Des Plaines discusses generator rebate program

After a more than hourlong debate, the Des Plaines City Council decided to give the city staff more time to develop rules for a rebate program to help subsidize the purchase of generators by residents affected by power outages.

A typical portable home generator powered by gasoline, ranging in capacity from 1,800 watts to 8,000 watts, could cost roughly $400 to $1,000. Automatic, standby generators that run on natural gas and kick in during a power outage to power an entire house can cost between $3,000 and $10,000.

The proposed new city program would allow homeowners who have either purchased or are about to purchase a generator to receive a 50 percent rebate on the cost of up to $250 for portable generators and $400 for standby generators. Only one rebate would be allowed per household.

City officials propose spending $15,000 from the general fund on the rebate program that would be administered on a first-come, first-served basis, and future funding would be determined after the program is re-evaluated by the council.

Several aldermen and city staff expressed concern that the city could be inundated with requests from homeowners wanting to take advantage of the program, if approved with a retroactive provision starting June 1, as proposed by Ward 4 Alderman Dick Sayad.

Acting City Manager Jason Slowinski said officials don't know how many residents who have purchased generators after recent flooding events in June and July could apply for the program. It would create havoc with the city's budget and could deplete the $15,000 set aside rather fast, he said.

Nearly all the aldermen were supportive of offering some sort of rebate for generators.

Ward 6 Alderman Mark Walsten said the city is being fiscally irresponsible with taxpayer money, which he believes should not be used to buy appliances benefiting a small number of homeowners.

“It's just not right to use tax money to be buying citizens of Des Plaines anything,” he said. “The city shouldn't be in the business of buying people generators with tax money.”

Walsten said if a rebate program were to be implemented it should help the neediest homeowners, such as senior citizens and low-income residents.

Des Plaines Mayor Marty Moylan said the city has made a commitment to residents to help alleviate flooding and this program would be one of the many ways to address that problem.

“We gotta keep the sump pumps going,” Moylan said. “We do offer many rebates for flood control projects.”

Ward 3 Alderman Matt Bogusz suggested the city consider extending the retroactive application of the program a couple of years so more residents affected by flooding could take advantage of the rebates. He also suggested the city consider rolling the generator rebate into an existing flood protection rebate program, currently being funded at $175,000 for the 2011 calendar year.

“It seems to me that we already have a protocol set up,” Bogusz said.

Ward 5 Alderman Jim Brookman countered by saying if the city is deluged with people wanting to buy generators, that might deplete funds in the other flood program.

Homeowner Susan Czach, who bought a generator after a June 22 rainstorm, said the city needs to be fair to all residents in its application of a new rebate program.

“I'm 62 years old, unemployed,” she said. “This was a hardship for me. We need to be reimbursed.”

As the resolution now reads, to qualify for the rebate owners of either single-family residences or townhouses would have to complete an application form providing proof of ownership and address before purchasing a generator within 30 days of funding approval from the city.

Homeowners also must provide an original receipt and Universal Product Code from the packaging of the generator for reimbursement; however, that would not be required of someone who already has purchased a generator.

A permit application is required for standby generators. The roughly $250 permit fee will be returned to homeowners upon final approval of the installation.

The city staff will draft rules for the retroactive application of the program and present them at the Sept. 6 city council meeting.