The Deseret News has started a series of articles examining the rising cost of heating bills and the impact it will have on Utahns. The D-News will follow individuals and their families throughout the winter to learn how they cope with the rising heating costs.
Heating costs are expected to rise 38% this season with no extra federal funds expected to cover the increase. That will have a significant impact on those with low incomes. The increase is partly attributed to the devastation of hurricane disasters earlier this year.
Even though many Utahns are assisted by the Heating Assistance plan, this year that subsidy will cover less of the heating bills of those assistance recipients. Utah governor Huntsman has made a plea to Utahns to donate money to help cover the shortfall.
But as I have written before in this blog, Utah does not have a shortfall of funds. In fact, there is a surplus. Our legislators need to examine where to divert those budget surplus funds such as the heating assistance program.
Deanna Dee-Dee Taylor 
Today’s D-News has an article as part of this series on a woman who receives HEAT assistance.