Community Leaders United aims to change harmful policies at Gainesville Regional Utilities
As Alachua County residents have been suffering from a drastic increase in our Gainesville Regional Utilities bills, there hasn’t been any real relief in sight. Local residents have recently circulated a petition for GRU to lower the rates that has more than 2,800 signatures to date.
Florida is ranked as the most unaffordable state in the country, which most negatively affects low-income and working-class people. Local organizations and local chapters of state organizations have come together to form a coalition that works together to address the issues that affect Alachua County.
Together, along with support from the community, we have decided to collectively address harmful practices at GRU such as inequitable security deposits. We also believe there should be more help that is easily accessible for low-income people who need help with their bills.
On Saturday, Sept. 17, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Community Leaders United will host a teach-in at Highlands Presbyterian Community Church that will include:
1. Tips and tricks, where to go for help.
2. What you might not know about our utility and why it matters to you.
3. What’s all this stuff on the bill? The Cliff Notes on how to read your bill.
4. We actually do have the power! What it takes to change harmful practices at GRU.
Lunch, child care and transportation will be provided. In addition, 50 attendees will receive $100 toward their GRU bills.
We have been learning daily about how GRU is negatively affecting our community. We have listened to heartbreaking stories including bills doubling and tripling, while usage has stayed the same.
Local organizations that help people experiencing houslessness have had to pay over hundreds of thousands in security deposits during the past couple of years. There are so many in our community that are making impossible choices between their utility bills, food and gas.
When working together, we believe that with an informed community and people power, we can change harmful policies at GRU. Join us on Saturday, Sept. 17, at 10 a.m. and find out more about the event here.
Our coalition is called Community Leaders United led by Florida for All, and consists of Dream Defenders, Florida Forward Coalition, Florida Immigrant Coalition, Indivisible Gainesville, Planned Parenthood of South East and North Florida, UF Graduate Assistants United, United Faculty of Florida and Young Democratic Socialists of America.
Gail Johnson is an organizer with Community Leaders United and a former Gainesville city commissioner.
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This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Gail Johnson: Community Leaders United aims to change GRU policies
