Candidates (left to right): Jonathon Hill, Clara Pratt, Derrick Espadas
Diana Schwartz
On Jan. 10 candidates running for the Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC) in the November election presented their platforms.
The ACC is the Public Utilities Commission of the State of Arizona. The Commission has the responsibility of the regulation of public utilities, business incorporation, securities, and railroads/pipeline safety. The Commission has five members, and two seats are up for election this November.
Jonathon Hill, as a scientist and engineer, offers a distinct viewpoint to the Commission, whose other members primarily come from business backgrounds.
Clara Pratt built her career on public service and is a successful business owner and entrepreneur. She is a Navajo Nation member, raised in Lupton, Ariz., and grew up in a period when her family did not have access to utilities or running water.
Derrick Espadas is an accomplished business entrepreneur and educator based in Tucson. He has served as the mayor’s appointee to the Tucson Commission on Disability Issues.
Topics at the meeting included automatic rate increases, data centers’ energy demand, and water supply protection.