Bob Filner: “When I hear those figures, I wonder how these people sleep at night. I can again look at my own district where we have…”

“When I hear those figures, I wonder how these people sleep at night. I can again look at my own district where we have been experiencing these problems now for a year. We have scores of small businesspeople just had to close up. I mean, we have had people in my office in tears that their family businesses that have been in their family for 40, 50, 60 years, they could not sustain electricity cost increases of first 100 and then 200 percent. There was no way. In fact, 65 percent of small businesses in San Diego County, by a recent Chamber of Commerce report, face bankruptcy this year if these prices continue, 65 percent of small businesses. Now, if this were an earthquake or a hurricane or a tornado, the Feds would be in there instantly and offering loans and helpful economic incentives. This is worse than 10 or 20 earthquakes and the Federal Government has not been seen. I do not care if it was the Clinton administration or the Bush administration, the Federal Government chose not to help out. These are incredible human problems. It is not just statistics. When the person on a fixed income whether, they be older or younger, who is faced with a doubling or tripling of his or her utility bills and they have to chose now not between just food and medicine but between food, medicine and a comfortable sleep with air conditioning, this is ridiculous. This is tragic. This is criminal, in my opinion. We have not acted.…”