Arizona Corporation Commission

Catherine Ripley, Running for LD10 State House, Vows to Tackle Water, Healthcare & Environment

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AZ House Candidate Catherine slammed incumbent Clodfelter for his "harmful, hurtful and horrific" display of the Confederate flag.
AZ House Candidate Catherine slammed incumbent Clodfelter for his “harmful, hurtful and horrific” display of the Confederate flag.

Arizona state House candidate Catherine Ripley vowed to bring her military and diplomatic experience to the Legislature, focusing on the state’s looming water shortage, and promoting renewable energy.

A Democrat, she is in the crowded field running for AZ House in Legislative District 10 on the north and east sides of Tucson.

She spoke at the recent Democrats of Greater Tucson meeting, and said she would call on her 26 years’ of experience as a naval officer, including tours in anti-submarine warfare during the Cold War and at Special Operations Command fighting the war on terror.

She is also a former US diplomat, serving in embassies in Madagascar, Africa, and The Hague, where she worked on national security issues after the 9-11 attack.

“The state Legislature needs more people with a wider spectrum of background and education to make a difference in Phoenix, and to speak for people who can’t speak for themselves,” she said.

Opponent flaunts Confederate flag

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Preliminary Citizens Clean Elections Debate Schedule

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The Citizens Clean Elections Commission has announced its preliminary debate schedule. The schedule is subject to further change. Be sure to check back at the Citizens Clean Elections web site.

Legislature

Monday, June 11, 6:00 p.m.: LD 30 Clean Elections Debate at Glendale Civic Center – Glendale.

Tuesday, June 12, 6:00 p.m.: LD 24 Clean Elections Debate at Hampton Inn Biltmore – Phoenix.

Wednesday, June 13, 6:00 p.m.: LD 22 Clean Elections Debate at Hampton Inn – Surprise.

Thursday, June 14, 6:00 p.m.: LD 15 Clean Elections Debate at Hilton Garden Inn – Phoenix.

Friday, June 15, 6:00 p.m.: LD 20 Clean Elections Debate at Thunderbird School – Phoenix.

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(Update) SWAG List of Arizona State Candidates in 2018

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The candidates listed below managed to collect enough signatures to file to run with the Arizona Secretary of State as of the filing deadline of May 30, 2018.

There could be legal challenges filed to the petitions of some candidates. There could also be write-in candidates who may qualify for the primary ballot. The list also does not include independent candidates who may qualify for the general election ballot.

The GOP culture of corruption runs so deep in Arizona that several shameless GOP candidates who were disgraced are actually running for office again. Fired Department of Economic Security Director Tim Jeffries has filed to run for the state House. Rep. Don Shooter, who was expelled by his colleagues earlier this year for sexual harassment, is running to get his old Senate seat back. Former House Speaker David Gowan, who traveled the state on the public’s dime while running for Congress in 2016 and raised eyebrows with promotions, construction, and pay hikes while speaker, is running again for the state Senate. And Ken “Birther” Bennett, who as Secretary of State demanded proof of President Obama’s birth certificate for eligibility on the ballot in 2012, is running for governor against Doug Ducey, the ice cream man hired by Koch Industries to run their Southwest subsidiary formerly known as the state of Arizona, financing him with a record amount of “dark money” in 2014. These are just the highly publicized instances of corruption. If we start digging, we will find more.

You can make a $5 contribution to a  Citizens Clean Elections (CCE) candidate on the Arizona Secretary of State’s E-Qual page.

The primary election is Tuesday, August 28, 2018.

Arizona Legislature

District 1

Jo Craycraft (D) Senate (CCE)
Karen Fann (R) Senate
Ed Gogek (D) House (CCE)
Jan Manolis (D) House (CCE)
Noel Campbell (R) House
Jodi Rooney (R) House
David Stringer (R) House

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Candidate Kiana Sears Brings a Consumer-Focused Approach to the Arizona Corporation Commission

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Kiana Sears has eight years' experience as a consultant and analyst for the Corporation Commission.
Kiana Sears has eight years’ experience as a consultant and analyst for the Corporation Commission.

The Arizona Corporation Commission is the government entity that sets the rates and regulates the electric, gas, water, and energy industries. As a Democratic candidate for the Commission Kiana Sears states, “Without the element the Corporation Commission controls, one will not have a sustainable life.” Sears is running for the Corporation Commission because she “cares about the present and future of Arizona.

Running on the motto, “To whom much is given, much is required,” Sears, an experienced consultant at the Corporation Commission, is conducting a campaign based on honesty, integrity, and transparency that will put the welfare of people and small businesses first. If elected, her goals as a commissioner are as follows:

  • “Restore integrity so that the public understands what the Commission’s mission is, which is to serve the people and not corporations, monopolies, or special interests in a “clean” political fashion. In doing this, confidence and trust in the commission would be restored.
  • Serve the public by providing clean and safe water, modernizing our water and energy supply infrastructure, supplying abundant energy (with a strategic direction towards renewables like solar and wind), and lowering rates to benefit the people.

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GOP legislators preemptively nullify a ballot measure not even on the ballot yet

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The Clean Energy for a Healthy Arizona citizens initiative that is currently circulating in the state would amend the state constitution to require that half of all electricity generated by most utilities to come from renewable sources by 2030. Backers have until July 5 to get at least 225,953 valid signatures on petitions to put the issue to voters in November. The citizens initiative effort is funded by NextGen America, a political advocacy group set up by California billionaire Tom Steyer.

In a state which has a GOP corporation commission that was bought and paid for by “Kochtopus” dark money through its tentacle Pinnacle West, the parent company of Arizona Public Service, this is a threat to their continued dominance over Arizona. Arizona is the playground of far-right billionaires, not for left-wing billionaires, dontcha know.

So the “Kochtopus” got their Tea-Publican lickspittle lackeys in the Arizona legislature to preemptively nullify this ballot measure even before it has qualified for the ballot. This may be a first in Arizona for thwarting the will of the voters in service to their corporate masters. Bill to undermine possible renewable energy vote goes to governor:

Claiming they’re protecting Arizonans from a California billionaire, Republican lawmakers gave final approval Thursday to legislation to allow the state’s utilities to effectively ignore any new voter-mandated requirements for renewable energy.

On paper, HB 2005 does not forbid voters from considering the Clean Energy for Healthy Arizona amendment to the state constitution.

But this legislation, which Arizona Public Service admitted it helped craft, spells out that if the measure is approved, the maximum fine utilities could face for violating the provisions would be $5,000. And it could be as little as $100.

GOP lawmakers made it clear that the intent of HB 2005, which now goes to Gov. Doug Ducey, was to ensure that it would not matter if voters side with the initiative organizers.

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