by Peg Brownlee, Florence
Your Montana Public Service Commission needs and deserves Elena Evans.
Right now, this 5-person elected commission is in a mess. They’ve been charged with inappropriate spending, such as airline upgrades and expensive computers. But first and foremost, they have not done their job in protecting Montana consumers in the rates we are charged by utility companies. They have recently allowed a huge rate increase by Northwest Energy — 28%, and now they are asking the PSC for more. Northwest has not provided the paperwork proof to justify the increase requests. The PSC has been admonished and told to be more accountable and to have more transparency, but these things have not happened.
Elena is a geologist, a grassroots conservationist and is Mom to a young family. She is educated and forthright, and cares about Montanans. She will bring fresh perspective and honesty to the PSC.
Her opponent, Jennifer Fielder, is in charge of the current mess at the PSC. You may recall that she has ties to white supremacists, and is CEO of the Utah-based American Lands Council, which is dedicated to transferring and privatizing public lands.
The choice is obvious. Please vote Elena Evans for Public Service Commission, and begin the fix that the PSC needs – namely, different members. Or go ahead and thank Jennifer Fielder and her cohorts when you open your next energy bill.