UPDATED W/DEBATE VIDEO!: Want Clean Energy? Vote for Democrats for the Arizona Corporate Commission

UPDATE 9/4/24 Editor, MDB: I have added the recent debate between the Dem and MAGA slates of candidates.

This article appeared in the LD17 Newsletter published by our friends in LD17 Democrats.

Have you ever seen a picture of our planet from space? What about the Grand Canyon from your airplane window? We live in a beautiful planet filled with miracles. And yet, human acts of negligence are causing great stress to the environment and life on Earth.  What can I do, you ask? How can one person really make a difference?

This election, your vote to change representation on the Arizona Corporate Commission (ACC) has the potential to make a huge, collective difference. The ACC has a great deal of regulatory power:

• Setting and enforcing just and reasonable utility rates for our state
• Shaping and protecting power, water, waste, pipelines and railroad systems
• Regulating and overseeing corporations, LLCs, and securities.

That’s a lot of responsibility for the five ACC members. Currently, there are four Republicans and one Democrat. The four Republicans have consistently rejected calls to move to clean energy and have supported year-over-year rate increases (10% in 2023 and 8% in 2024). Three positions are open this election, and three Democrats and three Republicans are on the ballot, competing for those open positions. What are the differences?

Democrats

Democratic candidates Ylena Aguilar, Jonathon Hill, and Joshua Polacheck want to make that happen by moving Arizona toward a more sustainable, energy-efficient model. Your vote, all the way down the ballot, will make a difference, proving our commitment to our home and our planet.

NOTE: The candidates vying for three seats on the Arizona Corporation Commission will debate on Tuesday, September 3, at 6:00 p.m. on your local PBS station or AZPM radio.

• Future-centric approach to alternative energy solutions
• Innovative approaches to water management
• Respect for nature and the beauty of our state
• Ready to work toward a carbon-free future to ensure transparency in all actions

Republicans

• Continued reliance on fossil fuels, including coal
• Increased utility rates to support and expand the carbon-based infrastructure
• Consistent votes against clean energy policies and requirements
• Modifying efficiency standards to scale back payments to people who sell excess solar power to utility companies.

State and local elections make a difference. They are the very foundation of society. The ACC has the potential to steer our state toward a different future, using innovation and a thoughtful approach to better manage our resources.

For more info:

Joshua Polacheck: https://www.joshuaforarizona.com/

Ylena Aguilar: https://www.aguilarforarizona.com/

Jonathon HIll: https://www.votehillaz.com/