On March 24 in Sacramento, Peace and Freedom Party members joined members of Stop PG&E, the Reclaim Our Power Coalition, and the Party for Socialism and Liberation to demand an end to rate hikes and the establishment of a publicly owned utility to replace the for-profit Pacific Gas and Electric Company.
The action began with public comment at the California Public Utilities Commission. Participants spoke eloquently about how the escalating rate increases the CPUC grants to PG&E cause people to have to choose between eating nutritious food, filling vital prescriptions, and paying their utility bill.
Others pointed out how PG&E’s failure to maintain their infrastructure has caused deaths from a gas explosion and devastation from numerous fires. Yet the ratepayers, and not the investors, have to pay higher rates to finance the fines and the fixes.
Some compared the cost of power to PG&E customers to those of the publicly owned utilities in Sacramento and Los Angeles, where a bill for comparable service can be half as much. They advocated the passage of SB 332, which would help to implement the Golden State Energy Company. That public benefit corporation would replace for-profit utility companies statewide.
After the CPUC public comment period, the participants marched to the Capitol to hold a rally and press conference. The mood was festive and hopeful, although it will take a growing movement to make statewide public power a reality.
– written by Marsha Feinland
