The Dealmaker: 5/15/2017

Tucson Electric Power proposes higher charges, fewer credits for future solar customers; ‘Aggressively anti-consumer,’ says Court Rich, Rose Law Group senior partner and director of Renewable Energy Department. “Tucson Electric Power Co. has proposed a new rate structure for future customers with rooftop solar that would cut credits for excess solar production and mandate time-of-use rates with new monthly charges.” — Arizona Daily Star. Court Rich: “Solar customers are investing their own money to do something that benefits everybody, so it doesn’t make sense to go out of our way to charge them exorbitant fees.” http://bit.ly/2qkUqwL

Arizona ranked No. 9 in Chief Executive’s best states for business. Up “three places from a year ago,” according to “Chief Executive magazine’s 13th annual Best & Worst States for Business survey…” See where the state ranks in such “key categories” as “Living Environment,” “Taxes and Regulation,” “Workforce quality,” plus access the link to the full report — at AZBIGMEDIA. http://bit.ly/2pO4Faa

Pinal economic director needs kidney transplant. “Economic Development Manager Tim Kanavel was honored by his peers this month, [becoming] the first-ever two-time recipient of the Economic Development Distinguished by Excellence Award for Economic Developer of the Year, Small Community.” But as Pinal Central points out, Tim’s “biggest accomplishment may be that he did his job well while also waiting for a kidney transplant.” Tim Kanavel explains: “I had a double transplant in 2009 of the kidney and pancreas… The transplanted kidney has failed and I am on the list awaiting a new one.” We send out our well-wishes to Tim. http://bit.ly/2rjblhv

U.S. Supreme Court urged to uphold Arizona’s drivers license policy. Fourteen states have filed an “amicus brief… to overturn the 9th Circuit’s rulings on DACA [and] uphold Arizona’s right to deny driver’s licenses to undocumented illegal aliens.” Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge: “[T]he 9th Circuit, in its effort to legislate what it wants Congress to do, is forcing the State of Arizona to issue driver’s licenses to unlawful aliens.” Arizona Daily Independent. http://bit.ly/2r9oL2m

2017 Legislature: What happened, what didn’t — a wrap up. “The just-completed 122-day legislative session was different than those in recent years in one significant way…. [T]here was actually a bit of cash available.” Education, Transportation, Law and Order, Politics, Health and Welfare, Economic Development — see where most of that money went — and which areas “came up short” — in this report from Capitol Media Services’ Howard Fischer at Pinal Central. http://bit.ly/2rjl1sc

Saturday Night Live goes wild on Trump. “Guest host Melissa McCarthy offered a strong reminder that her guest spots as Sean Spicer have been the best thing about ‘Saturday Night Live’ this season.” AZCentral has the recap which includes full-length videos of the McCarthy/Spicer sketch along with the cold-opener with Alec Baldwin as President Trump in an interview with NBC ‘Nightly News’ anchor Lester Holt. http://bit.ly/2qouoqx