Title
Authorizing City Council to retain outside counsel to intervene in the proceedings before the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission relating to the Philadelphia Gas Works Restructuring Plan filed on July 1, 2002 and Docketed as M-0002 1612 to make certain that the PUC fully understands that City Council supports preservation of the existing senior citizen discount, approved by Council ordinance on December 14, 1973.
Body
WHEREAS, On December 14, 1973 this Council by Ordinance authorized the Philadelphia Gas Commission to establish a Senior Citizen Discount of 20% of all charges for any Philadelphia Gas Works [PGW] applicant 65 years or older who is a PGW heating and/or non-heating customer. Throughout those years, the Senior Citizen Discount program has provided critical protection to Philadelphia's seniors, the vast majority of whom live on fixed incomes which are not sufficient to meet the spiraling costs of healthcare, prescription drugs, energy costs and other living expenses; and
WHEREAS, PGW estimates that its Senior Citizen Discount program provides benefits of approximately $18.1 million per year to 83,000 seniors by reducing the cost of natural gas service that since 2000 has increased by approximately 40%; and
WHEREAS, Council supports preservation of this vitally important benefit to the City's seniors; and
WHEREAS, PGW, in its restructuring plan filed on July 1, 2002 with the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission [PUC] has proposed closing the Senior Citizen Discount to new applicants, effective September 1, 2003. That is, anyone who turns age 65 after August 31, 2003, would not be eligible for the Senior Citizen Discount. Similarly, someone who might be age 65 or older before September 1, but who fails to apply in person at a customer service center, would not be eligible for the Senior Citizen Discount; and
WHEREAS, PGW has claimed before the PUC that the closing of the Senior Citizen Discount to...
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