Kitsap County voters were turning down Proposition 1 in Tuesday’s election-day returns, a measure that would have authorized the Kitsap Public Utility District to pursue its own electric service and potentially sever ties with Puget Sound Energy. Ballots will continue to be counted in the coming days, as reported by The Seattle Times.
The measure would have given KPUD the authority to buy or build infrastructure for publicly owned power, though commissioners placed it on the ballot in July after citing residents’ concerns about high PSE bills, according to the Seattle Times report. Per the Kitsap Public Utility District, approval would not by itself determine whether the district actually provides electric service or how such service might be developed. Under Washington law, a public utility district without electric service must first win a general-election vote in an even-numbered year before it can construct or acquire electric infrastructure, the Seattle Times noted.
What Proposition 1 Would Have Triggered Next
Had voters approved it, KPUD estimated the feasibility study examining whether public rates could be cheaper would cost between $300,000 and $500,000, funded from the district’s existing budget rather than new taxes, the utility district said on its FAQ page. The Seattle Times, citing KPUD, put the figure somewhat higher, at $300,000 to $600,000 to hire a consultant. KPUD said it would not begin a competitive process to select a firm for the study unless voters approved the measure, and that no power source had been chosen in advance — a feasibility study would evaluate potential supply options, including power available from the Bonneville Power Administration.
KPUD already provides water, sewer and telecommunications service in the county, but not electricity. Puget Sound Energy currently serves around 130,000 customers in Kitsap County, according to the Seattle Times. Supporters framed Proposition 1 as merely a first step toward exploring a public alternative to PSE, the paper reported, while PSE characterized the measure as rushed and uncertain.
A Lopsided Campaign Fight
The spending gap between the two sides of the campaign was stark. The Seattle Times reported that PSE spent $2.4 million opposing Proposition 1, a figure also cited by the Kitsap Sun, which attributed the number to Seattle Times reporting. KUOW offered a slightly different figure, reporting that PSE investors had poured nearly $2.5 million into the no campaign. By contrast, supporters of the measure spent around $7,000, the Seattle Times reported — spending so disproportionate that, per the paper, PSE’s opposition effort ranked among the most expensive local ballot-measure campaigns in Washington over the past two decades…