artÎan
Established in 1970
www.portlandobserver.com
Volume XXXX, Number 49
Wednesday • December 22, 2010
Committed to Cultural Diversity
y communin'
c u r service
d*
Double
Blow
Power rates soar
*
while energy
assistance is cut
photo by Mark Washington/The Portland Observer
Holiday Traditions
Portland’s holiday tree at Pioneer Courthouse Square glows with the twinkle o f lights
Electrical power rates are about
to increase by double digits for
customers of Pacific Power and
to a lesser degree for Portland
General Electric just as residents
and businesses brace for the higher
bills of winter.
For disadvantaged residents,
the higher costs come just as
local“ agencies are announcing an
anticipated 59-percent reduction
of federal energy assistance dol­
lars in the Low Income Home
Energy Assistance Program.
Six local provider agencies of
the LIHEAP funds held a news
conference last week outlying the
harm such a heating assistance
reduction will have on local popu­
lations.
“Hard working Oregonians and
their families deserve to be in
homes that are warm and safe
during the coldest time of the
year,” said Kimberly B lack of Self
Enhancement, Inc. Some of the
other local providers and non­
profits urging action at the news
conference were Impact NW,
Human Solutions, the Native
American Youth Family Center,
Catholic Charities and Neighbor­
hood House.
The loss of energy assistance
to low income families can cause
people to suffer in cold homes,
adding to their health concerns;
and create added fire dangers,
when heating with such danger­
ous appliances as electrical space
heaters, propane heaters and fire­
places.
The local organizations are ask-
continued
on page 5