Res. No. 665 Title Resolution calling upon President Bush and the Congress of the United States of America to maintain the current level of funding for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program for Fiscal Year 2003 and not decrease it by 300 million dollars. Body By Council Members Nelson, Avella, Weprin, Martinez, Sears, Dilan, Stewart, Gonzalez, Comrie, Clarke, Quinn, Reyna, Fidler, Reed, Vann, McMahon, Addabbo, Baez, Barron, Felder, Gennaro, Perkins, Recchia, Rivera, Sanders, Seabrook, Serrano, Yassky, Jackson and Brewer Whereas, The Federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) provides low-income, elderly and disabled people with assistance in paying their fuel bills; and Whereas, President Bush has proposed a 300 million dollar cut in funding for Fiscal Year 2003, after committing to funding LIHEAP during the presidential campaign; and Whereas, The National Energy Assistance Directors' Association estimates that state officials across the country will be forced to cut approximately 523,000 households in the program through changes in eligibility and reduction in benefits, an 11.5 percent decrease from Fiscal Year 2002, reducing the number of households receiving assistance from about 4.6 million households in Fiscal Year 2002 to 4.1 million households in Fiscal Year 2003; and Whereas, The United States Energy Information Administration predicts that the cost of petroleum-based fuels will increase by 43 percent for heating oil and 34 percent for natural gas for the 2003 heating season; and Whereas, New York State provided funding to 665,000 households during Fiscal Year 2002 and will be forced to eliminate funding for 80,000 households in Fiscal Year 2003, therefore being able to fund only 585,000 households; and Whereas, This cut will result in New York State's funding being reduced from 212,508,000 dollars in Fiscal Year 2002 to 174,373,000 dollars in Fiscal Year 2003, a reduction of 38,135,000 dollars; and Whereas, New York City, which provided assistance to 347,346 residents during the last heating season at a cost of 24,641,592 dollars, will be forced to service 44,000 fewer residents; and Whereas, New York City will lose approximately 21,000,000 dollars in program funding as a result of the aforementioned actions by the Federal Government; now, therefore be it Resolved, That the Council of the City of New York calls upon President Bush and the Congress of the United States of America to maintain the current level of funding for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program for Fiscal Year 2003 and not decrease it by 300 million dollars. LS #1620 SJM