Energy is the creator of economic opportunities. Push energy prices up and everyone suffers. But who gets hurt first? The poor and disadvantaged. High energy prices make poor families pay even larger chunks of their meager incomes for energy. In fact, high utility bills are a leading cause of homelessness.
While Washington plays politics with American energy supplies, people are hurting – and the poor are hurting the most.
Energy consumed by low-income families is almost entirely for essentials — space and water heating, cooking, food refrigeration, and lighting. As energy prices rise, the poor are forced to make difficult spending choices.
While average Americans spend 5-10 percent of their income on energy, our poorest citizens spend up to 50 percent of their limited income on energy. That means life and death choices for some between food, medicine or fuel for heat and to stay cool. This is simply unacceptable.
Neil Stevens
Jeff Emanuel
Moe Lane
Dan Spencer
Steve Maley
Dan McLaughlin
