BAYVIEW — The pull-the-plug-signs are back. And in a location that may hit voters when they’re most concerned about the personal impact of the country’s shaky economy.
While filling up their gas guzzlers, voters on Whidbey Island are now being reminded that there is another potential threat to their wallets. Or at least that’s what “Whidbey Consumers For Affordable Energy” want them to think.
New anti-PUD signs surfaced at some gas stations island-wide this week, including the Exxon stations at Ken’s Korner and in Bayview, as well as at the Greenbank station. The signs have been placed in a hard-to-miss spot: right at the top of the gas pumps, where customers have to look, anyway, when filling their tanks.
The signs urge voters to vote no on the November ballot measure to form a public utilities district. A group on Whidbey Island has been pushing a proposal for a PUD that would take over Puget Sound Energy’s territory on the island. The anti-PUD signs are warning voters that a PUD could lead to higher taxes and higher electric rates.
It’s a familiar message for many. A massive sign campaign on Labor Day weekend left hundreds of pull-the-plug-signs were planted on private and public property.
The new signs are the latest move by the political committee that was created by Strategies 360, a Seattle-based political strategy firm. Puget Sound Energy has contributed more than $145,000 to “Whidbey Consumers For Affordable Energy’s” efforts.
“There’s so much noise and misinformation out there that we’ve been working hard to come up with creative ways to break through that and get the facts out,” said Karen Waters of 360 Strategies. “One of those is through the gas topper ads, which are at a handful of stations across the island.”
“This is an enormously important decision that will impact the families on Whidbey Island for generations to come,” Waters added. “We feel we have an obligation to those families to get them the information they need to make an informed decision.”
The anti-PUD campaign has also started a phone-bank operation to call voters directly to talk to them about the ballot measure.
Meanwhile, the group’s local support is revving up, she said.
Dave Metheny, campaign director for “People For Yes on Whidbey PUD,” said he was surprised by the choice of location, saying that creating a connection between gas prices and electricity was curious.
But he wasn’t surprised to see electricity and the oil industry coupled, both being driven by large profit margins.
“Well, I guess I would say electricity is going to be the next oil,” Metheny said. “Looking at the energy situation, oil companies take windfall profits just like our investor-held utility would like to do.”
Michaela Marx Wheatley can be reached at 221-5300 or mmarxwheatley@southwhidbeyrecord.com.
