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Boulder, Colo., municipalization effort gets big boost from voters Page I of 1 <br /> lluusix .Ain oinirc ].2017 <br /> Boulder, Colo., municipalization effort gets big boost from <br /> voters <br /> Boulder, Colo., voters gave a significant boost to efforts to form a municipal electric utility, voting by <br /> almost two-to-one for a City Council-backed ballot measure and against a competing debt-limit <br /> measure pushed by Xcel Energy. The city has been exploring the feasibility of municipalization for <br /> the past two years, with the goal of ensuring local control and access to reliable power that is <br /> increasingly clean and competitively priced. <br /> Ballot Question 2E, which was placed on the ballot by the Boulder City Council, amends the city <br /> charter to put a limit of$214 million on the amount of debt Boulder could issue to acquire Xcel's <br /> distribution system (and to pay any stranded costs to Xcel). <br /> Ballot Question 310,backed by Xcel Energy, would have required the city,before it could issue any <br /> debt to form a municipal utility, to receive approval from voters. If the proposed utility service area <br /> extended beyond city limits, Question 310 would have required that affected residents in <br /> unincorporated Boulder County be allowed to vote in the debt limit election. The initiative also <br /> stipulated that such an election could be held only in an odd-numbered year. Xcel spent some <br /> $700,000 on a campaign to support its ballot question. <br /> In late July, the Boulder City Council voted to begin condemnation proceedings to acquire the local <br /> electricity distribution system from Xcel. In August, the council affirmed that decision, voting again <br /> to move forward with efforts to buy Xcel's poles, wires and other facilities. Last month, an <br /> independent consultant, PowerServices, Inc., affirmed its earlier conclusion that Boulder is likely to <br /> be able to offer rate parity with Xcel at the outset and over a 20-year period. PowerServices said the <br /> city's findings were "sound and thorough." <br /> More information is available in the energy section of the city's website. ROBERT VARELA <br /> 85 <br /> http://www.naylometwork.com/app-ppd/articles/print-V2.asp?aid=241171 11/7/2013 <br />