By David Nicholas
In Michigan you can typically count on a white Christmas, but whether or not it would be a warm Christmas for the thousands of seniors and low-income residents came down to the wire. Michigan has $90 million in a fund collected by utility companies for emergency heating assistance, but it's tied up in court.
After a pro-longed debate, a temporary solution was reached by the close of Thursday's last day of legislative session for 2011.
Work toward a longer-term solution will be on the agenda when lawmakers return to the capitol in January.
Lisa Dedden Cooper of AARP Michigan said it was critical that lawmakers step in to protect the thousands of people who rely on assistance programs during these difficult times...
"So many seniors are on a fixed income. But here in Michigan in particular, we will have the cost of heating a home fluctuate a lot. And it fluctuates because of the changes in energy costs and it fluctuates because of our weather."
State law prohibits utility companies from turning off the heat for those 65 and over from November to March, but even in those situations, seniors are still faced with paying the full amount come April.
Under the terms of the deal, there will be $58 million in funds for people this winter to help them with heating.
In Michigan you can typically count on a white Christmas, but whether or not it would be a warm Christmas for the thousands of seniors and low-income residents came down to the wire. Michigan has $90 million in a fund collected by utility companies for emergency heating assistance, but it's tied up in court.
After a pro-longed debate, a temporary solution was reached by the close of Thursday's last day of legislative session for 2011.
Work toward a longer-term solution will be on the agenda when lawmakers return to the capitol in January.
Lisa Dedden Cooper of AARP Michigan said it was critical that lawmakers step in to protect the thousands of people who rely on assistance programs during these difficult times...
"So many seniors are on a fixed income. But here in Michigan in particular, we will have the cost of heating a home fluctuate a lot. And it fluctuates because of the changes in energy costs and it fluctuates because of our weather."
State law prohibits utility companies from turning off the heat for those 65 and over from November to March, but even in those situations, seniors are still faced with paying the full amount come April.
Under the terms of the deal, there will be $58 million in funds for people this winter to help them with heating.