Marquette, MI – (Great Lakes Radio News) – 110th District State Representative Scott Dianda says he voted against a supplemental budget bill because it does not address the critical need to help U.P. families dealing with a propane shortage during this extreme winter.
The Senate-approved measure appropriated nearly $23 million from the federal Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program, with some of that was carved out for propane assistance.
The Calumet Democrat says $4 million intended to assist families whose incomes exceeded the threshold for heating assistance was stripped out by House Republicans.
Dianda added, “This propane shortage is a major issue and we can’t just turn our backs on these families and say they don’t deserve help from Lansing.”
According to the Michigan Public Service Commission, propane inventories in the U.P. are 43 percent below last year’s levels.
The Senate is unlikely to sign off on the changes and the bill is expected to go to a conference committee where the respective chambers will hash out the points of difference.
