Long-time local residents Steve Johnson and Jane Lindley explain
in this 28-minute podcast what their nonprofit “Island Power”
considers to be four key advantages of replacing PSE with a local
public electric utility for Bainbridge: cleaner power;
community economic benefit; local control over decisions and
rates; and potential broadband internet service.
Jane Lindley, a retired software company manager, explains that
she discovered the problem of dirty coal-fueled electric power when
she considered purchasing an electric car to take a stand against
climate change. She points out that a local public utility could
replace PSE’s coal-fired power for Bainbridge and obtain clean
power, mostly from hydroelectric and other renewable sources.
Steve Johnson recently retired from more than 20 years as
executive director of an association of public utilities throughout
Washington State. He explains that his knowledge of the advantages
of public utilities, compared to private corporate utilities like
PSE, came from years of experiencing the public utilities’
reliability, high customer service scores, favorable rates, and
accountability to their local voters.
This podcast also announced an open public information event on
public power and broadband on Saturday April 2nd at 10am at
Waterfront Park Community Center. The open public meeting
focused on ways that a public electric utility on Bainbridge might
help to get public high-speed broadband internet service for our
neighborhoods, in place of Comcast or CenturyLink. Guest speakers
from around the state provided their expertise and
experience offering public broadband internet.
BCB interview questioner Barry Peters discloses on
this podcast that he is a steering committee member of the Island
Power nonprofit that is urging the City to submit the public power
question to island voters this November, and that he will be a
moderator of the April 2nd information meeting.
Credits: BCB host, editor and publisher: Barry Peters. Note: The
recording has been edited for clarity, brevity and ease of
listening.