Press Release: June 17, 2010
Contact:  Jack Colby (401)884-0788, Maggi Rogers (401)419-0389

A dozen members of the George Wiley Center held an informational picket outside the law office of House Speaker Gordon Fox Thursday morning.  The group called attention to the fact that Speaker Fox hastily adjourned the 2010 legislative session last Thursday, leaving House Bill 7816 (affordable energy) without even a vote out of committee.  This, despite the fact that people are desperate for a solution to insurmountable utility costs and that the Speaker has publicly claimed to support affordable energy legislation since December of 2005 (see: “Our program for relieving heating woes” Providence Journal Commentary December 18, 2005) .

Adding insult to injury, Speaker Fox shepherded two terrible bills through the general assembly – Deepwater and decoupling – which will significantly raise household energy costs and put countless more low-income, children, elderly, and disabled Rhode Islanders at risk of utility shutoffs.  The cries of struggling families have gone unheeded, even as the greed of multi-national utility corporations has taken precedence with the leadership.

Along with their signature lightbulb signs touting affordable energy, Wiley members carried posters with messages such as “The Fox is in the Henhouse” and “He is Too Foxy.”   Providence chapter members Erminia Garcia and Suzette Orazi led a contingent into Fox’s office to try to set up an appointment to discuss the difficulties ordinary citizens have keeping their gas and electric service, but were told Mr. Fox is on vacation..

The Wiley Center plans to continue dogging Speaker Fox until he agrees to meet with desperate families and learn firsthand why he should recommit himself to the priority that he championed publicly five years ago.