For countless residents of the great city of Cordele, GA, a monthly crisis takes shape in the form of unreasonably high electricity bills. The power commission is seemingly gaining at the expense of its own people, unwittingly subjected to double rates in efforts to settle debts left unpaid by others. In my personal experience, and in the experiences of many others I know, it is not uncommon to receive monthly bills oscillating between $400 and $900. This happens nowhere else I've lived, and it's a financial drain on a community already facing enough hardship.

Cordele is a small town, yet our power rate is amongst the highest in the country. This catastrophic gap in affordability has led to devastating alternatives for many – moving into hotels, or imposing on family members, or worse, living without power. It's happening daily, it's happening to our neighbors, our friends, and our family. The past four months have seen my own bill exceed $400, a clear testament of the financial burden we face every day.

According to the U.S Energy Information Administration, the average monthly residential electricity bill in Georgia is approximately $126.40. The rates in Cordele, therefore, are disproportionate and unjust, crippling economic growth, and fostering a divide between inequality and fair access to basic amenities.

It is time that the city of Cordele, the Crisp County Power Commission, and those in power act in the best interest of their citizens and rectify this untenable situation by making our electrical bills more affordable. The wellbeing and progress of our community is in their hands.

Please join me in signing this petition urging them to take immediate action - it's a crisis at this point, and one we can't afford to ignore any longer. Let us fight for fair electricity rates in Cordele.