Des Plaines approves more funding for generator rebates

The Des Plaines city council this week allocated an additional $52,000 for the home generator assistance program — totaling $102,000 in funding this year — to satisfy all remaining applicants.

The program, which ended Jan. 31, gives residents partial rebates toward purchases of portable or permanent home generators.

The city spent $72,500 toward the program in 2011, granting individual rebates of either $250 or $400 for portable or in-house generators.

In total, the program has served 697 residents.

The only opposition to the allocation came from Ward 7 Alderman Dan Wilson, who renewed his objection to the city spending taxpayer money to give a few residents rebates for personal purchases.

The rest of the council backed the measure.

“The program I think has been more positive than negative with residents of my ward,” 5th Ward Alderman Jim Brookman said.

While he is glad the program had an end date, Brookman wants the city council to consider waiving permit fees for residents installing home generators in future.

Mayor Marty Moylan agreed it’s a good idea and asked that the matter be discussed at a future engineering committee meeting.