Kansas City Jumbo gas bills strain the safety net

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Jumbo gas bills strain the safety net By RICH HOOD - The Kansas City Star Date: 01/27/01 22:00

Staggering natural gas bills are straining the social safety net in the Kansas City metropolitan area.

Monthly gas bills of unprecedented size -- $600, $700 and more -- are knocking renters and homeowners into financial chaos.

This crisis comes as the inevitable national economic slowdown drives more people out of work and the much-praised national welfare reforms start reaching the limits at which recipients are banned from further assistance.

The gas bills are creating shock, anger and a sense of impending disaster in home after home for family upon family.

Jan Marcason, executive director of the Mid America Assistance Coalition, said many people in the area are attempting to determine whether to pay gas bills or buy food or medicine. One of the first places to find help is the United Way/Mid America Assistance Coalition Hotline, (816) 561-3339.

Marcason said the coalition's assistance programs included private funds -- approximately $500,000 that gas customers have contributed through a checkoff program when paying their gas bills -- as well as federal funds. The coalition also keeps track of the efforts of faith-based agencies such as Catholic Charities, Metropolitan Lutheran Ministry, the Salvation Army and others.

"There is a huge amount of public money out there and available through the Division of Family Services in Missouri and Social and Rehabilitation Services in Kansas," Marcason said.

But the low-income energy assistance comes with many strings attached, income eligibility guidelines among them. Persons who think they may qualify for such help in paying gas bills should call the social services office in Johnson County at (913) 826-7300 or (913) 279-7000 in Wyandotte County. The family services office in Jackson County can be reached at (816) 889-3970.

Marcason said call-takers advised those who seek information on the hot line that when they contact either state agency office, they should also ask questions about food stamps, signing children up for health care and weatherization services for their home.

"The problem is that many people in need hesitate to seek assistance because they don't want to take welfare," Marcason said. "These programs have nothing to do with welfare."

Repercussions of welfare reform come into play with the exorbitant gas prices. Some former welfare recipients who are now working make too much money to qualify for the state programs. This is where the faith-based programs kick in.

Don Schreiner, public relations director for Catholic Charities on the Kansas side, said hot line workers determine the location of persons with needs and refer them to offices near them: "We all work together; we are part of a web."

Mike Halterman, chief executive officer of Catholic Charities for the Kansas City-St. Joseph diocese, said requests for help with gas bills were more than double from a year ago.

The problem is likely to get worse before it gets better. Kansas lawmakers have been considering appropriating money to help citizens pay gas bills. Missouri Gov. Bob Holden has named an investigative task force and urged the state attorney general to determine who is to blame for natural gas prices.

Missouri regulators could have acted more quickly to provide relief but have chosen not to do so.

In the meantime, individual churches have taken up the challenge of raising funds for people who need heat, food and clothing.

No one can deny that the problems are grave. Kansas City already has reported deaths from people freezing without heat.

But people hereabouts are known for their generosity when confronted with need. It's time for those who are able to reach down in their pockets to help those who cannot provide for themselves.

And then it will be time to determine whom to blame for this mess and develop ways to prevent a recurrence.

Rich Hood leads The Star's Editorial Board. His column runs on Sundays. To reach him call (816) 234-4421 or send e-mail to rhood@kcstar.com.

http://www.kcstar.com/item/pages/printer.pat,opinion/377515c0.126,.html



-- Martin Thompson (mthom1927@aol.com), January 28, 2001


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