Posted on 09/28/2009 7:32:26 AM PDT by Thebaddog
The federal government is sending $5 billion to states to weatherize the homes for low-income families, nearly as much as it has spent on weatherization since the government stepped in to cut heating bills for low-income people in the 1970s.
Illinois is flush with $97 million awarded over the summer -- nearly half the $242 million in stimulus weatherization money promised to the state -- and is taking applications from low-income families for free weatherization upgrades to their homes.
With that money, Illinois expects to weatherize 22,000 homes this year, more than doubling the 7,800 homes weatherized under energy grants last year.
In the Chicago area alone, where brick homes make Chicago one of the least energy-efficient cities in the nation, non-profits expect to patch up 9,000 houses.
The free home weatherization services funded by the stimulus money are available only to people making up to twice the federal poverty level -- or $44,100 for a family of four. Even if you don't qualify for the free grants, many of the steps cost nothing and are simple enough to do yourself. Private contractors can be hired for complicated work.
It's not flashy. But experts and experience show it can save you money -- $150 to $300 a year.
I just did some math. The unit cost is 4409/house. If all goes well and the $300/yr savings is realized, it will take over 14 years to recover the cost. And of course, if its low income, we are recovering OUR costs. What could go wrong?
Then we'll garage-ize homes: free car.
Tank-ize: free gas.
Closet-ize: free clothing.
Cable-ize: free TV/cable/internet.
"Free" health care is already in the works...
It's not free for the ones paying for it! The tax payers from the other 49 states are paying for it.
Excuse me, but why are we being held responsioble for some democrat voter in Chicago? What do these people have to do with us, and why are we being forced to pay their bills for them?
Unless the government considers you a poor, ignorant Illinois voter. Then they will pay thousands of dollars to do it for you.
If my calculator isn’t broken, thats 1100 bucks average per home to weatherize - saving the homeowner up to 300 dollars a year or 25 bucks a month. Let the shoveling of our tax dollars continue.
We shovel it out, they shovel it in and pick their favorite places to send it.
I need new windows and insulation and would have to use my good credit in order to pay for it. I can’t afford to pay cash for it, so I don’t get it! Why should I pay taxes so somebody else gets it free????
What are the demographics of the homes?
“Next we’ll have to pantry-ize homes: free food.
Then we’ll garage-ize homes: free car.
Tank-ize: free gas.
Closet-ize: free clothing.
Cable-ize: free TV/cable/internet.”
Rape of the middle class to give to the poor.
Man 2010 can't come soon enough. But even if we retake congress do you think they will actually have the guts to repeal any of this stuff? It is one thing not passing anymore stuff its entirely another to REPEAL what was passed before.
Social “justice.”
According to the left, that's "fairness." You work - they feed.
Welcome to Obomas U.S.S.A.
“I need new windows and insulation and would have to use my good credit in order to pay for it. I can’t afford to pay cash for it, so I don’t get it! Why should I pay taxes so somebody else gets it free????”
Hope & change ??
OUR change......
They have received this in Virginia too. What again makes brick homes inefficient? Mine does pretty good, but then we used OUR OWN money to weatherize.
The program costs $97 million.
9000 homes are to save $150-$300 per year?
That puts the annual savings at $2.7 million.
It will take between 30-60 YEARS for this “investment” to pay off!
Unions are smiling.
The payback time is likely to be more like 50 years. People will probably turn the heat up more and burn off the money they were saving.
Some of these folks are getting subsidized heat, so it’s our money.
One day this whole house of cards is going to collapse right on top of our heads, and these morons will be standing around scratching their heads wondering why.
This is unreal. The middle class suffer with job loss and lay offs and the welfare recipients get free mortgages, direct TV on their 108 inch flat screen TV,drive caddie escalades, and now get free roofs and windows??? WTF?
What will 0bama do when the upper middle class have to apply for welfare? It is mind-boggling!
Where's my--free rent, free food, free heat, free health care?
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