As a lifelong North Carolinian, I have been fortunate to raise my family and two grandchildren in the Tar Heel State. I am retired and live on a fixed income. People mistakenly believe that Social Security provides them with a lot of money, but inflation and rising costs of goods and services often make it difficult to make ends meet. That’s why I appreciate affordable connectivity programs.
ACP offers households $30 off their internet bill per month and a one-time discount of up to $100 on the purchase of a laptop, desktop computer, or tablet. Thanks to ACP, you can cover the cost of your essential cell phone. I’ve had the discount for almost a year now and it’s been a huge help. Without ACP, you would have to spend $52 a month for internet access. Currently, I have only spent $22. That $30 savings goes a long way. If I hadn’t enrolled in the ACP program, I wouldn’t have been able to afford the phone. Having a phone means you can stay in touch with family members, such as your children and grandchildren, and you can call your doctor to stay on top of your health care. These are not luxuries, but necessities of the times we live in. These days, almost everything we do requires a cell phone or the internet. Most businesses allow you to talk to an agent and pay your bill online, but this requires an internet connection. For many people like me, we couldn’t afford to do either without ACP.
That $30 a month means a lot to someone like me. Food prices are rising. Managing utility costs is also difficult. Prices increase even more in the winter. My heating bill costs about $120 a month. The money I’m saving makes it a little easier to turn on the lights, heat the house, and buy a little more food to feed my family.
If Congress does not act, the ACP will expire in April 2024. More than 870,000 North Carolinians use his ACP. Sen. Thom Tillis said he supports the program. It’s great that Republicans and Democrats can finally agree on important cost-cutting programs that will benefit all Americans. No matter what his politics are or where he lives, the benefits of this program are far-reaching, even if he doesn’t take advantage of ACP. ACP helps people find jobs, see doctors, talk to their families, and save money. Everything becomes more and more expensive. ACP has helped expand service across North Carolina to areas where internet and cell phone service was poor or previously non-existent. If you don’t think ACP is important, I recommend canceling your phone plan and letting him go without ACP for a year.
Although Sen. Ted Budd has not publicly stated his position on ACP, I hope he will support the program as well. I don’t want to see the ACP fail because of partisan politics that doesn’t help anyone. This is an issue that can bring about good things for both parties. Once again, they can start working to accomplish some of the good things we need in this country.
I personally am very grateful for the help I got. There are many people besides me who need it. Many of us ordinary Americans have deep pockets and cannot afford to lose this program.
I would like to ask our politicians: Have you ever faced any hardships in your life? If not, listen to those who do. I already have high blood pressure and am stressed about being able to keep up with my monthly payments, but I wish I didn’t have to deal with this.
I want to see politicians working for us. Fighting to keep prices down and make life more affordable should be something every politician in Washington thinks about and works on every day. Politicians need to understand that they are working for the American people. Keeping your ACP functioning is a great way to do just that.
more:OPINION: The huge wealth gap between the top 1% and the rest of Americans continues to widen.
more:OPINION: Poverty affects us all.Society suffers if children do not succeed as adults.
Doris Edwards lives in Burnsville and is a member of WorkMoney.
