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gngr 713-853-7751 ----- Forwarded by Ginger Dernehl/NA/Enron on 05/23/2001 11:57 AM ----- Lora Sullivan 05/23/2001 11:38 AM To: Linda Robertson/NA/Enron@ENRON cc: Steven J Kean/NA/Enron@Enron, Richard Shapiro/NA/Enron@Enron, Mark Palmer/Corp/Enron@ENRON, Eric Thode/Corp/Enron@ENRON, Cindy Derecskey/Corp/Enron@Enron, Ginger Dernehl/NA/Enron@Enron, Maureen McVicker/NA/Enron@Enron Subject: ACORN press release This was sent to me today by a person who asks to remain anonymous. It appears this press release is being routed to members of the press: Lora ****************************************************************************** ***** ACORN Launches Campaign to Win Changes from Enron Contact: Lisa Clauson at MaAcorn@Acorn.org or (617) 436-7100 (office), (617) 233-5497 (cel.), or David Swanson at (202) 547-2500. ACORN, the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now, has launched a nationwide campaign to persuade the nation's largest energy supplier, the Houston-based Enron corporation, to put some of its enormous record profits into assistance for low-income Americans who cannot afford their skyrocketing utilities bills. The campaign was launched with demonstrations in eight cities on May 21.? In Washington D.C., 100 ACORN members from D.C., Philadelphia, and Baltimore, protested at an Enron office and demanded a meeting to discuss their concerns.? Representatives of ACORN and Enron met on May 22 to open the discussion. "We told them our campaign was just getting started, and they could expect the pressure to build if they decline to work with us on a solution in the near future.? Summer is almost here, and elderly people and children without fans and air-conditioning are going to be in danger," said Kathy Tomosky, an ACORN member from Philadelphia. While ACORN has been pushing local governments to do their part, and has worked to increase funding for LIHEAP (the Low-Income Home-Energy Assistance Program), its members believe wholesalers, which are making huge profits as others face crises, also have a responsibility to act. Other Demonstrations on Monday Included: In Sacramento, 250 ACORN members from around California protested at the offices of Enron's lobbying company, Governmental Associates.? They also protested at the Capitol, demanding a meeting with Gov. Gray Davis to discuss the need for a moratorium on shut-offs and the need for lower rates for low- and moderate-income people. In Portland, ACORN members took over the 17th-floor office of Enron/Portland General Electric and staged a sit-in, until they won a commitment to a meeting with PGE's CEO. In Chicago, 70 ACORN members marched into the 36th-floor office of Enron. They persuaded the staff to fax a letter to Enron Chairman Kenneth Lay (see below), and arranged to schedule a meeting with Enron in Chicago. ACORN members also took over the lobby of Enron's headquarters in Houston, and demonstrated at Enron offices in Manhattan, Denver, and Albuquerque. THE CASE AGAINST ENRON Energy wholesalers, like Enron, and their top executives, are raking in outrageous record profits, while millions of Americans are facing bills that have doubled and tripled, putting many at risk of losing their electricity and at risk of losing their lives during this summer's heat spells.? During heat spells in previous years, hundreds of children and elderly people without fans or air conditioning have perished. The Bush energy plan does nothing to address the immediate crisis of this summer - a crisis that will literally be a question of life and death for tens of thousands of small children and the elderly.? Senior citizens on fixed incomes and hard workers fighting to support families on low wages will face hot days without the electricity to run a fan, cook food, or refrigerate milk for the kids.? Inflated energy bills are effectively reducing the standard of living for millions of Americans to pre-World War II levels in a world less adapted to life without power.? Price gouging by wholesalers and inaction by the White House could condemn thousands of people to a painful death.? Bush's devotion to corporate profits will apparently not give way even in the face of these real tragedies looming over so many of our grandparents and grandchildren. Five years ago 700 people died in Chicago during a two-week heat spell.? subsequent examination of the dead by the Chicago Tribune found that almost all were lower income seniors or young kids who did not have air conditioning and who were trying to save on their electric bills by not running their fans at night. Many were without power. Enron, the nation's biggest energy supplier, saw its profits increase 42 percent in 2000.? Its revenue more than doubled to $100.8 billion from only $40 billion in 1999, an increase of 152 percent.? The vast majority of Enron 's business involves buying electricity from power plants and selling it at a markup to local utility companies. While millions of Americans are facing choices between utilities and food, between utilities and health insurance, between utilities and childcare, Enron executives aren't feeling the pinch.? Enron's Chairman, Kenneth Lay received a $7 million bonus as reward for an "extremely strong year."? Lay's salary last year gave him another $1.3 million.? He also collected $7.5 million in restricted stock awards, plus options for 782,830 shares that could be valued at $35 million if Enron's stock appreciated 10 percent annually. Families now struggling to pay their bills are available to comment. Contact Chris Saffert at (202) 547-2500. Lay is living like a king while inflicting suffering on others, and our government is aiding and abetting this behavior.? The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has refused to act to make energy affordable for residential users. Texas, the home of George Bush, is also home to the largest energy suppliers in the country, including Enron.? Enron executives and employees contributed more than $500,000 to Bush's campaigns for governor and president. About $350,000 came from Lay, who was one of the Bush "Pioneers" who raised at least $100,000 for the presidential campaign. Lay also gave Bush use of Enron's private jet during the presidential race. For the inaugural festivities, Lay, Enron Chief Executive Jeff Skilling, and the corporation itself, each contributed the maximum $100,000. Does this perhaps explain Bush's reluctance to do anything to help California consumers?? Enron sold natural gas and electric power in California last year.? According to a study by the California Independent System Operator, Enron earned excess profits of $28 million by exercising market power.? Enron is being sued for violating the City of San Francisco's unfair business practices law.? Santa Clara County has joined a lawsuit against power suppliers including Enron, alleging they conspired to raise prices and boost profits while subjecting consumers to higher bills and blackouts. ACORN's Demands: ACORN demands a nationwide moratorium on utility shutoffs this summer for the elderly and families with children -- to be funded with an excess profit tax on wholesale energy suppliers. ACORN demands national price caps on utility costs for residential use. ACORN demands that Enron use some of its vast profits for an expanded energy assistance program, help leverage federal government funding for energy assistance, and assist in the creation of a conservation program that will supply low-income consumers with home audits, energy-efficient appliances, and other energy-saving steps. LETTER THAT HAS BEEN FAXED: Kenneth Lay, Chair Enron Corporation 1400 Smith Street Houston, TX 77002 May 21, 2001 Dear Mr. Lay: We write to request a meeting to discuss the sky high fuel costs that are posing a huge and unmanageable burden for low and moderate income people across the country. We believe that you, along with the other major power suppliers across the country, especially those which have enjoyed windfall profits as our budgets have been stretched to the breaking point, have a real responsibility to make sure that our families do not have to continue to make such difficult choices between fuel and food or medicine. We want to talk with you about what we can do together to ease this burden. Enron has been making windfall profits selling power, and thereby contributing to the suffering of our members and other community residents from record high utility bills that threaten families ability to meet our basic needs.? ACORN demands that Enron take real steps to help solve the problems that they have helped create. 1. We need to end skyrocketing utility bills which leave us totally unable to make ends meet, and threaten vulnerable people with air-conditioning and refrigeration shut offs in the dangerous summer heat.? Enron must respond to the immediate crisis by contributing 2% of their profits, or $250 million to a fuel emergency fund to provide assistance to low and moderate income consumers, and especially the elderly, children,? and people with health problems, in paying their utility bills.? A limited portion of the funds should be dedicated to outreach to sign up eligible participants. 2. We need to help people reduce costs in the long terms by making their homes more energy efficient.? Enron must? provide funds to support comprehensive residential conservation efforts in both owner occupied and rental properties.? Such efforts would include home audits to determine what was needed, along with the provision and installation of appropriate technology including power saving refrigerators, improved insulation and sealing of doors, windows, and pipes, etc, 3. We need basic access, affordability, and fair rates for the future. Enron must? : - Support ACORN's demand for a moratorium on shut offs to vulnerable populations including households with elderly people, young children, and people with health problems - Support ACORN's efforts to win a comprehensive and government supported program to cap utility payments for low and moderate income customers at a limited percentage of income - Support price caps on wholesale electricity sales such as those proposed in the Feinstein Smith bill. - Join ACORN in requesting a meeting between ACORN and Vice President Dick Cheney to discuss energy costs. As you may know, ACORN is the nation's oldest and largest grassroots organization of low and moderate income people, with more than 125,000 member families across the country. Over the years, we have been extremely active on issues relating to utilities, and in recent months our members in cities from Chicago to Philadelphia to St Louis and Seattle have been fighting to protect our members and our communities from utility shut-offs, and for payment assistance plans to help pay utility bills. We would appreciate a response today on a date and time for a meeting between yourself and other appropriate senior personnel, and a team of our senior leaders, within the next two weeks.? You can contact me through our campaign director, Lisa Clauson at 617-436-7100. Sincerely, Maude Hurd ACORN National President Contact: Lisa Clauson at MaAcorn@Acorn.org or (617) 436-7100 (office), (617) 233-5497 (cel.), or David Swanson at (202) 547-2500. ACORN, the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now, is the nation's largest community organization of low- and moderate-income families, with over 100,000 member families organized into 500 neighborhood chapters in 40 cities across the country. Since 1970 ACORN has taken action and won victories on issues of concern to our members. Our priorities include: better housing for first time homebuyers and tenants, living wages for low-wage workers, more investment in our communities from banks and governments, and better public schools. We achieve these goals by building community organizations that have the power to win changes -- through direct action, negotiation, legislation, and voter participation.? ACORN's website is at http://www.acorn.org.? To subscribe to ACORN's Email list send an Email with only the words "subscribe acornupdates" in the body of the message to majordomo@Acorn.org. David Swanson, communications coordinator ACORN, the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now 739 8th Street SE Washington, DC 20003 (202) 547-2500 p (202) 546-2483 f acornnews@acorn.org www.acorn.org To subscribe to ACORN's Email list send an Email with only the words "subscribe acornupdates" in the body of the message to majordomo@Acorn.org.
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