PUD residential rates subsidized? Yeah, right

Terry Brewer and Patti Paris think residential and irrigators’ power rates are subsidized. By whom, the data centers? The residents and farmers of this county built Wanapum and Priest Rapids dams 60 years ago at the cost of $100 million each and put in all the infrastructure to run power to everybody in the county. Who is subsidizing whom?

The data centers came in and gobbled up a lot of our cheap power. They have only been here maybe 10 years and they think they’re subsidizing us? Come on. The data centers have negotiated with the current commissioners for lower rates. They pay 2.9 cents, with Microsoft reportedly getting a better deal of 1.9 cents while residents pay a subsidized rate of 5.4 cents. Who is subsidizing whom?

They also claim it is to get a better bond rating. That’s a lie. Chelan County PUD just cut its debt in half and has a better bond rating than Grant County PUD. Our current commissioners have doubled our debt from $600 million to $1.3 billion in the last ten years. Who is subsidizing whom?

The debt of $1.3 billion is equal to $26,000 per meter. As residents and farmers we are stuck with the debt no matter what. Let’s vote for a change this election. Vote for candidates that want to pay down the debt. Let’s vote to put the public back into the PUD.

Vote Judy Wilson District 1 and Nelson Cox B-at large.

Ryan Van Dyke

Quincy