The fight over Chicago’s electricity franchise has sunk pretty low. It’s almost as though the hick pitching radio ads for Commonwealth Edison scripted the whole show.
CEOC organizers don’t actually want the city to buy Com Ed. They do want the city to terminate its franchise agreement with the utility by December 31, 1989, the last possible day it may do. so. Terminating the agreement would force Com Ed into negotiating with the city–and presumably organizers–about electric rates. Their first attack was a referendum last spring in the 47th Ward, which asked, essentially, whether electric rates ought to be lower. When that was successful, they chose to push similar referenda in 13 other wards on November 8. The wording of the referendum from the 32nd Ward was typical: “Should the City of Chicago seek lower electric rates by taking actions such as purchasing power from the lowest-priced sources available, acquiring power sources in the City, and/or joining with other communities to initiate a Northern Illinois Power Authority?”
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The Observer started off one monologue on municipalization (without once using the word) by saying: “Ya know, back home there’s an old saying that the true test of any relationship is spendin’ time together.” He then went on about fishermen locked together in the same cabin and about how one of two wives has a new husband after seven years–and managed to laud Chicago’s 100-year-old relationship with Com Ed in the process. In another spot he talked about a cab ride and a conversation with the driver about “the city managing its own electric company.” He concluded with, “I said, ‘Well I’m no expert, but seein’ as how the people have already spoken, maybe the problem is that some folks aren’t listenin’.’” Peterson said some people loved the ads” some hated them.
Hogan says Com Ed will continue to run its ads and will continue the friendly, down-home practice of sending Com Ed flacks to homes and neighborhoods to answer questions about municipalization or any other matter involving the utility. This fall Com Ed started mailing consumers a brochure with their bills. The outside of the brochure is an ominous black, with yellow writing that reads “Candle, candle, burning bright, could be Chicago every night.” Inside it states that municipalization is a bad idea being promoted by unnamed “extremists,” presumably community organizers. Municipalization, the brochure reads, “would stress to the breaking point a City already laden with crisis after crisis–public housing, schools, mass transit, crime–the list goes on and on.” Then it lists eight reasons why it’s a bad idea: electricity might be rationed, businesses might leave, taxes might rise, rates might increase, service would be less reliable, shortages are possible, politicians might foul things up, and money might be taken from neighborhoods to pay for the company.
