Other MuniA utility that would be owned by the city of Boulder. Shorthand for municipalization, which is the p... 101 stories:
Basics and background
Costs
Control
Renewables
Trust
Timelines
Glossary
Xcel, Boulder settlement: What’s in it?

Arguments for the muni / against the settlement

This is just a quick list; each argument is explained in more detail further down

Renewables: Boulder can get more renewable energy, more quickly than XcelXcel Energy, a publicly traded utility company based in Minnesota. by buying from other suppliers and from local production

Cost: Boulder can provide electricity for the same or lower cost than Xcel, and the money will stay in the community rather than going to a corporate entity beholden to shareholders

Control: Boulder deserves a greater say in where/from whom it gets its energy and how the grid is planned and built. Residents would have more input on these things under a city-run utility.

Trust: Xcel cannot be trusted to stick to renewables and other concessions if they affect profitability, and has a history of passing along the costs of questionable decisions  and investments to ratepayers

Arguments against the muni / for the settlement

This is just a quick list; each argument is explored in greater detail further down

Renewables: Xcel has now set a goal of 80% emissions reduction by 2030, which gets Boulder very close to its own target, and carbon-free electricity by 2050

Cost: Buying Xcel’s system could cost hundreds of millions of dollars, which is too much debt for Boulder to carry and still provide electricity affordably

Control: A city-owned utility comes with considerable liability that would be ultimately born by the taxpayers. Some residents and groups doubt that Boulder can provide system reliability as well as Xcel. The settlement allows Boulder to have a greater say in decision-making

Trust: Boulder has continually under-estimated the cost, time and complexity involved in establishing a municipal utility.

Who is arguing against the muni / for a settlement with Xcel?

IBM, Governor Jared Polis, Colorado Energy Office, Colorado Department of Health and Environment (None of these organizations have formed formal elections issues groups but all have expressed support in various forms.)

The Committee for Boulder’s Great Green Deal is campaigning for approval of the franchiseA legal agreement between a power provider and customer (in this case, Xcel and Boulder) governing t.../settlement agreements and extension of the UOTUtility Occupation Tax. The first part was initially passed in 2010 by voters, to replace the Xcel f.... The group is led by former Boulder Mayor Leslie Durgin and former city council member Andy Schultheiss, who was also chair of Open Boulder for three years.A statement of contributions and expenditures has not yet been filed; this article will be updated with that information.

Who is arguing for the muni / against a settlement with Xcel? 

Empower our Future, a group of local pro-muni residents that includes former city council members and backed by a number of organizations, including Eco-Cycle, New Era Colorado, PLAN-Boulder County and the local Sierra Club chapter.

Some of Empower’s organizers also formed an official issue committee, No on 2C for Local Power. A statement of contributions and expenditures has not yet been filed; this article will be updated with that information.

Where does council stand?

Bob Yates: The only council member who has been openly critical of the muni. He has consistently voted against efforts and was involved in bringing Xcel and Boulder back to to the negotiating tablePostponement of a motion, or a vote this year. In 2017, he voted in the minority to put a settlement to voters; that motionFormal proposal calling for a vote failed. Voted to place the current settlement on the ballot.

Mayor Sam Weaver: Ardent supporter of the muni. Prior to election to city council, he served on resident groups who studied aspects of municipalization. He also works in renewable energy and owns Cool Energy, which develops and manufactures engines that convert waste heat into energy. Voted against putting a 2017 settlement to voters. Voted to put the current settlement on the ballot.

Mary Young: Has consistently voted for the muni. Voted against putting a 2017 settlement to voters. Voted to put the current settlement on the ballot.

Mirabai Nagle: Has voted for every muni measure thus far. Voted to put the current settlement on the ballot.

Aaron Brockett: Has consistently voted for the muni as the “only path” to 100% renewable energy — he voted against putting the 2017 settlement to voters — but has shown himself more willing to draw lines than other pro-muni council members.

For example, in 2016 he voted against forcibly annexing Boulder businesses to better position the muni over the objections of owners. (Yates joined in the dissent, while Weaver and Young supported the move.)

Voted to put the current settlement on the ballot.

Adam Swetlik: “Firmly” pro-muni; has said the effort is “worth every penny.” Voted against putting the current settlement on the ballot.

Junie Joseph: Is “definitely” pro-muni, mostly for the value of putting an essential utility into the hands of the people. Voted against putting the current settlement on the ballot.

Mark Wallach: Wrote an op-ed opposing the muni before he was elected to council, but during campaigning, switched to a position of support and made it a tenet of his platform. He attributed the change to learning how “fossil-fuel dependent” Colorado was. Voted to put the current settlement on the ballot.

Rachel Friend: Categorizes herself as a tentative supporter, saying she’d need to see the numbers before deciding. But has also made statements indicating she thinks taxpayer money would be better spent on other climate initiatives. Voted to put the current settlement on the ballot.

— Shay Castle, boulderbeatnews@gmail.com, @shayshinecastle

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