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<< Previous   of   Next >>   ADVERTISEMENT   CONTACT THE HERALD Robert Frank, City Editor frank@heraldnet.com   Published: Wednesday, November 5, 2008 Whidbey PUD going down to defeat By Gale Fiege Herald Writer OAK HARBOR -- Whidbey Island voters likely have rejected a proposition calling for the formation of a public utility district that would have replaced Puget Sound Energy as the island's electricity provider. Early returns Tuesday showed opponents of the proposed public utility district leading by 67 percent to 33 percent. People for Yes on Whidbey PUD campaign director Dave Metheny said the apparent loss was due to his organization's lack of campaign money. "A good chunk of it was not having the same amount of money that Puget Sound Energy had to spend on the campaign," Metheny said. "It's hard to be competitive when you're outspent at that level. The money just crushed us." Metheny said his group plans to sit down and talk about running the idea by voters again in the future. Puget Sound Energy, an ­investor-owned utility, opposed the measure and fought it with a political action group, Whidbey Consumers for Affordable Energy. The PUD measure involved only Whidbey Island. Although within Island County, the Snohomish County PUD serves nearly 15,000 people on Camano Island. The electricity issue was complex and the campaign was filled with conflicting studies and claims. A successful signature campaign by People for Yes on Whidbey PUD got the issue on the general election ballot. The group said it was upset about the prospect of Puget Sound Energy winding up controlled by foreign investors. The purchase by a consortium of Australian and Canadian investors would turn the company into a private utility. The purchase must be approved by the state Utilities and Transportation Commission, which is expected to decide before the end of the year. READER COMMENTS Be the first to comment. You must be a registered user and verify your e-mail address to post comments to blogs or articles on HeraldNet. To register, click here. To read other terms and conditions, click here. Log out

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