Former legislator files complaint against CU

Mike Schilling mailed an ethics complaint Wednesday, claiming CU has attempted to persuade voters in its campaign for a bond issue that would fund a second coal-fired power plant. That issue will be on the June 6 ballot.

Schilling alleges CU is breaking state law by spending money on an advocacy Web site and a printed brochure mailed to customers in their utility bills. CU officials have said $9,500 were spent on flyers and a Web site, www.springfieldelectricityfacts.com.

“The Web site and brochure are labeled ‘check the facts,’ but in language, tone, direction and nuance, they are clearly of an advocacy nature,” Schilling said in a statement. “Any person of reasonable intelligence would interpret them that way.”

The commission’s statute states that public entities cannot spend public dollars to support or oppose a ballot measure.

In his complaint, Schilling asks the commission to order CU to remove the Web site and stop mailing the brochure.

CU spokesperson Mark Viguet declined to comment on the complaint but released a statement from the company’s general counsel Andy Dalton.

“We are well aware of the statutory provision that prohibits the expenditure of public funds to advocate, support or oppose any ballot measure,” Dalton says in the statement. “We believe the Web site and brochure are allowed by the statute. … We believe the statements of fact clearly indicate a ‘yes’ vote, but the statements remain statements of fact only made to educate the public.”

The commission must make a ruling within 90 days of receiving the complaint. A spokesperson from the commission could not say whether Schilling’s complaint had been received.[[In-content Ad]]