Making Policy as if People Mattered

In September, I wrote a letter to CUB members describing the disconnect between real people’s lives and discussions amongst policy makers. Last year, in 2010, the Community Action Partnership of Oregon reported helping over 29,000 PGE and Pacific Power customers with energy assistance from ratepayer-generated funds, helping to prevent shut-offs.

That was last year. Now, utility shut-offs are up more than 30% this year over last year. The three for-profit electric companies in Oregon (PGE, Pacific Power and Idaho Power) have shut off more than 27,000 households for nonpayment during the first half of 2011. This means people are living in their homes – at least for a time – without heat, refrigeration or lights. At the same time, state regulators are talking about increasing winter heating and cooling costs in order to send “price signals” to customers.

Something has happened in 2011. Whether it relates to the end of unemployment benefits, the disappearing safety net for many families or other factors, it is clear that families who were hanging on by their fingernails are now forced to let go and fall.

Here at CUB, we wondered: where is the concern? Where is the indignation? Where is the anger that many Oregonians are also in danger of the same thing happening to them? It often seems that utilities, regulators, and government officials are doing little to address these real, sobering issues—or even acknowledge them.

A few days after writing that letter for our newsletter, the Occupy Portland protest began with a march that went right by our office. I looked out my window and saw people stretching from Pioneer Courthouse Square to Burnside and beyond – well over 10 blocks. There were thousands of people walking down SW Broadway (police estimates put the number around 3,000-4,000) demanding that the interests of the “99%” be taken up by our political leaders.

I went down to Pioneer Courthouse Square to mingle among the protesters. Here were people of all ages standing up for the struggle that real Oregon families are having.

I found the indignation and the anger: it was here.

A few days later, the Oregonian printed a story about the increase in applications for food stamps for Oregon families. And they noted the same trend that we here at CUB have: 2011 is different. While unemployment may have fallen slightly, families who have been struggling in this Great Recession are now falling through the cracks.

And our political and government institutions are not responding. They’re often not even paying attention! We see this in our area of public policy. Congress cut funding for low income heating assistance while thousands of families are living without heat. The Oregon Public Utility Commission talks about increasing price signals to these same customers. Other policymakers are talking about increasing the cost of energy efficiency programs by 50%, so utilities can add to their profit margins without saving a single additional kilowatt hour of electricity. NW Natural wants to increase its monthly customer charge to $25, requiring customers to pay even in the summer when they aren’t using gas.

The history of Occupy Portland and Occupy Wall Street is still being written. But the points being raised by the protesters are clear now: in a time of economic turmoil unknown for a generation or two, people need help. In the utilities field, we are also seeing unprecedented change along with need for investments in new, cleaner power sources and an infrastructure suited for the 21st century. But we can’t lose sight of the fact that all the investments that will be made will come mostly from the pockets of ordinary, everyday folks – many of whom are struggling right now. If we do forget that, we won’t see voluntary protesters camping out. We’ll see folks living in tents because they have no other choice.

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