Toole is best candidate for PSC
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Editor,
Claims by Republican challenger Bill Gallagher that incumbent Ken Toole, his opponent for the Public Service Commission, has a conflict of interest because Toole has mutual fund investments in companies that are regulated by the PSC are ludicrous.
Any individual who has a retirement fund that invests in mutual funds knows the investment companies, not the individual, makes the decisions as to where funds are invested. Such statements by Gallagher are nothing but a ploy to detract from the fact that he (Gallagher) is a partial owner of a water supply company whose activities are regulated to some extent by the PSC.
As it turns out Mr. Gallagher himself invests in some of the same companies he accuses Ken Toole of investing in.
As a congressman, Ken Toole was one of the few individuals who warned fellow legislators that the proposed deregulation of energy in Montana by the Roscoe administration could lead to the break up of Montana Power and a big increase in utility rates – and he was right on both accounts. Mr. Toole has worked tirelessly with consumer groups, small electrical cooperatives, and big energy players to bring a fair and impartial balance to rate increases as his voting record on the PSC shows.
His opponent has none of that experience or background. In fact, Mr. Gallagher cannot give a single example where he stood up in a public forum and advocated for the non-business consumer on an activity that PSC oversees.
And isn’t it interesting that when you stand up for the consumer as Ken Toole has, your opponent then labels you as “anti-business” or a “tool of radical environmentalists.” That’s like me labeling Mr. Gallagher a “radical business greed-monger” because he’s a lawyer with business interests.
Every taxpaying citizen in Montana is affected by activities of the Public Service Commission. It is important to have a representative who is knows the issues and has a proven record of impartiality in their decisions. Ken Toole is that person. He is deservedly the consumer’s choice for the Montana Public Service Commission.
Kirwin Werner
Ronan
