Some people are urging us to turn all of our electricity over to the government to start a new electric utility company called Pine Tree Power. Behind the quaint name would be a utility run by politicians who will get to manage the power grid for the entire state.

I’m a Central Maine Power employee, and I know how much long-term planning goes into making sure our transmission and distribution system operates safely. It takes a lot of people with expertise and experience. Just as important, it takes teamwork.

Introducing politics into the mix would be a huge mistake. Look at what’s going on in our country, nobody agrees and nothing gets done. The same thing will happen with Pine Tree Power or any other entity headed up by politicians who get elected for their snappy campaign slogans, not because they’re qualified to do the job.

By the way, I’m also a CMP customer which means, like you, I’ll be forced to cover the incredibly expensive cost to acquire all the assets of our two utilities. That’ll be billions of dollars of debt and we’ll be liable for repaying it all. In return, Pine Tree Power supporters are promising lower electric bills. Take it from me, promises like that are naïve at best and downright deceptive at worst.

Vote “no” to keep Pine Tree Power and politicians away from our electricity.

Patrick Araujo

Vienna