As a longtime advocate for employers and a healthy Maine economy, the Pine Tree Power proposal frightens me. The idea of the government taking over any private company smacks of developing countries nationalizing their industries. It also smells like there’s more to this agenda.

What next? Imagine politicians taking over FedEx because a small group of people experienced late deliveries. Pretty soon, politicians would make it look like the post office. Do we really want our electricity driven by political agendas? No.

If this hostile attempt to take over Central Maine Power and Versant Power succeeds, Maine’s reputation as a place to do business will be seriously harmed. Our Public Utilities Commission already can effectively regulate the companies that distribute the electricity. With Pine Tree Politicized Power, all we would get is an electric company at public expense operated by some outside vendor.

Tony Payne
Yarmouth