Puget Sound Energy's spending to defeat ballot Proposition 1 in Jefferson County has just increased by another $97,000, according to the latest state disclosure reports.
PSE has now put a total of $237,510 into the effort. History indicates this is by far the largest amount ever spent on a Jefferson County election issue.
While ballots go out to voters countywide today, Wednesday, there are still three weeks before the Nov. 4 election. The ballots need to be returned to the County Courthouse by Nov. 4 or postmarked by that date.
The money has gone to an entity created by the Seattle-based political consulting firm Strategies 360: Jefferson County Citizens Against Proposition 1. Strategies 360 political consultants have acknowledged that they created the group, formed its recorded officers, and that it is fully funded by PSE.
Citizens Against received $40,000 from PSE on Aug. 29, another $100,000 on Sept. 16, $61,000 on Oct. 9 and another $36,000 on Oct. 10. The total to date is $237,000 in cash and another $510.85 in in-kind donations.
PSE has also poured money into the anti-public-power campaigns in the two other Washington counties with public-power issues on the November ballot.
In the latest filings to the Washington State Public Disclosure Commission, PSE has given another $131,000 to the group called Whidbey Consumers for Affordable Energy, bringing that entity to a total of $276,504. PSE has given another $188,000 to the Skagit Committee for Reliable and Affordable Energy, for a total of $418,407.
Taken together, PSE has put $932,421 toward the anti-public-power campaigns in all three counties. None of the groups has raised money from any other source than PSE. All of the officers for all three groups are connected with Strategies 360.
PSE officials have said they are intent on keeping Jefferson and the other counties as part of PSE's northwest power network.
Karen Waters of Strategies 360 said the spending is needed to get PSE's message to all the voters of Jefferson County.
"We are working hard to run a campaign that shows people how this proposal will affect their utility rates and their pocketbooks," she said this week. The proposition "is an enormously important question for Jefferson County. We want to touch and reach out to all the families of Jefferson County, and that takes money."
Strategies 360 is bringing new campaign outreach tools into Jefferson County, such as trucks loaded with billboards and campaign signage on gas pumps. There are also signs, newspaper ads and phone calls.
Waters said that PSE has "no idea how much our opponents will spend."
Bill Wise, co-facilitator of Citizens for Local Power, which is pushing for a yes vote on Proposition 1, has cautioned that PSE is trying to buy the election.
Citizens for Local Power has raised $27,102. The largest single contributor is the Washington Public Utility District Association, a PUD trade group, which donated $6,490. All of the other donations have come from county residents or property owners.
Reader Comments
Posted: Thursday, October 16, 2008
Article comment by:
D. Leonard
The Macquarie Group now operates the Indiana toll road. In spite of promises to not cut jobs or raise tolls, they have done so in the space of six months. Be assured, your rates will go up. There are no promises from Macquarie to receive the same services you expect from PSE. You are all better off having a PUD that you can control and have local people be accountable for the operations. As a resident of this county, I believe that the citizens in the north end would like to keep jobs local. This is one opportunity to make it happen. Mason County PUD No.1 does a fine job managing the electrical grid in the south county. You have a choice of empty promises from PSE/Macquarie or a chance to create a PUD that you can be proud of because it belongs to you.
Posted: Thursday, October 16, 2008
Article comment by:
Francis Wickeham
Gee Joe. PSE is outsourcing the Jefferson County maitenance work now through Potelco. I'll bet our PUD could outsource it even cheaper.
Posted: Thursday, October 16, 2008
Article comment by:
Francis Wickeham
OMG!
PSE must really find the electric business in Jefferson County profitable. Just think about how much we rate payers could save if we let the PUD #1 provide electricity for us at cost (especially at PBA Tier 1 rates).
My mind is made up. I'll vote "YES" on Proposition #1.
Posted: Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Article comment by:
Joe D'Amico
Bigger government is not what Jefferson County needs. How would you like to propose a project, which might not get a power permit, because of what you do? Gun range! "Sorry sir we can't get a line down that road." What if the PUD should fail? Yes, if the PUD should fail, you and I will pick up the tab. Just take a Look at Beckett Point. Commissioner Sullivan recently commented that if the State of Washington opted out of picking up the archeological bill, Jefferson County would step in. In other words, you the taxpayer will pay the bill. Why? Because, Commissioner Sullivan owns two lots at Beckett Point, which is disclosed on his F-1 form. This is required when you run for office. Recently, the PUD told the citizens of Jefferson County that they could not handle the inspection of septic tanks in Jefferson County and wanted to outsource them. So, how can the citizens of Jefferson County handle a power grid of some 20,000 citizens without outsourcing? Is the PUD someone we want handling the power of Indian Island in time of war?
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