To: Donna L. Nelson, Chairperson, TX Public Utility Commission, The Texas State House, The Texas State Senate, and Governor Greg Abbott
Release TX System Benefit Funds
Restore the System Benefit Fund to its original purpose of assisting low-income persons with electric utility bills during seriously hot summer months. Texas is experiencing extremely hot days during this 2012 summer and our low-income and senior citizens need help!!
Why is this important?
Higher electricity bills never come at a good time, but their impact will be felt even more than normal by Texas' most vulnerable families due to the Legislature's decision to defund an important program that serves Texas' low-income residents: the System Benefit Fund Low Income Discount Program. Known as LITE-UP Texas, the program provides for an electricity rate discount for qualifying low-income customers. Created in 1999 as part of the deregulation of the state's electricity market, it is funded through a monthly fee on everyone's utility bill. The program's goal has always been to assist the least fortunate Texans in braving the summer heat. As temperatures across the state soar, that mission is more critical than ever.
Unfortunately, last session the Texas Legislature decided to cut almost $100 million from LITE-UP Texas' budget. What makes this situation even more untenable is that those in control chose to leave over $650 million unspent and sitting in the program in order to protect tax breaks for oil and gas companies. That's right: while Texas bakes, over $650 million that could have gone toward assisting Texans with their utility bills and energy efficiency upgrades sits unused and cannot be touched. Telling Texans their money will be used for one purpose but instead redirecting it to another without voter approval is dishonest governing, pure and simple. Our state deserves more from its budget than smoke-and-mirrors and diversions.
Unfortunately, last session the Texas Legislature decided to cut almost $100 million from LITE-UP Texas' budget. What makes this situation even more untenable is that those in control chose to leave over $650 million unspent and sitting in the program in order to protect tax breaks for oil and gas companies. That's right: while Texas bakes, over $650 million that could have gone toward assisting Texans with their utility bills and energy efficiency upgrades sits unused and cannot be touched. Telling Texans their money will be used for one purpose but instead redirecting it to another without voter approval is dishonest governing, pure and simple. Our state deserves more from its budget than smoke-and-mirrors and diversions.