeezed along with them. The local people who deliver the fuel and drop off the bill are squeezed between their suppliers who want to be paid quickly and local customers who cannot pay on time - if at all. Consumers and local fuel dealers will be squeezed by big oil. Both need our support.

Talking about it for weeks and weeks just doesn’t cut it. We need to act quickly. We need to have a plan in place to support consumers and local fuel dealers before Labor Day.

Here is my challenge to the Governor and Legislators:

1. Commit Rainy Day Funds Now. Commit today to using state Rainy Day Funds to provide low-income fuel assistance as needed. This is money Vermonters set aside for emergencies. This is an emergency. Our congressional delegation is working hard and I expect some increased funding for low income heating assistance (LIHEAP). If Congress comes through we may not have to use our funds, but let’s assure Vermonters they will not go cold.
2. Commit Support for Local Fuel Dealers Now. Put in place the structure needed to help local fuel dealers access increased lines of credit to acquire fuel for the winter. The credit should be available to dealers at low or no cost. We should bring together banks, VEDA (Vermont Economic Development Agency) and others and put the plan together now. Develop the structure and parameters through which fuel dealers can access credit when they need it. The most crucial need may not come until January. The commitment and structure should be in place by Labor Day. The sooner we provide some stability to the situation the sooner dealers and consumers can make plan for the winter.

Here is my challenge to the fuel dealers and policymakers:

Once we have a plan for this winter, lets work together to avoid crisis in the future. We need to establish a strategy and funding mechanism to help Vermonters save heating fuel, use it efficiently and save money. We must jumpstart efforts to establish the all-fuels efficiency utility as we did with electricity through Efficiency Vermont. Fuel dealers must be at the table to make it happen.

A shifting global economy, speculative greed and diminishing oil supplies are battering Vermont along with rest of the nation. But if we work together we can become self-sufficient and protect our families, our communities and our local businesses. Believe me, we can do better.”

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 10, 2008
CONTACT: Meg Brook - 802-864-2008

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