My name is Elena Evans and I am running as an independent candidate for the Public Service Commission because we cannot afford the increase in our energy bills.

I am not a Democrat. I am not a Republican. I am a working mother of two and I am tired of politicians refusing to stand up for the taxpayers of Montana.

There is no other way to say it, our current Public Service Commission is a mess. The mission of the commission is to provide “affordable, reliable and sustainable” public services.

But right now, all five elected commissioners are ignoring this responsibility, and working families and small businesses are paying the price for their mistakes.

Three years ago, a routine legislative investigation found that public service commissioners were spending taxpayer money on aircraft upgrades and expensive computer equipment.

The audit found that some commissioners even falsified documents to avoid being caught wasting our money. The audit was so bad that one Republican senator called commissioners “despicable” and another suggested that some commissioners should resign.

This year, a new audit revealed even more problems, including a toxic work environment and high staff turnover. To address these issues, the audit suggested that directors needed a code of conduct to ensure good behavior.

Let’s get this straight. We pay each elected commissioner $115,000 a year to regulate Northwestern and other utilities. But instead of doing their well-paid jobs, they spend our tax dollars on flight upgrades, cheat spending, and vote to raise our energy bills by 28 percent.

These commissioners don’t need a code of conduct. They need to be voted out of office.

The toxic work environment means there is a high turnover of staff for those who inspect rail lines. Our communities rely on these PSC employees to ensure that essential infrastructure is in place to keep our communities safe and trains arriving at their destinations on time. PSC commissioners have prevented PSC employees from doing their jobs.

As a lifelong public servant, I have always emphasized professional conduct, honesty and transparency. I am a trained geologist, a water quality expert and the former director of the Montana Association of Conservation Districts. I know how to make a budget and stick to it. I always read the fine print.

Earlier this spring, 158 volunteers from Stevensville to Libby helped gather and submit more than 6,000 signatures to put a new independent choice on the ballot. The desire for change in the PSC is clear.

If you would like to join the campaign to restore the public’s voice to the Public Service Commission, visit ElenaForMontana.com.

And if you live in PSC District 4, I would be honored to have your vote this November.