SPRINGFIELD, IL – As one of the worst winters in the past 100 years continues to drag on, many rural and small-town residents are feeling the financial crunch as widespread shortages of heating fuel continues and State Sen. Chapin Rose (R-Mahomet) is joining efforts to help out.
“Small-town Illinois is taking it on the chin this winter and our constituents who live out in the country have had it especially rough with skyrocketing propane rates. We’ve seen a price per gallon that went from $1.50 to $5.50,” Rose said. “I am pleased to be signing onto Senator Sam McCann’s effort to help ease some of the financial burden on our hardest hit citizens and employers.”
Senate Bill 2757 was amended on January 28 to allow for an increase in funding to the Low Income Heating and Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) by $10 million. It would also raise the economic threshold to enable more seniors and low-income citizens to take part in the program for the 2013-14 winter.
Rose and many of his fellow Senators were already successful in getting the Governor’s office to declare a propane emergency which eases weight restrictions on Illinois roads to enable fuel haulers to move more product.
Businesses, agricultural vendors and non-profits would be allowed to take advantage of a short-term, low-interest Illinois Finance Authority program to help fund their increased expenses. Additionally, the bill eases weight restrictions for propane haulers on Illinois roads until May 1.
Rose hopes the measure will move in a timely manner to help country residents recoup some of their economic losses from this devastating winter. SB 2757 is enjoying bipartisan support by senators from all parts of the state.