Baltimore struggle against utilities
'People are angry and desperate'
By Sharon
Black
Baltimore
The working people of Baltimore, faced with escalating
utility rates and declining incomes, are banding together to
fight the big utility companies before they are deprived of
the necessities of modern life due to gas and electric
shutoffs.
The threat of shutoffs is very real, since it was
announced in July that over 150,000 people in this area were
in arrears and could have their utilities shut off.
The Committee to Stop High Gas & Electric Bills of the
All Peoples Congress protested outside the Public Service
Commission offices in downtown Baltimore on Aug. 13. The
group announced it is jointly filing a case, along with the
People's Counsel, with the Public Service Commission.
The case asserts that Baltimore Gas & Electric Co. has
refused to make reasonable payment arrangements for customers
and has unlawfully turned off people's utilities.
Renee Washington, volunteer coordinator for the All
Peoples Congress, said at the protest, "Since the
announcement in July that over 150,000 people are in arrears
and are facing shutoffs, our office has been flooded with
calls. People are angry and desperate."
The group also announced that it was investigating the
heat-related deaths of four people in the area during the
recent blistering heat wave. The APC is concerned that their
utilities may have been turned off, depriving them of
refrigeration, air conditioning and even fans.
As a result of pressure over the deaths, BGE announced it
would not shut off utilities--for two days. This fell short
of what community advocates want.
Washington proclaimed, "This brief moratorium is a
victory, but it also shows that if they can do it for two
days, they can extend the moratorium."
The All Peoples Congress also announced it is preparing
for more protests along with court suits and will participate
in the Sept. 29 demonstration in Washington against President
George W. Bush and the World Bank/IMF.
This article is copyright under a Creative
Commons License.
Workers World, 55 W. 17 St., NY, NY 10011
Email: ww@workers.org
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