Phoenix, AZ - This week, Governor Katie Hobbs made three stops to hear from Arizonans about how her Administration's affordability programs have helped them lower their utility bills and discuss her plans to deliver on the Arizona Promise.
In Tucson, Governor Hobbs visited Joya to see how weatherization upgrades are lowering her energy bills and keeping her safe at home. In Mesa, Governor Hobbs convened a roundtable with participants in the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) to hear how utility bill assistance has made a difference for them. In Phoenix, Governor Hobbs visited Hanna and Cody, who were able to save over $2,200 on energy efficiency improvements to their home through the Governor's Efficiency Arizona program. To date, Efficiency Arizona has delivered more than 800 rebates and nearly $3 million in rebates to Arizona families, part of a total of $61 million in rebate funds available to benefit Arizona households. Arizonans can check if they are eligible here.
Through her POWER AZ initiative, Governor Hobbs is investing $20 million to help Arizonans with utility bill assistance and weatherization support. She proposed the creation of the Arizona Affordability Fund to make these affordability initiatives permanent and help more families manage the high cost of living.
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KGUN9: Gov. Hobbs promotes home weatherization assistance for low income Arizonans- In Arizona, losing your air conditioning can be a matter of life or death—especially if you are old or in fragile health. Governor Katie Hobbs was in Tucson Tuesday highlighting programs that can help.
- Governor Hobbs visited a house that is almost 80 years old but some of its critical systems, critical for Arizona, like air conditioning have just been upgraded.
- Joya James is 97 years old. She has lived 55 of those years in a house on Tucson's near west side. Governor Katie Hobbs came to see parts of the house that are brand new: like the air conditioning and heater. There's also new insulation that holds down the utility bills.
- Joya's daughter Rosita says the old AC quit—in August. "And it was like 100 degrees in the night time. So it's really hot, and I had to move her from another room where it would be cooler for her."
- Rosita says repairs would have been about $12,000 if not for a program that combines state and Federal dollars to help people with low incomes fix their homes to keep them safe, healthy places to live.
- Governor Hobbs says she's working to make more people eligible for the program. She says that money has the potential to save taxpayer money in the long run.
- "This is great for Arizona, and it puts more money in the economy if people have more money in their pockets to spend."
KVOA: Gov. Hobbs spotlights cost-saving home energy projects in Tucson
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KJZZ: Hobbs wants funding for AZ energy assistance programs, but she needs support from GOP lawmakers- Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs wants ongoing funding for energy assistance programs, but she needs support from Republican lawmakers to make it happen.
- The governor also assembled a taskforce to make recommendations on how to preserve affordable energy.
- "That task force and their recommendations are going to be really important moving forward to ensure that energy stays affordable for Arizonans who need it," Hobbs said.
- On Wednesday, Hobbs hosted a roundtable to discuss the value of the program with LIHEAP recipients and members of a Mesa social services organization.
- Valley residents told Hobbs they've been able to get heating and weatherization in their homes for the first time with LIHEAP without spending thousands of dollars.
- "Hearing your stories is exactly why I'm wanting to invest in these programs," Hobbs said. "That's what having a social worker in the governor's office does," she joked.
12News: Governor Hobbs proposes Arizona Affordability Fund for working families
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