Protecting Ratepayers

One of the most important roles of a Corporation Commissioner is to look out for the interests of ratepayers and consumers. This happens on a number of different fronts, but nowhere is it more evident than in the dozens of rate cases that come before us every year. In these cases, a utility, such as Arizona Public Service or Tucson Electric Power – will come before the ACC seeking a rate increase. The Constitution requires that we balance the interests of the utility and the ratepayer; indeed, the ACC is required under the Constitution to allow a utility to earn a fair rate of return on its investment. But courts have also said that great care must be taken to protect the state’s consumers in these rate cases. In this day and age, when so many Arizonans are living on fixed incomes and when so many are working harder and harder for a living, I am committed to ensuring that consumers and ratepayers get a fair deal at the Commission. Fighting for ratepayers is no less important than protecting taxpayers.