Italian city fundraises to pay retirees’ rising energy bills

By MARIA GRAZIA MURRU
Associated Press

FLORENCE, Italy (AP) — The Italian city regarded as the birthplace of the Renaissance is concerned with more mundane matters these days. Paying the bills has become harder in Florence amid soaring energy costs. The local government has teamed up with a local nonprofit to help fixed-income retirees keep their power on through an “Adopt-a-Bill” fundraising campaign. The city’s welfare counselor says private citizens including Florentines living abroad made more than 200 donations in the campaign’s first few days. The mayor says a significant number of Florence’s retirees live on less than 9,000 euros ($10,205) a year and can’t afford an expected 55% increase in home electricity costs and a 42% gas bill hike in residential gas bills.