Since launching an assistance fund in March to help Eugene Water & Electric Board customers left jobless due to the economic downturn, the utility has provided approximately $692,000 to more than 2,980 unemployed residential customers.

The job-loss benefit is part of EWEB’s overall “Community Care” initiative that was rolled out in March to provide assistance to those who are financially struggling. Combined with existing low-income programs, EWEB is funneling more than $9 million back into the community in 2009 and 2010.

Unlike other assistance programs, the job loss benefit doesn’t include an income threshold. From March through September, customers receiving unemployment insurance payments were eligible to receive a $200 credit on their electric bill. Effective Oct. 1, the job loss credit was increased to $300. Customers who received the $200 job loss credit prior to Oct. 1 are eligible to apply for the $300 credit if they are still receiving unemployment benefits.

“There are no income guidelines, and I think there are people out there who believe they have to be limited income to qualify,” said Wendi Schultz-Kerns, EWEB’s Cash Accounting supervisor. “The only qualifying factor is that a customer must have proof of receiving state unemployment benefits within the last 14 days of the application date.”

The money set aside for the job loss assistance credit by EWEB’s Board of Commissioners will remain available until funding is depleted or September 2010. The job loss credit will aid those who have not already received low-income assistance since Oct. 1, 2009.

In addition to the job loss benefit credit, EWEB put up more than $2 million in extra assistance for the utility’s low-income, senior citizen and disabled-resident assistance programs. Those programs already provide more than $2 million annually for bill-payment, weatherization and other aid to limited-income customers who might be struggling to pay their bills.

The money to support the job loss and extra limited income funds comes from additional revenues generated by surplus power sales during 2008. Normally, these surplus power revenues would be placed in a reserve fund, to be used during years when drought or a low mountain snowpack reduces the amount of available hydroelectric power. EWEB instead decided to use these funds in 2009 and 2010 to help customers recover from the economic recession.

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January 2010 News Team
Publisher: Chuck Meyer
Editor: John Rozsa