BISMARCK - North Dakota is getting more heating aid, but officials say it's still not enough.
The state and Indian tribes will share about $685,000 in federal money to help families pay heating bills this winter. It is part of $100 million released by the federal Health and Human Services Department nationwide to states, tribes and territories for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program.
Ron Knutson, who runs the program in North Dakota, said the state program will get about $535,000, with the rest going to tribal programs.
"We were hoping there would be more than that, but we're still hoping for a supplemental appropriation," Knutson said.
"At our current rate of spending, with this, it gives us about $12.7 million (for the program). Last year, we had altogether, just over $14 million," Knutson said. The aid helped about 15,300 low-income households in the last fiscal year, he said.
Sen. Byron Dorgan, D-N.D., said the money announced this week will provide some crucial help, "but it still falls short of what needs to be done."
Why the endless demands for more heating aid? Last year 15,300 people got about $933/each in federal assistance. That would have paid for my entire year's heating bill. This year, if the number of aid applicants remains about the same (and they should, or go down, given the rather mild winter we've had to this point), they'll get about $830/each. Again, that's not aid...that's paying for it.
Rather than demand more money for aid, I'd like to know why over $800 in aid per applicant isn't enough. This is supposed to be assistance, not an entitlement.