Fairbanks fuel companies warn: Prepare for winter costs now
Published Saturday, July 26, 2008
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Stumble It!CORRECTION:The original story misstated the location of Buffalo Fuel. The company is located in Delta Junction. The story below has been updated.
FAIRBANKS — Local fuel companies have been sending notices to their customers warning them about steep bills that await and urging them to start planning or pre-paying now for home heating fuel.
Local fuel-delivery services around Fairbanks and the Interior are hoping for the best — that fuel prices lower or the state offers relief — and trying to avoid the worst, that people won’t be able to afford to heat their homes this winter.
Bob Hawkins, president of Alaska Aerofuel in Fairbanks, said the high price of oil has put his business in a tough position. What do you do when a mother, who is living in a cold house with a child but without $450, calls to order fuel, he said.
“What do you tell them? Don’t buy groceries, buy oil?” he said.
“What would happen if they went through a grocery store with a cart full of groceries, came up to the register and said ‘I had to buy oil this week and I can’t afford to pay you,’” he said.
If businesses gave away goods like that, they wouldn’t be in business anymore.
“We’re in the same business except we’re selling oil instead of food,” Hawkins said.
To avoid that scenario, Aerofuel and other businesses are trying to prepare their customers for a winter that will likely include nearly $5 per gallon home heating fuel. Their main efforts include reminding customers of the encroaching cold, setting up monthly budget programs and encouraging them to put aside money now for fuel credit at the peak of winter. The companies bear the burden of trying to keep people stocked with fuel without breaking the bank of their customers or their own businesses.
Close to 200 of Aerofuel’s customers have signed up for a budget program, in which the company calculates the average amount of money a household spends on fuel each year and divides that number by 12 to come up with an average monthly bill. This program spreads out and helps soften the pain of mid-winter bills, Hawkins said.
“Usually come fall, we would already have a payment for their first load of fuel,” he said. “Come springtime, it would be the opposite way. They’d be owing us ... then it comes back to zero the first of June.”
Aerofuel is even exploring creative ways to help people budget.
“If people sign over their dividends, then we can lower their monthly payment by X amount over a time period,” Hawkins said.
The budget program allows customers to order several hundred gallons at once at a lower rate than ordering 100 gallons at a time. (One hundred gallons is the minimum amount delivered by Aerofuel and most other companies.) Fewer deliveries equals lower service charges, and customers pay a stable, monthly rate rather than a series of fluctuating payments that spike in the coldest month.
“The more oil you get, the cheaper it is,” Aerofuel general manager Bob Wilson said. “It costs me just as much money to go to somebody’s house and fill up 100 gallons as the whole tank.”
An average Fairbanks home uses between 1,300 and 1,350 gallons of heating fuel per year, Hawkins estimated, adding up to $6,000 in the course of one year. Using the 12-month budget program, they can pay that off $500 at a time.
“If they don’t and they just want to do it in the winter time, they’re trying to pay that within a six-month or five-month time frame,” Hawkins said.
“It gets to the point where most people can’t afford it,” he said.
Alaska Petroleum also recently sent letters to its customers encouraging them to save up for big deliveries rather than order fuel in 100-gallon spurts. The company, also from Fairbanks, does a great deal of call-in business and carries about 6,000 customers with accounts who receive automatic deliveries, office manager Lisa Sundborg said.
Those customers are billed at the time of delivery and must pay within 30 days. But some customers, nervous about making those payments, have been canceling their accounts and will simply order smaller loads on a call-in basis, Sundborg said. This can result in a frantic, pay-as-you-go cycle that often ends up hitting wallets harder.
“Unfortunately, in winter you get 100 gallons, and 10 days later you need another 100 gallons,” Sundborg said.
“You’ve already dug deep to get that $450, and in 10 days, a month isn’t even up, you have to find another $450, and 10 days later if it remains 40 or 50 below,” she said.
While Alaska Petroleum doesn’t offer monthly budget programs like Aerofuel, they will store credit for customers who want to apply money to future bills such as December and January.
“Some people are just saying, ‘Would you charge my credit card this much every two weeks, right now,’” she said.
Like Alaska Petroleum, the local fuel-delivery service Buffalo Fuel in Delta Junction allows customers 30 days after delivery to pay their bills. Buffalo Fuel recently sent out letters warning that homeowners must pay off their balances if they want more fuel.
“They’d have to come up with the money to get any new fuel or we’d go out of business,” said Jennifer Anderson, office manager at Buffalo Fuel.
This winter, Anderson expects more customers to incur balances, more to switch to 100 gallon deliveries and more accounts to close, she said.
“Especially for seniors, it will be difficult,” she said. “And young people. It’s not going to be easy for anybody.”
Companies don’t want to deny fuel to anybody, as their spokespeople expressed in somber tones.
Hawkins said he hopes sorely needed relief will come from potential state energy programs, such as rebating some of Alaska’s hefty oil royalties in the form of checks to residents, within the next couple of weeks.
But if nothing gives, companies such as Aerofuel may have to tighten their billing policies even on in-house accounts.
“If the fuel prices stay up, we’re going to be forced to switch everything to a cash basis, credit or check at the time of delivery,” Hawkins said.
Each source interviewed for this story expressed concern about the likely event of having to refuse fuel to people who can’t afford it.
“Realistically, we don’t know what we’re going to do,” Sundborg said.
“We can’t be a charity about it, otherwise, we’d be out of business.”
Contact News-Miner intern Molly Rettig at 459-4577.
Community Discussion
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I'm so glad I live where I do right now. I may not have the largest house, but using under 300 gallons of oil a year is more than worth it at a time like this.
Wood sure sounds good tonight!! We are going to try to only burn about 500 gallons of oil all winter. Hopefully we only use about 4 or 5 cords of wood too. I know some people will be really hurting this winter, and many will not stay, but that has been a cycle we repeat over and over here. I have seen it before in the last 27 yrs. and we are going to see it again this winter I fear.
Has anyone told the local refinery and the local vendors that crude oil just dropped a total of over $20.00/bbl?? I'm thinkin' that's something that the virtual thieves in the executives' board room at Flint Hills might wanna' know before they continue financially raping folks here.
What goes around, comes around.. I can only hope...
We only burn 200 gallons during winter, but we also use a space heater on the really cold days. Our electric bill loves us. That 200 gallons at almost $5 a gallon will still hurt though.
I really feel for the people who use a lot more than we do. I can't imagine forking over the bill for 1300 gallons of fuel. Might as well take out a small loan.
I can't imagine it either, I could pay off my 2005 car with what some people are going to be spending on fuel this winter. I'm very lucky in that I don't have to use space heaters or wood to supplement my toyo.
For anyone that does have a wood stove, I have a bunch of birch that has been laying around for the last year and a 1/2 on my rental property after doing some clearing for the power line, if anyone wants it they can have it, just contact me through my profile.
Very good point in the article...how do you walk away from people who NEED the fuel for heat, but cannot pay? On the other hand, the grocery store wont let you walk out with a cart full of food because you are hungry. HOWEVER, with the Resource Rebate AND pfd coming I dont see many reasons why people wont be able to pay for fuel especially families - that is about $12000 for a family of 4. Better prepay while you have the money!!
Not to nit pick sshalaska, but there's no 'done deal' right now to the 'fuel windfall rebate,' meaning that the only thing that's close to guaranteed this winter is the pfd checks. A family of four this year is apt to receive about $8,000.00 to $8,800.00 in pfd checks, by my guess-timation.
If they're living in the average 1,700 sq. ft. home, as is often the case for four persons, with poor vapor barrier, R-19 walls, an R-30 roof, and perhaps double-pane windows, or much worse (contrary to popular belief, not enough persons here have actually built their homes to what many consider arctic insulation schedules, with triple-pane windows, R-27+ walls, R-40 to R-60 roofs, a 'tight' vapor barrier, and a heat recovery ventilator system), then that family of four will likely pay well over 2/3 to 3/4 of that total pfd amount for $5.00/gallon heating fuel this coming winter.
The remainder of that money might, or can, potentially cover the 6-1/2 month winter's recent increases in electricity rates, or the previous year's increases in some of the notably increased grocery costs.
I doubt that there will be much room for actually getting ahead for the average middle-class family here this next year. Not without multiple jobs being held by persons in the household..
The pricing of oil serves to debase the currency.
Fait Accompli
You can thank the many chickenhawk neocons who in 1990-2003 beat the war drums for the Mid-East and said "Invading Iraq will soon pay for itself because of all of the oil there".
The "huge sucking sound" you hear near anything having to do with hydrocarbons is the "BORG" making all of the peons pay for the mismanaged "death and destruction machine".
Government has partnered with the petroleum industry to TAX the consumer market via the hydrocarbon commodity. Government also experiments with all other TAX-Vectors they can legislate. Government foists mind-boggling debt on the public spending Trillions and Trillions.
http://images.google.com/images?q=nation...
What the Koch Bros. are doing at Flinty Hills is an opportunistic mini-scandal within the context of overwhelming discombobulating-nincompoopery provided by the State&Feds.
This Fairbanks-Freezout also might be a subtext squeeze-play on the run-up to the making of "The Big Pipeline Megaproject Movie". By softening up the housing in Fairbanks with a bunch of punches to your nose [in the form of excessive energy costs] the Movie-Producers can make the chickens scatter from their roosts more easily to provide plenty of rental-housing for the thundering herd of wildebeasts storming into town for 4years when building the $30-$50billion Boondoggle.
But, BigBiz won't stop with the pipeline, they won't stop raping Alaska until the new flood of fuel makes the theft of Alaska's other mineral resources a Fait Accompli.
The turds floating to the top of the septic-tank of American Politics are journeymen-sociopaths, masters of magic.
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q...
The US-government has exposed itself to $50trillion in debt...
...and recent news reports tell of $50trillion worth of hydrocarbons in the Arctic...
and Fairbanks is right on the prescribed ROW for the Big American Cash Register Pipeline.
In the upside-down world of WARshington District of Criminals, the more debt you have the richer you are.
profligate spendaholics
conservative republicans?...HA!
In the leagues of nations, places like Zimbabwe keep America from looking so bad by comparison..
http://www.google.com/search?num=100&...
"Thank You! Robert Mugabe!"....gwb
"Has anyone told the local refinery and the local vendors that crude oil just dropped a total of over $20.00/bbl??"
I'd like to know why the price of gasoline, diesel and heating oil, that's already refined and in the tanks, shoots up immediately when the price of crude goes up a few dollars, but never seems to come back down when the price of crude falls. Can somebody 'splain that to me?
I'm not an advocate of the government interfering/setting prices in the market, but I think this is one thing they do need to look into.
WOW!!! Conspiracies everywhere we turn!!! We will never make through unless we make our own vehicles and homes run on well water.
rumble/flash
Has anyone told the oil company's that the price of crude oil has fallen to less than $ 130.00 per barrel. Why isn't the price falling yet? It is in the rest of the country.
Forgot what is the interest rate charged by these companies for credit plans, and how much does it bring up the cost per gallon?
We will never make through unless we make our own vehicles and homes run on well water....
http://www.blacklightpower.com/
Changing the fundamental structure of centrist politics worldwide is as important as changing the paradigm of physics&chemistry...
http://www.gravel2008.us/
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http://ni4d.us/
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Transportation..
Pistons-&-crankshafts made of cheap metals were obsolete in the 1970's. But big-industry persisted despite knowing their products only produced 5-15% of efficiency between the fueltank and the wheels.
Nowdays if you read the net proficiently you can see there's people retrofitting old-vehicles that get 80-90% level-1&2 thermodynamic efficiency resulting in 60-100mpg for vehicles weighing 5000-25000gvw.
Making your own hybrid-vehicle begins with retrofitting to electric-drive.
http://www.evparts.com/
ultracaps help tremendously
http://www.maxwell.com/ultracapacitors/i...
Many people across the country are returning to good old fashioned yankee ingenuity to keep the farm from getting stolen by the banksters. Folks like Johnathan Goodwin are showing others that a hi-skool dropout can build much better vehicles than Ford or GM.
http://www.google.com/search?num=100&...
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nf-dNLSnl...
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...........fish/mumble
We have a 'Now" crisis and I wish our people in local, state and fed govt would consider these suggestions that may help get us past the upcoming winter.
A low-interest energy loan program of 2% for purchasing on-demand water heaters, insulation, more efficient furnaces, energy efficient windows, wood stoves, caulking, and any other energy saving devices that would help lower the cost of heating. Eligibility? An Alaskan resident. No energy raters needed either. No income caps.
Then, we need to take our Alaska State Royalty Oil, refine it at Flint Hills and have it distributed to all Alaskans at $2.00 a gallon for heating fuel, gasoline, aviation fuel, diesel, and propane.
This Royalty Oil Fuel Subsidy Program would remain in place until the local/state/feds develop affordable, long-term, reliable alternative energy such as hydro, wind, geothermal, nuclear, or what ever is out there that will allow us to heat our homes with electricity at an affordable cost.
Maybe our local borough assembly would be wise to have a referral system in place for folks who do run into trouble. How much more would it cost to publish phone numbers of agencies that could provide assistance along with the agenda for the borough meeting or have a pre recorded hot line.
fairbanksgas, why don't you add these phone numbers it to your web site and show them the public can do a better job than government when it comes to some common sense approaches to problem solving.
Quit whining and do something about it if you don't like it. Here is the direct line to the regional managers of fuel sales responsible for the Fairbanks market. Give them a call and ask why the price has not dropped , leave a voice mail if you have to. The squeaky wheel does get the grease.
Fred Meyer Fuel - Cliff Haldwell 1.800.858.9202 ext.3734
Holiday Stores - Bob Nye 1.800.745.7411 ext. 8737
Sourdough/Petrostar - Mark John 907.339.6627
Flint Hills - Jeff Cook 907.488.5104
Were are but a dot on the map to these guys sitting in their big offices down in the lower 48. It is easier for them to lower the price then to have to deal with angry customers calling them asking why the price has not dropped.
Kornmonkey, it is very costly to run an electric heater. Running an electric heater is like paying $7.83 a gallon for heating oil. Per BTU it just does not make sense.
There is a poll at www.fairbankgas.com/#Poll on what you would spend your rebate check on if it is approved. So far heating oil is leading by a landslide.
By the way, the US average is now less than $4 a gallon and parts of the midwest have gas as low as $3.33 a gallon!!!
See for yourself http://www.oklahomacitygasprices.com/
Fairbanksgas - you hit the nail on the head. I hope everyone is writing their representatives and asking why in the world our fuel costs are above the national average right now!!!!!!!
LOWER OUR GAS PRICES ALREADY!
No kidding! WTF? why are we paying more than a dollar a gallon than parts of the country that don't even produce fuel? Surely it costs more to get fuel to them. This is insane.
The reason that the price of crude doesn't lower is because it's not a retail product--the price is based on the futures market. It's not the price that "somebody" pays for a barrel of oil as it comes out of a pipe.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Futures_exc...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_Me...
Personally, I don't see the problem. There's not an "energy crisis". There is, however, an extreme lack of personal fiscal planning issue. The increased price of heating fuel should not come as a surprise to anyone, ergo, the consumers of that product should have planned for the increase in the cost of that product. Harsh as it may sound, the people that freeze to death this winter are just further proof that Darwin was correct.
Ask your fuel company how much fuel you used last winter.
Multiply that by $5.50, an estimation of the price of fuel.
Divide that by 12 (months in a year)
Pay your fuel company that much every month, all year long.
Crisis solved.
The problem comes when people can't afford to do that. That's not the fault of the government, either state or local. Just as with climate change, some of you are so egocentric as to believe that what happens here in Alaska is an indicator of a planet wide market. The price of oil, and therefore the price of heating fuel, is a global market. Global.
What makes *you* so special that you believe you're somehow different and in greater need than any of the other 6 billion people on this planet? Surprise--you're not. Sure, you're going to point to the state constitution, that says the natural resources of the state should be developed for the benefit of all Alaskans. You get a PFD. You don't a state pay income tax. There's your benefit. Don't be greedy.
It's like the refinery has said all along, we charge what you are willing to pay. They know they have a captive audience that needs the fuel. I bet even if Fairbanks reduced their usage, the price wouldn't change much, they would simply put their loses onto the backs of those who need it. I don't think they would pay very much attention to angry customers, probably someone in India answering the phone anyway.
Like New York City does with rent, maybe price control legislation is needed, but then they would threaten to close the doors and leave the Fairbanks. Let's face it, we are a small consumer group who these company think they are doing a favor by simply being here. They don't need us. We don't make any impact on their profit lines.
Fairbanksgas I always like what you have to say. But as far as heating with a space heater, my bill only went up by $50 per month last spring, while we used it to heat a couple rooms (instead of turning the heat up in the whole house). We also used our electric water heater without the use of our boiler this summer. Our bill isnt that big, and I will do it again next year if the price of fuel remains too expensive.
I believe it is absolutely immoral for them to do this. When the state receives royalty oil, the only cost is a cost of production, which is minimal. To raise prices simply because elsewhere in the world pays more is just plain wrong. The state should sell royalty oil to residents at below-market prices. They're lucky people haven't caught on to their scheme. This is OUR oil, and the state should be ashamed of itself for profiteering on good people. It will ultimately cost them their own jobs as well as the health of our communities.
FYI, the ADN has estimated this years PFD to be around $1575. That is a far cry from the $2k being tossed around on this forum. Next year will be closer to $2k as we drop off another bad year for the market and add another good year to the 5 year average return of the PF.
I agree why is it when the price of oil drops like it is now why in the hell aint gas and heating fuel dropping. They sure raise it quick when oil goes up though. I for one am gonna write and call my useless reps and see what kind of smoke they try to pipe up my butt. I know that gas is fifty cents cheaper in oregon from what family has told me and they and the rest of oregon are amazed at what we pay up here for gas as i am.
The simple fact is that Alaska's oil has not gotten any more expensive. Yet the state is selling it to us at world market prices which have no relation to the cost. They need to realign the prices so we have the same advantage as the state. I see no moral justification for them to take all the profits for the state budget.
What is the break even cost, subtract this from the cost of a barrel and you will know the profit. Some of the Saudi countries are in the 500% profit range. By the way, name one other state where the citizens will be getting $1500 come October.
The state has long said their break-even cost is about $18/barrel. The rest is profit. And they are taking us for a ride. Giving us 1500 back is a pittance, and none of that is from the oil profits.
You gotta admit - it's a great racket. And none of the citizens is really watching them. Hardly anybody really understands what is going on, and none of the news organizations has the sack to look into it.
Hey local heating fuel companies in case you missed it the price oil has dropped has your prices?
I'm so happy there so concerned about tell me I should start saving money to pay them. How nice to remind me.
Well, well. well, I'll gladly give up my share of the resources that are suppose to be mine as a Alaskan Resident to those who stay. If you buy my place before the snow flies. I'll be gone as faster than the geese who leave that time of the year. Now, before someone tells me not the let the door hit me in the behind upon leaving. Don't worry. I won't.
Here's a couple of cool viddys that show some interesting details about combustion technology..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HBhOCRulJ...
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2fTx5gwSC...
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I am currently visiting my daughter in Ohio and gas here has dropped to $3.53 a gallon. It was $4 a week ago.
Sdoownek-
I must say that I agree with everything you said. Why people feel it's a crisis is only because they DO live beyond their means and are now only realizing it. And I am also confused that people didn't see this coming to some degree.
Energy prices are now dropping again around the country, so let's just relax, people.
I don't think any one expected the cost of fuel the rise so much so quickly. If you looked at increases over the last few years there was nothing that indicated the cost would jump this much. Add to that the GVEA increases, and even a fiscally responsible person could find themselves in a bind this winter.
Oh, and thank you everyone for your interest in the wood. About 30 people have contacted me about it, so it's all been spoken for. So many people inquired about it I'm not going to be able to reply to everyone individually, but thank you very much.
People, c'mon. If we truly had an energy "crisis" then why on earth did we waste so much of it today in that "Vintage Power parade"? Sorry, but all I saw were all these big vehicles pullin more vehicles using up GASOLINE. At what cost to you and I?
And Mariebarr- I happen to know plenty of fiscally responsible people who happen to be doing just fine. And we don't seem to be too worried about this winter. If you cannot handle the cost of living up here, I always recommend heading back down south to warmer areas where heating fuel isn't much of an issue and living in an urban area where you could use public transportation or even bike to work saving you an INCREDIBLE amount of money. If you don't like the prices, then stop driving and turn some lights(or computers) OFF.
How much do cell phones cost you? How about cigarettes for those that smoke? Mud tires ADD to your fuel consumption. I mean, the list goes on and on. There ARE ways to save, but most of you just don't seem to want to. Instead you cry out to the govt for help. Stop that!
We COULD use that money to research and invest in other energy sources here within the state lowering costs over time. But I guess that would be smart, something Americans seem to be incapable of being these days.
Again, is Phil Gramm right? Are we a nation of whiners? It sure looks like it.
"Hello? 911? Yes its cold and my baby is crying. I've run out of heating fuel... and we are wrapped in all our blankets but its still cold... the water's gone out too... help us please!"
"Im sorry ma'am, ma'am... please calm down... there's a homeless shelter... but they are full tonight. Do you have a friend you can goto, or a church? No? Then I'm sorry miss... nothing I can do..."
"but my baby, she's going cold! SHE's NOT CRYING ANYMORE!!!!"
"I'm sorry ma'am, but your also out of our service area...."
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Isanova- and yer point is?
is it- Live somewhere warmer if you can't afford heating fuel?
Mr Green how do you tell someone who has no money to fill their heating oil tank to move somehwere else? It'll cost $1500 to drive down the Alcan just in gas before they eat anything, plane tickets for a family of 3 is $3,000 and where do you expect folks to go????? Thats the most assinine advice to give and many appear to dish it out like folks have easy options. Though on the flip side,you may see a lot of your request being put into action when the state issues a family of 3 over $9000 in Oct (dividends and rebates)......the Alcan will probably have at least a little bit of traffic in October me thinks! And $9,000 wil get you to a lot of places.
Isanova - The scenario you lay out frightens me. I'm not entirely sure of the reality of it, but it's still chilling. I am for the most part a make-responsible-choices and live-with-the-choices-you-make type o' gal, but going back to yesterday to "un-have" children (for example) is neither possible nor desirable - all we can do is work on today and tomorrow. I certainly hope that my friends and neighbors will all offer a helping hand where they can to make sure unnecessary tragedy doesn't occur this coming winter. While "charity begins at home" is somewhat trite, it is certainly true.
Before I get keyboard-slapped, I'm not advocating hand-outs, just that old human-kindness if it becomes a necessity. There is absolutely no need for anyone to freeze to death this winter.
The socialism on display in these posts is rampant. If you want Big Brother to solve all your problems please move to Canada or Europe and the nanny state will take care of you. Americans and Alaskan especially are responsible for our own lot in life and those who welcome that responsibility and freedom thrive. As Alaskans we are raking in the dough on the high price of oil. We can either distribute it all into our bank accounts, subsidize residents energy, or bank it in that great communal effort we all have in common called the State of Alaska. 10 billion we brought in last year thanks to world oil prices. Lets bank it, continue to never pay any state taxes, use our PFD dividend for personal energy expenses and realize that as residents of this oil state we are benefiting from this oil 'crisis'.
Dave Mills
Gold Hill Rd
major_decoverley@hotmail.com
Alaskacub - seems like you answered your own question, make use of your dividend money by moving, quite easy. Then they can stop complaining.
How is making wise decisions for your families economic future assinine?
Oh, and there are 48 states with a multitude of communities to go to, just pick one.
I hate snakes- so I made sure not to live in an area with snakes. If you hate prices of commodities like heating oil and gasoline, then DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. Don't live in an area that requires extra energy because of COLD WINTERS and spread out communities.
I think what happened is that the 90's warmed up and more people moved here thinking it never got terribly cold. Only now are they reconsidering their move. I heard it a lot this spring after we had, what, -45F or so for about 3 to 4 weeks, about how many people were deciding to leave here. Sounds like even more folks should do the same thing. If you got up here, then you can get back. (Unless you have a DUI, then you gotta fly).
MrGreen - and what do you suggest for those folks that are say 75 and have lived here all of their lives? I'm not talking about the natives who live subsitence either, I'm talking about those hardy folks that once lived in the lower 48 that came here before here was here. Those folks that truely live on a fixed income, what do you suggest? They go to work, and who exactly would hire someone who can only work part-time if they feel up to it? Why should they leave everything that they have known their entire lives? Everything has risen across the board, it's not just energy, its food and medication and the things that some people need to live day to day that may not even cross your radar. I've been here for almost 45 years and yes, I am living within my budget but you know what - by the grace of God only am I doing it. Where do you suggest that our pioneers go? Many of the ones I speak of built this state, not just this town but this state and you say - oh well because you didn't do as good as I did with managing your money, you can just leave? Tell that to someone who has been here for 40, 50 60 or better years and watch their reaction. Its not always so cut and dried.
Made-in-alaska- I admit, this is part of it that did not cross my radar. And yes, fixed income seniors are probably the hardest hit with all of this. You are right. Which is why it is even MORE important that we evaluate where this 8 plus million dollars should go. And helping out our seniors is by far the best idea I believe I have heard yet on this topic. And yet none but yourself have even brought it up here on this forum, because it seems like too many people are more concerned about getting money for their kids, especially if they have larger-than-necessary families.
And thankyou for reminding us of the seniors in this state.
Sarah Palin - are you listening? Maybe we should help out the senior citizens here instead of wasteful families.
MrGreen - sorry if I sounded short with you, I did not mean to come off like that at all. I think one reason we don't hear too much about the older generation is because many of them grew up during the depression and understand what dirt poor really is. I myself don't fall in that category but I have many friends that do and its really tough to see them wondering what they can live without, what medication do they not need, which one can they cut in half. Heart wrenching to hear friends discussing if I only take 1/2 pill of my heart medication, then we can afford the full month of your blood pressure medication. I'm a single mom and so I know the struggle that lies ahead and me and mine will be ok because I'm resoureful, but what about those that have cut to the bare bone and still need to cut more? One of the programs cut under the Murkowski administration was the longevity program, maybe that should be reconsidered. I belive that our pioneers have earned at least that much.
I have no doubt running an electric heater is expensive. Like I said, our electric bill reflects that. Unfortunately, as renters, we don't have many heating options other than our Monitor.
hello folks only you can prepair for your selfs the worest thing many still owe for this winters fuel and now we got winter comeing plus fuel prices higher its time you cut your liveing and house in half i did 3 winters ago and it saved over $ 3000.00 last year i cut my house again and bought a 14 by 24 cabin and i save $5000.00 and now i cut that cabin down to a 13 by 22 so i'll save $7500.00 and because of this price of fuel this so i makeing money off this price of fuel because the oil companys are loseing money on me so do the same thing and fuel will be to a $ 1.59 a gallon
Made-in-alaska - certainly no apology needed. It's exactly this sort of debate that makes us all think a bit more(hopefully) about things that don't, as you say, "cross the radar". Mind if I use that in the future? And after replying to you, I actually thought back to that whole Murkowski crap that happened.
And you are absolutely right, the pioneers have technically dealt with MUCH more than most of us recent transplants. (myself 8 years ago) When making the decision to move here, I knew it would be a bit trickier to live here, not just from the cold winters, but also financially. And to put up with those hardships for many years BEFORE Fred Meyer, demands, in my opinion, much respect.
Yes, bring the longevity program back, give those on fixed incomes some of the millions planned for rebates and use the rest for researching and solving our local energy issues. The rest of us will do just fine. Just start planning now, people. GVEA gave you the heads up!
Seems good that they will warn people before cutting them off.
The fuel companies I mean.
I am retired and on a fixed income. My wife and I planned for our retirement that is invested and put money in bonds and other securities. We built our own home and it is very energy efficient. We did without a lot of expensive toys that others just had to have. I have no sympathy for those who dined out every day and spent their money like it was water and now want the government to bail them out of this so called energy crisis. We will stay warm and comfortable this winter and will not have to burn 100 gallons of fuel every 10 days like the article says. 400 gallons a winter is more like it.
The writer of the article must have just moved to Alaska from Colorado. She mentioned Buffalo Fuel company in GRAND JUNCTION. Welcome to Alaska, its DELTA JUNCTION.
Made-in-Alaska...about the Longevity Check. I am not a "pioneer" but have made a living in Alaska for over 25 consecutive years. The Longevity check suddenly had a cut-off date just before I was eligible. I am a low income Soc. Sec. beneficiary. Being a low salaried, hard working, lodge worker all the last 25 years did not contribute much to my benefits. The newly established Senior Benefit Check is a much more fairer way to help seniors in need. The Longevity check went to seniors regardless of need. The amount of the senior check depends on your income and goes to those seniors who qualify. I am very grateful for this help, especialy now. So...Please....do not bring back the Longevity check.
We must all get creative to get through these coming winters of high oil, gas and food prices. I, for one,
would not even consider leaving my adopted state of Alaska.
All will be well, the Anchorage daily news today predicted a permanent fund check that could be over $2,000 for this year. Add an another $1,200 and each person could end up with $3,200. family of 2, $6,400, family of four $12,800, family of 8, $25,600. Spend it well.
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