Potential Petition Fraud
Petition gatherers in the Valley have been giving misleading information to Valley residents, according to two independent sources. On at least two separate occasions, a signature gatherer has approached Valley residents asking them to sign a petition “necessary to build a gas power plant”
In reality, the petition is for an MEA sponsored ballot initiative that seeks to repeal the Mat-Su Borough’s Power Plant Ordinance, which was created “as a response to residents' concerns about local electric cooperative Matanuska Electric Association's plans to build a coal-fired electric generator within the Mat-Su Valley.” (“Assembly Pushes Back vote on Power Ordinance,” Frontiersman, July 20, 2007).
The signature gatherers for this initiative are being paid $2 per signature by MEA.
In response to the growing number of reports about fraudulent signature gathering techniques, the MEA Ratepayers Alliance has placed a reporting link on its website. If you believe you have been a victim of Petition Fraud, or you have witnessed improper petition gathering, you are encouraged to submit your story. Alternately, you can call 746-1038 or write to ratepayer@mearatepayers.com
