KENNEBEC JOURNAL • October 12, 2023
Question 3 seeks to buy out Maine’s two investor-owned utilities. Because I inherently prefer a publicly owned model, I initially believed this proposal would improve our situation. But it became clear to me that ownership structure is not the most important factor in how a utility performs. This referendum pursues an ideological goal without considering the significant risks to ratepayers, the grid’s functionality and Maine’s ambitious climate change agenda. It fails to consider the downsides, with too many supporters believing “it can’t get any worse,” though that is far from the truth. Climate change demands a response as ironclad as our grandparents’ World War II effort. We already have the power to ensure our utilities do their part, so we have little to gain by experimenting with other ownership models. We need action, not distraction. ~ Former Rep. Tina Riley (D), Jay