The City of Thomasville is poised to shut utilities off for residents who haven't paid their bills. Customers have until Friday to make payment arrangements with the city.
Thomasville put a moratorium on shutting off utilities in March due to COVID-19. But starting Monday, that moratorium ends, and some residents could be without power. Brionté McCorkle heads Georgia Conservation Voters.
"A lot of the messaging that we're hearing, especially here in Georgia, is that people who aren't paying their bills are being irresponsible," McCorkle says.
Her group urges Congress to pass a bill that would put a nationwide moratorium on disconnecting water, electricity, and utilities.
"The federal government can step in and be empathetic and be understanding that folks are going through a crisis. If we are ready and willing to bail out major corporations, we should be ready and willing to take care of American people who are really struggling and incredibly impacted by this crisis," McCorkle says.
In a statement, Thomasville's City Manager Alan Carson said collecting payment from customers with past due balances is falling in line with what other utility providers are doing across the nation.
