R17-077 1 RESOLUTION NO. R17-077
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4 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF BOYNTON BEACH,
5 FLORIDA, SUPPORTING ADEQUATE FUNDING OF THE
6 LOW INCOME HOME ENERGY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM
7 (LIHEAP) AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
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10 WHEREAS, the City Commission recognizes basic energy services to be' a vital
11 key to the health, safety and well-being of Florida households and families; and
12 WHEREAS, poverty, unemployment and the slow economic recovery remain
13 persistent national problems for many, and most especially, low-income households; and
1 A WHEREAS, low-income families in Florida must disproportionately spend about
15 three times more of their income on basic energy services than middle-income families
16 do; and
17i WHEREAS, homes in low-income and minority communities severely lack energy
1 efficiency features that can reduce energy consumption; and
1 WHEREAS, LIHEAP can provide vital heating, cooling and efficiency assistance
2( to low-income households, including working-poor families, senior citizens, persons
21 with disabilities and veterans; and
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2, WHEREAS, the severe constraints on state and local budgets and the increased
24 strain on the nation's support system provided by nonprofit, faith-based and charitable
25 community organizations have reduced other resources available for energy assistance;
26 and
27 WHEREAS, the primary Federal program providing assistance to low-income
28 households to support their heating and cooling needs is the Low Income Home Energy
29 Assistance Program (LIHEAP); and
3 WHEREAS, LIHEAP is not an entitlement, but rather a limited block grant
31 program which provides flexible Federal-State partnerships to prevent service
3 2 terminations during cold and hot weather emergencies; to make the transition from
3 3 public assistance to economic self-reliance; to help low-income households remain
34 economically self-sufficient; and
35 WHEREAS, federal LIHEAP funding has declined from $5.1 billion in 2010 to $3
36 billion in 2017; and
37 WHEREAS, Florida's share of LIHEAP funding has declined from $129 million
38 in 2010 to $63.1 million in 2017; and
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39 WHEREAS, due to this limited funding, about 194,000 Florida households
40 received LIHEAP assistance in 2014, or less than ten percent of the State's eligible
41 households; and
42 WHEREAS, due to this limited funding, the National Energy Assistance Directors
43 Association has reported that many low-income families "will have few choices but to
44 cut back on essential necessities, such as medicine, food, and clothing"; and
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46 WHEREAS, The National Energy and Utility Affordability Coalition (NEUAC)
47 and other concerned national organizations support restoring LIHEAP funding to at least
48 $4.7 billion in federal fiscal year 2017; and
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50 WHEREAS, another effective solution to increase Florida's share of funding,
51 without increasing the overall federal LIHEAP budget, is for Congressional
52 Appropriators to simply "follow LIHEAP's enabling law" — the precise allocation
53 formula actually prescribed by Congress. Florida and many other states in great need
54 would see a meaningful increase in their share of LIHEAP funds, as the Program's
55 enabling law calibrates for the dangers of both extreme heat and cold. It also adjusts
5. funding for changing energy costs, demographics and poverty. In fact, the Congressional
57 Research Service's latest (June 25, 2015) estimate confirmed that Florida would receive
58 an additional $38.5 million in LIHEAP funding - a 55 percent improvement - if
59 appropriations were to simply adhere to LIHEAP's lawfully-enacted enabling law, even
6C if the Program were simply to be level funded;
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6. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COMMISSION OF
6: THE CITY OF BOYNTON BEACH, FLORIDA, THAT:
6� Section 1. The foregoing "Whereas" clauses are hereby ratified and confirmed
65 as being true and correct and are hereby made a specific part of this Resolution upon
66 adoption hereof.
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68 Section 2. The City Commission of the City of Boynton Beach urges the
69 Appropriations Committee of the United States Senate and House of Representatives to
7) both fully follow LIHEAP's enabling law when determining all future appropriations,
71 and to restore LIHEAP funding to its historic levels.
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7 3 Section 3. A copy of this resolution be sent to all members of Congress,
74 seeking their support for continued and fair funding for this life-saving Program.
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7 Section 4. This Resolution shall become effective immediately upon passage.
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79 PASSED AND ADOPTED this /C4 day of 4 ¢ , 2017.
80 CITY OF BOYNTON BEACH, FLORIDA
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82 YES NO
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84 Mayor—Steven B. Grant
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86 Vice Mayor—Justin Katz
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88 Commissioner—Mack McCray
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90 Commissioner—Christina L. Romelus
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92 Commissioner—Joe Casello
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g. VOTE
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9: ATTEST:
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9:
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101 Judie'. A. Pyle, CMC
10 Cit' Clerk
10. a:{
10a 4i
10' (Corporate Seal) �? zz
10+)
10 VAz
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