Discussion of QUESTION 3 will be the featured event. QUESTION 3 is An Act to Create the Pine Tree Power Company, a Nonprofit, Customer-owned Utility. The question will read: Do you want to create a new power company governed by an elected board to acquire and operate existing for-profit electricity transmission and distribution facilities in Maine?
The argument for Question 3 will be presented by Lucy Hochschartner from Pine Tree Power, where Lucy is the Deputy Campaign Manger for the Yes on 3 campaign. She is a community organizer and energy justice advocate who has worked to hold utilities accountable across the country. The argument against Question 3 will be presented by Barbara Alexander, former director of the Consumer Assistance Division of the Maine Public Utilities Commission. Since 1996, she has worked as a consultant and expert witness on utility issues for state and national consumer organizations. The forum will be moderated by Jill Goldthwait, who has previously served as a Bar Harbor town councilor and as an independent state senator from Hancock County.
A brief discussion of QUESTION 1 will follow. QUESTION 1 is An Act to Require Voter Approval of Certain Borrowing by Government-controlled Entities and Utilities and to Provide Voters More Information Regarding That Borrowing. The question will read: Do you want to bar some quasi-governmental entities and all consumer-owned electric utilities from taking on more than $1 billion in debt unless they get statewide voter approval?
The event will be available for remote participation on Zoom and will also live stream on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/LWVME. Please join us to learn more about these important issues. There will be an opportunity for the audience to submit their own questions to be presented by the moderator.
