#Maine’s referendum on establishing a state-managed public utility system, known as "Question Three," was defeated with 70% against.
Opposition, including labor unions, exaggerated costs and misrepresented #PineTreePower as a state agency. With opponents spending significantly more on media and propaganda, the #referendum was defeated.
Supporters plan to continue advocating for community-owned utilities, considering collaboration with labor unions in future efforts.
Disappointed that
a) Maine #PineTreePower municipalization failing 😕
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2023/11/07/us/elections/results-maine-question-3-create-pine-tree-power-co.html
b) Cincinnati voting to sell only municipally owned railroad in the country, Cincinnati Southern Railway, to (East Palestine villain!) Norfolk Southern😡
OTOH, Ohio voted for abortion - whew! - and weed
@mainedsa Thanks for sharing!👍 (New since I last checked.) IMHO, #PineTreePower draft appears to have credible and fair - not slanted - references, but twice declined.😕😡 I've squirreled away some other points and references from TV news YouTube segments, Ballotpedia, others. Would have been nice to have a working article in place weeks, if not months, before the election.😕(I am too often discouraged by seemingly gratuitous contrarianism, disrespect of my contributions in Wikipedia anarchy.😕)
A YES ON QUESTION THREE for #PineTreePower means putting our power delivery into #democratic control and taking it away from greedy, investor owned, multinational #corporations.
We can achieve better service, better rates, and a mandate to help meet Maine’s #climate goals by switching to Pine Tree Power!
🌲⚡❤️
@mainedsa Surprised Pine Tree Power #PineTreePower movement drama doesn't have Wikipedia article. Should at least be mentioned on https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Municipalization
Ballotpedia article: https://ballotpedia.org/Maine_Question_3,_Pine_Tree_Power_Company_Initiative_(2023)
So proud of every Maine DSA member and all others who did the hard, arduous work of #canvassing for months to gather 80,000 signatures, more than enough to qualify for the ballot.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aELimf6ct60
#PineTreePower #Nationalize #democraticsocialist #dsa #centralmainepower
#PineTreePower #OurPower campaign toot from earlier this year
https://mastodon.energy/@ourpower/109744525954692407
#Maine citizens have a years-long campaign to municipalize their two big (and generally lousy, disliked) investor-owned utilities (#IOUs), #CentralMainePower #CMP and #Versant, buying them out to form new #publicpower #MuniPower company #PineTreePower
Among arguments for the Nov. ballot measure, "CMP & Versant's owners in Norway, Qatar, Calgary should not be in control of our energy future" https://pinetreepower.org/
Ballotpedia: Maine Question 3, Pine Tree Power Company
https://ballotpedia.org/Maine_Question_3,_Pine_Tree_Power_Company_Initiative_(2023)
The American Prospect on the case for public utility ownership - mentions #PineTreePower initiative in #Maine : https://prospect.org/environment/2023-08-30-private-monopolies-fuel-climate-disaster-public-corruption/
#pinetreepower: a #ballotinitiative to create a #nonprofit #power company that would buy and operate the #utilities’ #transmission lines and facilities.
Supporters say it’s the most important #climate election in the United States this year.
#BernieSanders backs #PineTreePower’s #utility takeover campaign
https://www.pressherald.com/2023/07/27/bernie-sanders-backs-pine-tree-powers-utility-takeover-campaign/?ref=am-quickie.ghost.io
The #Vermont senator urged #Mainers to support the upcoming referendum to create a statewide public #powercompany and push out Central #Maine Power and Versant #Power.
Susan Letcher in Bar Harbor breaks it down in MDIslander this week:
"Who stands to benefit from the status quo? Multinational companies and their shareholders. Who stands to benefit from change? Mainers."
While CMP & Versant are asking for big rate hikes this year, #PineTreePower will cut rates by 10% in the very first year.
Mainers will save $9 billion in the first 3 decades--and the savings will begin immediately.
#MEPolitics #UtilityAccountability
https://ourpowermaine.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/our-power-press-release-3-8-23.pdf
How much would #PineTreePower save ratepayers?
Over $9 billion in the first 30 years.
Those billions could be reinvested in the grid and/or returned to ratepayers as savings instead of padding corporate profits at Avangrid and Enmax.
Imagine having a say in how your electric utility is run and helping make decisions like how to improve service or get more #RenewablePower.
That will happen when local nonprofit #PineTreePower manages our grid instead of corporations from away.
Who controls Maine's grid?
With CMP it's investors in Spanish conglomerate Iberdrola (including Qatar & Norway) and with Versant the city of Calgary, Canada. Maine customers have no say.
With #PineTreePower customers here in Maine would be in control.
