BALTIMORE
Angry residents demand relief from soaring gas and
electric prices
By Sharon
Black
On March 17, more than 100 angry Baltimore Gas &
Electric Company customers assembled at the company's
downtown offices for a lunchtime protest. They demanded a
rollback on rates and a moratorium on utility shutoffs.
Many of those who gathered brought along their bills to
post on a makeshift board to illustrate how rates have
doubled and tripled. The majority of bills were for more than
$1,000 a month. One West Baltimore resident, who faces a
shutoff notice, was charged over $2,100 for a month.
Some participants peered at the board in horror. But many
also realized they were not alone.
Beginning April 1, BG&E will begin turning off gas and
electric services to families and individuals that can't pay
their bills. During the winter months a temporary moratorium
was in place for lower-income people.
The All-People's Congress called for the March 17 protest.
APC organizer Renee Washington chaired the rally. She stated:
"Maryland's workers and poor are facing a disaster. How can
working families, the poor, seniors on fixed incomes and
youths just starting out pay these outrageous bills? They
will face financial ruin, or worse, be at risk for
shutoffs.
"Do we want another family with children burning to death
when they are forced to light with candles? How can we cook
our food? Will the elderly face heart attacks and strokes
when they have no electricity for air conditioning this
summer?"
Labor activist Jeff Bigelow also spoke. "BG&E
executives should be ashamed of themselves," he charged.
"They claim that they are just the poor victims and that they
are simply passing the cost charged by the suppliers of gas
on to you.
"But they are actually part of a much larger holding
company called the Constellation Energy Group. Their CEO and
President Christian Poindexter makes over a million dollars a
year. He doesn't have to worry about gas and electric being
shut off.
"We say that gas an electric are a right," Bigelow added.
"People must come before profits."
The Rev. Theodore Williams, chair of the Political Action
Committee of the Baltimore NAACP, explained, "We can win if
we stick together."
Bill Goodin, president of Unity for Action, stressed: "The
poor are getting poorer and the rich richer; this country is
becoming more and more polarized. We must act to turn it
around."
Members of the State, County and Municipal Employees union
from Coppin State University also participated.
Protest organizers are calling on the governor to take
action under the Emergency Powers Act. They assert that this
legislation gives the governor directions to act to alleviate
a utility and energy crisis. There is also a precedent for
rolling back rates, since the state and BG&E made special
arrangement for new General Motors facilities to have cheaper
rates.
While the speak-out continued, people lined up to sign
petitions. Over 500 signatures were gathered, according to
APC organizer Bernard Campbell.
The APC is forming a committee to combat the shutoffs. Its
first meeting will be March 21 at the Pratt Library. Future
demonstrations are planned. For more information call (410)
235-7040.
This article is copyright under a Creative
Commons License.
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Email: ww@workers.org
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