WHO CARES WHAT THE PUBLIC THINKS?

TURN members visited the January CPUC meeting to speak out against proposed changes in the CARE program.

CARE (California Alternative Rates for Energy) helps make heating affordable for more than 2 million California families.  All gas customers, commercial and residential, currently pay "equal cents per therm" for CARE and other public purpose programs.  In other words, we pay for CARE based on how much gas we use.  But PG&E, So Cal Gas and SDG&E are asking the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) to change how CARE is paid for, in order to give a break to their wealthiest corporate customers, customers like Chevron and Exxon Mobile. 

Residential consumers, who would pay about $100 million more to cover the big business discount, have spoken out against the scheme at CPUC public participation hearings and at public meetings.  But CPUC President Michael Peevey doesn’t care what the people think.  Rather than ask why the wealthiest customers in California should receive a discount, Peevey asks why the public should be allowed to bother the Public Utilities Commission.

If you don't want to pay more so that big businesses can pay less, click here to sign a letter to the CPUC demanding that big business pay its fair share for the CARE program and make your voice heard at the CPUC.