By The Arizona Republic Editorial Board
(Editor’s note: Opinion pieces are published for discussions purposes only.)
It is no longer in voters’ best interests to elect the people who set their electric rates.
Just as Arizona heads into a powerful electrical storm over its energy production, serious questions swirl about how independent an elected Arizona Corporation Commission can be when Arizona Public Service powerfully seeks to influence its members’ political futures. It is less clear these days who is regulating whom.
The solution: Arizona needs to join the 36 states that appoint their utility commissions, emphasizing expertise over electoral prowess.