Power-plant opponents dispute CU claims

Ratepayers for Affordable Utilities will distribute documents at a 1:30 p.m. press conference today at Harry Cooper Supply Co., 536 N. Sherman Parkway.

The meeting will “highlight misrepresentations in the current campaign materials published by proponents of the Southwest 2 project. Copies of reports, communications and lists of expenditures will be available to verify concerns that voters are not getting all the facts from City Utilities,” according to a news release from the group.

The group opposes the bond issue on the June 6 ballot that would fund a 300-megawatt power plant in Springfield.

Springfield Business Journal’s online poll finds that 74 percent of readers are in favor of building the second power plant. The poll has been posted for five days. Click here to vote in SBJ’s online poll.

Meanwhile, the Vote Yes for Local Power Supply Committee has had some luck garnering support for the power plant.

The proponent group of businesses on Tuesday issued results of a phone survey of 402 likely voters conducted May 13–18.

More than half – 51 percent – of those voters said they would vote yes if the election were held today. Another 29 percent said they would vote no, while the remaining 20 percent was undecided.

Voters turned down a similar power plant proposal in August 2004.