Invites Ajo Improvement Company customers to join him in Ajo for May 21-22 Open Meeting

Phoenix — Arizona Corporation Commission Commissioner Andy Tobin announced Thursday he will attend the Arizona Corporation Commission's regular Open Meeting remotely on May 21 and 22, 2019. Commissioner Tobin will host a live video feed from Ajo through which residents can participate in the Arizona Corporation Commission's process directly and with more openness and transparency.

"I'm bringing the Commission to the people," said Commissioner Tobin.

On the agenda for the Corporation Commission’s May 21 and 22 Open Meeting is an application from Ajo Improvement Company to increase its monthly rates for its water, wastewater, and electric utility divisions. The Recommended Opinion and Order proposed by the Commission’s administrative law judge recommends a 189 percent increase to monthly utility bills over a 7-year period.

"Given the clear impact of decisions that come before the Commission, I believe improving transparency and the public’s participation should be a top priority, especially for rural communities, where participating directly can be financially and logistically challenging," said Tobin.

Commissioner Tobin notes that, under new direction implemented by Chairman Bob Burns in January 2019, the Commission now splits its Open Meeting process to separate the public participation portion from the voting portion of its meetings. This results in meetings where public comments are heard on the first day and votes are taken on the second day.

Commissioner Tobin opposes this approach saying dividing the Open Meetings in this way hurts, not helps, to improve transparency and has a disproportionate impact on rural and low-income working Arizonans. Commissioner Tobin maintains the format forces members of rural communities to choose between commuting to Phoenix on back-to-back days, finding a hotel to stay overnight, or picking the day they feel is more important to attend—whether it’s to give public comments or see how elected commissioners cast their votes.

Commissioner Tobin says that he will be present in Ajo for both days of the Open Meeting, so residents can participate directly in the public comment portion, as well as observe the rest of the two-day process, first-hand.

Customers of Ajo Improvement Company are encouraged to join Commissioner Tobin for the first day at the Ambulance Services Building, located at 1850 North Gila Bend Hwy, and for the second day at the Sonoran Desert Inn and Conference Center, located at 55 South Orilla Avenue. Open Meetings will begin promptly at 10 a.m.

Link to the Administrative Law Judge’s Recommend Opinion & Order: https://docket.images.azcc.gov/0000197191.pdf

Link to Commissioner Tobin’s Previous Comments on Two-Day Open Meetings: https://www.azcc.gov/divisions/administration/news/2019releases/2019-1-19-tobins-statement-on-2-day-format.asp

Link to Ajo Improvement Company Consolidated Rate Case Dockets: Docket No. WS-01025A-17-0363; Docket No. WS-01025A-17-0361; Docket No. E-01025A-17-0362

View the May 21-22 Open Meeting agenda at http://azcc.gov/calendar

About Commissioner Andy Tobin:

Commissioner Andy Tobin was first elected to the Arizona House of Representatives in 2006 and served as Speaker of the House from 2011 to 2014. His leadership within the State of Arizona includes his time as former Director of the Arizona Department of Weights and Measures, Director of the Arizona Department of Insurance, and Acting Director for the Arizona Department of Financial Services. Mr. Tobin also served as National President of the U.S. Jaycees Foundation. He was appointed by Governor Doug Ducey to fill a vacant seat on the Arizona Corporation Commission in 2015 and elected to serve a full term in 2016. During his time at the Commission, Commissioner Tobin has focused on getting broadband (internet) connections into rural Arizona schools, been instrumental in establishing the Water Emergency Team to proactively protect Arizona’s water supply, and introduced the Arizona Energy Modernization Plan, which calls for 80 percent of the state’s electricity generation to come from clean energy by 2050 and advocates for an end to devastating wildfires through the adoption of biomass related energy.

The Arizona Corporation Commission was established by the state’s constitution to regulate public utilities and business incorporation. The Corporation Commission is Arizona’s co-equal, fourth branch of government. The five Commissioners elected to the Corporation Commission oversee executive, legislative, and judicial proceedings on behalf of Arizonans when it comes to their water, electricity, telephone, and natural gas resources as well as the regulation of securities, pipeline, and railroad safety. To learn more about the Arizona Corporation Commission and its Commissioners, visit http://azcc.gov.   back...