Protesters occupy downtown DTE headquarters January 26, 2012
By Diane Bukowski
January 27, 2012
DETROIT – Hundreds of DTE customers stunned the company Jan. 26, occupying the downtown headquarters lobby for over an hour with signs, drums, bullhorns, and chants of “No More Shut-offs; DTE: Pay your taxes; and DTE what about me?”
Occupiers stayed for over an hour at DTE headquarters Jan. 26, 2012
The occupation dramatically ratcheted up the level of the sidewalk marches that have taken place over the last several years. It was organized by “Good Jobs Now!” and ministers including Bishop Walter Starghill of the Face-to-Face Ministries in Inkster.
“We want them to see our faces,” said Joseph Shannon, a young member of Good Jobs Now! “We want them to understand what drives us as we suffer from their rates and shut-offs. People are risking their lives to get lights and heat by setting up dangerous hook-ups, using generators and candles. Houses are getting blown up and people are dying. Crime is going up because of the conditions poor people face. Meanwhile DTE is sitting around getting rich. They have the power and funds not only to stop this suffering, but to contribute some of their millions in profits to build up our cities and neighborhoods for the benefit of their customers.”
Good Jobs Now! organizer Joseph Shannon
The air was thick with both anger and exhilaration at breaking out of the traditional protest mode. People did not let up their chants, which rang throughout the building, for the entire time. Prominent among the signs was one proclaiming that DTE Energy’s new CEO Gerard Anderson makes $8.9 million a year.
Shannon said the protesters planned to stay until Starghill and other ministers meeting upstairs with DTE executives reported back that DTE was going to act on their demands.
“We won’t fall aside, we won’t look back, we demand heat and electricity today! If we don’t get it, we will be back with hundreds more,” he concluded.
Good Jobs Now! members provide security for occupiers
A cadre of Good Jobs Now members in orange and green vests and hats linked arms at the entrance to the inner building, while others monitored the doors to allow media and other participants to enter. DTE guards had apparently retreated, with only one left at the front counter, which was commandeered by photographers climbing up to get shots of the rebellion.
Police did not show up until after the protesters’ representatives had returned downstairs to report back to them, and even then, the Good Jobs Now! security line remained, despite the threat of arrest. Occupiers then took their protest to the streets.
Protesters Elaine Pope and Georgia McCree (center)
DTE customers Georgia McCree and Elaine Pope held a giant banner outside. They spoke together about their anger against the wealthy utility company.
“We’re tired of DTE shutting off the lights and gas of those who are in need, including babies, children and seniors. They shut off in the winter time too. They had profits of $700 million last year, and have got $300 million in rate increases over the last three years. Those profits should be going back to the people, to give assistance especially for the mothers and children who were cut off welfare this year.”
The protesters were heard calling on each other to bring all their bills to a meeting the pastors had scheduled with DTE for Tuesday, Jan. 31 at 10 a.m. Bishop Starghill told VOD the meeting would be a “fact-finding meeting.“
Bishop Walter Starghill of Face-to-Face Ministries in Inkster
“The people here today represent only about one percent of the people who will be here eventually,” Starghill, who had also led a delegation from Inkster to the Jan. 16 march on Governor Snyder’s house, said.
Other ministers who met with DTE included Pastor Homer Jameson of the Jameson Temple, Pastor John Hearn, Jr. of Christ Faith in Garden City, Pastor Willie Walker of the Church of God in Christ, and Pastor Willie J. Rideout of All God’s People Congregation Ministries in Detroit.
“People are hurting, but Governor Snyder still granted DTE a tax break while DTE hiked up its rates some more,” Rev. Rideout said. “We want amnesty on bills for our seniors, many of whom live on machines that depend on electricity, for mothers and children and all the poor. People are using kerosene to heat their houses and dying. We will not tolerate this situation any longer.”
DTE gets tax breaks, rakes in profits, while poor get shut-offs
DTE has benefited from the $1 billion tax break Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder gave to the state’s corporations, while slashing millions from education, revenue-sharing, and public assistance in a state with the highest unemployment rate in the country.
DTE CEO rakes in $8.9 million a year
According to its DTE’s website, its business customers are also eligible for a sales tax exemption.
“All gas and electric business accounts are required to submit a copy of the Michigan General Sales Tax Exemption form to DTE Energy in order to have the correct tax exemption status on file and be billed accordingly,” says the website.
In November, DTE raked in a $174.9 million rate increase. Under state rules, DTE implements its own increases, which are later reviewed by the Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC), which allegedly regulates the state’s utilities. It normally takes about a year for the review to be completed. If the MPSC does not approve the entire increase, a small rebate goes to its customers, most of whom do not even notice it on their bill.
DTE's Mark Jones with Rev. Willie Rideout
Representatives of DTE, Mark Jones and Alejandro Bodipo-Memba, both Black, were sent downstairs to speak with media representatives. They claimed that the MPSC is the chief entity responsible for approving most of the marchers’ demands, including an end to shut-offs, and income-based rates.
They appeared taken aback by the protest, and said they wished the demonstrators had asked to meet with them prior to calling it. They touted DTE’s Customer Assistance Days and other programs already in place, which they said they planned to focus on in the Tuesday meeting.
Organizer leads chants from bullhorn behind front desk
Bodipo-Member said DTE is campaigning with the legislature to restore funds to The Heat and Warmth (THAW) fund both from the state, and also with the federal government to restore LIHEAP (Low-income HEating Assistance Program) funds. One-third of those funds were cut from the current federal budget. U.S. President Barack Obama originally slashed half of the funds, but opponents reduced the cut.
They did not respond to a question from VOD regarding DTE’s policy of not cutting off utilities in the winter the first time, but then charging those customers for bills incurred during the winter and spring, and later shutting them off in the summer.
Protesters drummed loudly up to the rafters
Why DTE has to depend on the private non-profit sector, including THAW, or on federal revenues taken from taxpayers, to meet the demands of the protesters, is open to question.
MarketWatch reported in November, 2011, that DTE profits for the third quarter had increased 12 percent from the previous year, with revenue skyrocketing from $2.14 billion to $2.27 billion for that quarter alone. DTE Energy is one of the Fortune 500 wealthiest companies in the U.S.
For further information, contact Face to Face Outreach. Ministries. 29665 Pine. Inkster, MI 48141. 313.477.6710.
Occupiers said "WE WILL BE BACK!"
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