LIHEAP Public Opinion Poll
Survey Responses: 1998

1. First, I'm going to read a list of various fuels people use to heat their homes.  Please tell me which one of the fuels, if any, is the primary heating source for your home:

2. Next I would like to read though a list of some supplemental methods people sometimes use to keep their home and themselves warm during cold weather. As I read each one, please tell me if you ever use this method in your home:

3. During the summer, which, if any, of the following do you use to keep your home cool.

4. Next I will read you a list of various fuels used to cool homes. Please tell me which one, if any, is the primary energy source for cooling your home:

5. These days would you say the cost of energy to heat homes in the winter months is higher, about the same, or lower than compared to five years ago?

6.  From what you read or hear, do you think it is more difficult, neither more nor less  difficult or less difficult for low income families to pay their heating and cooling bills today than it was five years ago?

7. And these days would you say the cost of energy to cool homes in the summer months is higher, about the same or lower than compared to five years ago?

8. Next, I'd like to ask you about the federally funded Low In-come Home Energy Assis-tance Program also known as LIHEAP? ("LIE HEAP"). Were you aware of the LIHEAP program before I mentioned it to you just now, or is this the first time you have heard of it?

9. And in general, do you favor or oppose the LIHEAP program to help poor elderly  and low income families pay their energy bills during cold or hot weather emergencies?

10. In efforts to reduce the federal budget, funding for LIHEAP has been cut in half in  recent years and some members of Congress have proposed that the LIHEAP program be cut further or even eliminated. Other members of Congress say LIHEAP has taken more than its fair share of budget cuts, serves only one of five people who need the assistance, and that it should have its funding increased to provide a safety net to help impoverished elderly and poor families meet their energy bills. What do you think: should Congress substantially increase funding for the LIHEAP program, increase funding modestly, reduce funding further or should the program be eliminated altogether?

Validation Questions

I've got just a couple more questions that I would like to ask you for statistical purposes only.  This information is absolutely confidential and will only be used for analysis and validation.

V-1. How many people, counting yourself, live in your household?
Mean = 2.89

V-2. Do you own or rent your home?

V-3. Does a landlord pay your utility bills or do you pay them directly?

V-4. Next, I'm going to read off some age groups.  Please tell me which one best describes you.

V-5. Now, please tell me which of these education levels best describes you:

V-6. Which of the following categories best describes your ethnic origin?

V-7. Finally, and again, this is confidential and for statistical comparison only, I'd like to list some broad income categories.  Please stop me when I come to the category of annual household income that describes you best:

View survey methodology