CUB Celebrates 30 Years of Consumer Advocacy and Education
Posted on January 14, 2014 by Karen Jaffe
Tags, CUB Anniversary: 30 Years and Counting, History of CUB and General CUB News
On November 6, 1984 a scrappy band of grassroots campaigners, outspent 40:1, met on election night at the 24 Hour Hotcake House on Powell Boulevard in SE Portland. The campaigners had no access to 24-hour news or vote tally updates on the internet. They had to wait until morning to find out that against all odds, and against all that money, Ballot Measure #3 had passed. Oregon voters had created a brand new consumer advocacy organization called the Citizens’ Utility Board of Oregon. CUB was alive!
CUB is still going strong despite its first funding source - inserts in utility bills – being overturned by the Oregon Supreme Court in 1986 based on a precedent in a California case. Instead, CUB ‘s membership grew through door to door canvassing, direct mail, telephone solicitations, outreach from friend to friend, and our newsletters. Our members have kept CUB going financially with steady donations from $5 to $1500. They’ve kept us updated about new utility problems they are facing and have helped us to fulfill our mission to protect ratepayers by bringing those problems to our attention. They’ve reached out to their legislators to defeat bad bills and get strong bills passed. They’ve entrusted us with their bequests to continue our work. They’ve perked up the staff with notes, poems, and drawings of thanks and encouragement. And now we hope that our Portland members will encourage us further by responding to the new inserts in their City of Portland Water and Sewer bills. Who would have thought we would one day return to inserts for donations to support our work, but as of Wednesday, January 8, 2014, CUB is now the City of Portland Water and Sewer Residential Rate Payer Advocate with access to communicate directly with ratepayers!
Here at CUB, we strive every day to live up to your expectations, and your desire for us to take on more issues with more utilities. Our work over the last three decades has demonstrated that: to date we’ve saved ratepayers $5.8 billion. We’ve changed the way Oregon utilities do business, and we have worked to keep rates low and investment decisions rational. CUB understands the need for reliable power, at affordable prices, while maintaining environmental consciousness in Oregon. Climate change is real; all our utilities must deal with it and so must CUB. The next 30 years will certainly be as busy as the last 30 years. With your help, CUB will continue to fight for Oregon’s gas and electric rate payers, its telecommunications customers, and the City of Portland’s Water and Sewer customers. Together, we can make big changes!
Over the next year we’ll be spotlighting all the Barely Noticeable things CUB has worked on, both new and old. From CUB’s battles over the closure of the Trojan nuclear plant, to the closure of Boardman and evaluation of other coal plants in the region; from creating a public purpose fund for energy efficiency investments and low income energy assistance, to the development of electric vehicles infrastructure and outreach done by our AmeriCorps members; from telecommunications pricing plans and mergers, to CUB Connects’ success, we have a lot to celebrate. And we hope you will join us in our year of celebration!
Stay tuned to our blog throughout 2014 for more history of 30 Years of CUB, and for ongoing news as we continue to work for you!
If you’d like to be part of the future of CUB, follow this link to become a member today!
To keep up with CUB, like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter!
04/05/17 | 0 Comments | CUB Celebrates 30 Years of Consumer Advocacy and Education