Sharon Councilman Lou Rotunno wants the federal government to give everyone a few hundred dollars from the budget surplus to offset rising home heating costs.

Rotunno said Tuesday that he’s contacted U.S. Rep. Phil English, Erie, R-21st District, and U.S. Sens. Arlen Specter and Rick Santorum, both R-Pa., and President George W. Bush about a proposed tax credit plan.

"It seems to me that at a time when our federal budget is enjoying such a surplus, it would be a good idea to offer some type of tax credit for energy costs to all our citizens suffering from exorbitant fuel bills," Rotunno said, adding a $300-$400 credit seems reasonable, depending on the region in which one lives.

A tax credit could be a short-term solution to over-burdened residents while a long-term solution is found, Rotunno said.

He said the credit would be based fuel costs, rate increases and the amount of fuel a household uses. Income would not be a factor in the tax credit, Rutunno said.

Rotunno said he has spoken with English, who is behind the plan and is planning to do some research on how to best structure the legislation.

The legislation is important because of the high number of elderly people in the area, Rotunno said. He said Pennsylvania has the most elderly people in the country and Mercer County has the second highest elderly population in the state.

However, statistics provided by Mercer County Area Agency on Aging show Pennsylvania’s population of people age 65 and over is the third highest at 15.9 percent. Mercer County is tied for the 16th highest elderly population with 22.6 percent of the population at age 60 or over, according to the Agency on Aging.

Council President Fred Hoffman praised his fellow councilman’s initiative. Hoffman said customers of National Fuel Distribution Corp. just received notices that the company plans to apply for a 6.7 percent rate increase that would be effective Aug. 1, 2001.

"They’re (National Fuel) already planning for next winter," Hoffman said.

The new increase would follow a 24.5 percent increase that took effect Feb. 1. The increase raised the average resident’s gas bill from $1,136 to $1,416 a year.

Sharon Mayor Robert T. Price, who initiated a Feb. 7 meeting between local residents and members of the Public Utilities Commission, said awareness of costs is a positive thing that came out of the meeting. He said rising heating costs are a national problem.

Rotunno said he hopes both citizens and local officials "appeal to our congressmen to help us in this matter."