You may have recently seen ads — on social media, television, even your front door — from the “Responsible Energy Coalition,” attacking an Ann Arbor proposal to transform electricity distribution in the city.
But don’t be fooled. These ads come from a front group for DTE, spending an unprecedented amount of political money to ward off a ballot proposal that would move the City further along in the development of a municipal utility.
According to campaign finance filings, DTE has already invested $1.8 million in the ballot committee, even though the citizens’ initiative hasn’t even qualified for the ballot. Just to put that in perspective, less than $200,000 was spent on ALL municipal elections combined in Ann Arbor in 2022.
There are good arguments for and against the municipal utility proposal, but consider the source. DTE has a long track record of spending ratepayer money to influence elections. In Lansing, DTE is one of the state’s largest political donors, contributing to virtually every legislator. In Ann Arbor, DTE is spending profits from the electric bills paid by city residents and businesses to lobby them against a ballot proposal.
That’s right. That’s a monopoly utility, using our own money against us. There should be a law.
As it turns out, 23 states have just such a law. They prohibit regulated utilities from donating money to political campaigns. A grassroots coalition has collected signatures to put a similar proposal on Michigan’s November ballot, and submitted them on May 27 to state officials for verification.
As for the Ann Arbor ballot initiative, please form your own opinion about it and find responsible sources of information on the topic. Just know that the Responsible Energy Coalition is not one of them.