Republicans Rodney Glassman and Justin Olson face off against Democrats Sandra Kennedy and Kiana Maria Sears in November’s general election as they vie to gain the two available seats on the Arizona Corporation Commission. The four candidates debate for an hour about commission issues such as utility regulation on Arizona Horizon. This debate is sponsored by the Citizens Clean Elections Commission.
All Arizona PBS 2018 debates are available here.
TED: GOOD EVENING, AND WELCOME TO THIS SPECIAL "ELECTION 2018" EDITION OF "ARIZONA HORIZON". I'M TED SIMONS. TONIGHT'S SHOW IS A DEBATE SPONSORED BY THE ARIZONA CLEAN ELECTIONS COMMISSION. WE WILL HEAR FROM THE FOUR CANDIDATES RUNNING FOR THE TWO SEATS ON THE ARIZONA CORPORATION COMMISSION, AS WITH ALL OF "ARIZONA HORIZON"'S DEBATES, IT'S NOT A FORMAL EXERCISE, IT'S AN OPEN EXCHANGE OF IDEAS BETWEEN CANDIDATES RUNNING FOR AN IMPORTANT STATE OFFICE. AS SUCH, INTERJECTIONS, INTERRUPTIONS ARE ALLOWED PROVIDED ALL SIDES GET A FAIR SHAKE AND WE WILL DO OUR BEST TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT HAPPENS. ARIZONA CORPORATION COMMISSION IS BEST KNOWN FOR REGULATING UTILITIES BUT COMMISSIONERS ARE CHARGED WITH A NUMBER OF DUTIES AND HAVE EXECUTIVE, LEGISLATIVE AND JUDICIAL POWERS. JOINING US FOR TONIGHT'S DEBATE IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER, REPUBLICAN RODNEY GLASSMAN, FORMER TUCSON COUNCIL MEMBER.DEMOCRAT SANDRA KENNEDY, FORMER CORPORATION COMMISSIONER AND STATE LAWMAKER. REPUBLICAN JUSTIN OLSON WHO CURRENTLY SITS ON THE COMISSION AND IS A FORMER STATE LAWMAKER. AND DEMOCRAT KIANA MARIA SEARS FOR THE CORPORATION COMMISSION AND THE STATE LEGISLATURE. EACH CANDIDATE WILL GIVE A ONE-MINUTE OPENING STATEMENT AND WE GO IN ORDER OF RANDOM SELECTION, CLOSING STATEMENTS WILL BE GIVEN IN REVERSE ORDER AT THE END OF THE DEBATE. WE BEGIN TONIGHT WITH SANDRA KENNEDY.
SANDRA KENNEDY: GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS SANDRA KENNEDY. I'M A WIFE, I'M A MOTHER, AND I AM SOON TO BE A GRANDMOTHER. I'M A FORMER LEGISLATOR OF 12 YEARS, SIX YEARS IN THE HOUSE, SIX YEARS IN THE SENATE. ONE FOUR-YEAR TERM ON THE PHOENIX UNION HIGH SCHOOL GOVERNING BOARD AND A FORMER MEMBER OF THE ARIZONA CORPORATION COMMISSION. I HAVE DUBBED IT THE ARIZONA CORRUPTION COMMISSION. IT IS TIME TO CHANGE IT, RETURN IT TO THE RIGHTFUL OWNERS, THE PEOPLE OF THIS STATE, THE CONSUMERS OF THIS STATE. I AM READY TO ROLL UP MY SLEEVES TO GET THE JOB DONE. I AM READY AND I THANK THE CLEAN ELECTIONS COMMISSION AND CHANNEL 8 "HORIZON" TONIGHT FOR ALLOWING US TO COME AND I LOOK FORWARD TO A HEALTHY DEBATE.
TED: ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, AND NOW KIANA MARIA SEARS WITH HER OPENING STATEMENT.
KIANA MARIA SEARS: GOOD AFTERNOON. I'M KIANA MARIA SEARS, AND IT'S A PLEASURE TO BE HERE AND THANK YOU FOR TUNING IN. I'M RUNNING FOR THE ARIZONA CORPORATION COMMISSION BECAUSE IT'S TIME THAT WE ELECT SOMEONE WHO WILL STAND UP AND FIGHT FOR THE RATEPAYERS OF ARIZONA. THE CORPORATION COMMISSION WAS DESIGNED TO PROTECT US, THE RATEPAYERS OF ARIZONA. IT IS IMPORTANT TO ME THAT WE GO FORWARD TOWARD THE FUTURE. I AM THAT BREATH OF FRESH AIR HERE IN ARIZONA BECAUSE IT'S TIME WE GO FORWARD WITH RENEWABLES, DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN TO ENSURE CLEAN AIR HERE IN ARIZONA. CLEAN WATER, AND MOST OF ALL, CLEAN POLITICS.
TED: ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND NEXT WE TURN TO RODNEY GLASSMAN.
RODNEY GLASSMAN: GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS RODNEY GLASSMAN, I'M AN EAGLE SCOUT, HUSBAND, FATHER, PRACTICING ATTORNEY. I HOLD MY Ph.D. IN AIR AND LAND RESOURCES SCIENCES WHICH HIS WATER FROM THE UNIVERISTY OF ARIZONA AND I’M PROUD TO SERVE AS UNITED STATES JAG CORPS RESERVE AND ONE OF TWO REPUBLICAN NOMINEES FOR THE CORPORATION COMMISSION. I'M RUNG FOR THE COMMISSION FOR THREE REASONS, FIRST AND FOREMOST BECAUSE WE NEED TO RESTORE INTEGRITY TO THE COMMISSION, AND I PUT FORWARD THE PROPOSAL, THE ADOPTION OF THE ARIZONA CODE OF JUDICIAL CONDUCT WHICH WOULD RESTORE INTEGRITY AT THE COMMISSION. SECONDLY, I'M RUNNING BECAUSE I HAVE A STRONG BACKGROUND ACADEMICALLY AND POLICYWISE IN WATER, WITH THE RETIREMENT OF SENATOR JON KYL, ARIZONA NEEDS A STATEWIDE ELECTED OFFICIAL WHO’S KNOWLEDGEABLE ON WATER. AND LASTLY, I'VE A TRACK RECORD OF SERVICE BAR NONE AND I'D LIKE TO REPRESENT YOU, THE ARIZONA RATEPAYER.
TED: THANK YOU VERY MUCH, AND JUSTIN OLSON FOR FINAL OPENING STATEMENT.
JUSTIN OLSON: MY NAME IS JUSTIN OLSON, A NATIVE OF ARIZONA, HUSBAND AND FATHER. AN MBA IN FINANCE AND YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR. I'VE GOT A PROVEN RECORD OF BEING A STRONG ADVOCATE FOR THE TAXPAYER. IN THE LEGISLATURE, I OFFERED BILLS TO REDUCE INCOME TAXES AND BALANCED STATE BUDGET. I HAVE A RECORD AT THE CORPORATION COMMISSION OF STANDING UP FOR THE RATEPAYER. SINCE BEING APPOINTED AT THE END OF LAST YEAR, MY NUMBER ONE PRIORITY IS TO SERVE WITH THE HIGHEST STANDARDS OF ETHICS AND INTEGRITY. I OFFERED AMENDMENTS TO THE CODE OF ETHICS TO PROHIBIT CANDIDATES FROM THE COMISSION FROM ACCEPTING CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THE ENTITIES WE REGULATE. AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, I'VE REDUCED YOUR UTILITY RATES, I LED A SUCCESSFUL EFFORT TO REDUCE RATES BY $190 MILLION ANNUALLY. THIS IS AN IMPORTANT RACE AND YOU'VE GOT AN IMPORTANT CHOICE. I WOULD BE HONORED TO HAVE YOUR SUPPORT, MY NAME IS JUSTIN OLSON RUNNING FOR THE CORPORATION COMMISSION.
TED: ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU CANDIDATES LET’S GET THINGS STARTED. SANDRA, YOU CALLED THIS THE ARIZONA CORRUPTION COMMISSION. WHAT'S THAT ALL ABOUT?
SANDRA KENNEDY: WELL, AS WE HAVE SEEN, WE'VE HAD AN INDICTMENT OF FORMER COMMISSIONER, AND INDICTMENT OF A UTILITY OWNER, JOHNSON UTILITIES, AND WE’VE HAD INDICTMENT FOR A LOBBYIST, AND THOSE INDIVIDUALS, GARY PEARCE HELD A POSITION WITH THE COMMISSION AS CHAIR, AND THERE WERE THINGS THAT I SAW AS A COMMISSIONER THAT WEREN'T QUITE PLEASING TO ME AND PROBABLY WOULDN'T BE PLEASING TO THE RATEPAYERS. AND, YES, I HAVE DUBBED IT THE CORRUPTION COMMISSION.
TED: WHAT DID YOU SEE?
SANDRA KENNEDY: I SAW CORRUPTION AT ITS BEST. AND I'LL START WITH JOHNSON UTILITIES. DURING MY FIRST TWO YEARS OF COMMISSION, WE PUT SOME TEETH INTO THE DOCKET WHERE JOHNSON UTILITIES ASKED FOR RATE INCREASE. JOHNSON WAS A VERY POOR OPERATOR, WHETHER IT WAS THE WATER, THE SERVICE, AND WHEN MR. PEARCE BECAME CHAIR, HE ACTUALLY REOPENED IT UNDER A 4252, THE DOCKET, THE RATE CASE, CHANGED EVERYTHING WHERE THE TEETH HAD BEEN PUT INTO IT AND GAVE MR. JOHNSON EVERYTHING THAT HE WANTED WELL. THAT WAS A BIT OF A -- AN EYE-OPENER FOR ME.
TED: KIANA, DO YOU AGREE THIS IS THE ARIZONA CORRUPTION COMMISSION?
KIANA MARIA SEARS: YES, I DO. AND I BELIEVE THAT IT TAKES SOMEONE WHO HAS WORKED AT THE CORPORATION COMMISSION, WHO UNDERSTAND THE UTILITIES TO PUT IN KNOWLEDGE, TO PUT IN EXPERIENCE AND ACTUALLY WHO CARES ABOUT THE RATEPAYERS.
TED: IN ORDER TO DO THAT, YOU WOULD NEED TO KNOW HOW THE CORPORATION COMMISSION GOT THIS BAD. HOW DID IT GET THIS BAD?
KIANA MARIA SEARS: IT GOT THIS BAD BECAUSE THERE'S NOT A CODE OF CONDUCT, AND THERE HASN'T BEEN ANY TRANSPARENCY OR HONESTY HAPPENING AT THE CORPORATION COMMISSION, AND IT'S THE COMMISSIONERS. THAT'S WHY IT'S SO IMPORTANT THAT WE ELECT COMMISSIONERS THAT WILL STAND UP AND FIGHT FOR THE RATE PAYERS AND NOT THE MONOPOLIES AND DON'T SERVE LOBBYISTS BUT HAVE THE RATEPAYERS AT HEART. THAT'S WHY I RESIGNED AND DECIDED TO STAND UP AND FIGHT FOR THE RATEPAYERS.
TED: RODNEY, HAS THE CORPORATION COMMISSION LOST THE TRUST OF THE PUBLIC, AND IF SO, HOW DID THAT HAPPEN?
RODNEY GLASSMAN: TED, MOST CERTAINLY, WE NEED TO RESTORE INTEGRITY AT THE COMMISSION, I'M PROUD TO BE THE ONLY CANDIDATE RUNNING THAT’S PUT FORWARD THE PROPOSAL. YOUR VIEWERS CAN VISIT RODNEYGLASSMAN.COM AND THEY CAN READ MY PROPOSAL. IT’S THE ADOPTION OF THE ARIZONA CODE OF JUDICIAL CONDUCT. THE EXACT SAME SET OF STANDARDS THAT ARE WRITTEN BY THE ARIZONA SUPREME COURT AND BINDING ON EVERY JUDGE IN THE STATE OF ARIZONA. IT'S SUCH A COMPELLING PROPOSAL THAT DURING OUR REPUBLICAN PRIMARY, COMMISSIONER OLSON SUGGESTED COMPONENTS OF THAT JUDICIAL CODE OF CONDUCT TO BE ADOPTED BY THE COMMISSION, WHICH WERE RESOUNDINGLY VOTED AGAINST BY THE OTHERS ON THE COMMISSION, SO WE DO NEED TO RESTORE INTEGRITY AND I LOOK FORWARD TO ADOPTING THAT PLAN WHEN WE GET THERE.
SANDRA KENNEDY: I CAN JUMP IN JUST A LITTLE BIT BECAUSE RODNEY TALKS ABOUT THE CODE OF THE JUDICIAL CODE OF ETHICS. THAT IS THE THIRD BRANCH OF GOVERNMENT. THE COMMISSION IS THE FOURTH BRANCH OF GOVERNMENT. THEY NEED TO HAVE THEIR OWN CODE OF ETHICS, AND I REALLY APPRECIATE JUSTIN OLSON FOR HIS EFFORTS IN TRYING TO SET THE TONE FOR THE COMMISSION, BUT THE POLICY THAT THEY PASS IS NOT WORTH THE PAPER THAT IT'S PRINTED ON.
TED: LET'S TALK ABOUT THE CODE OF ETHICS THAT THE COMMISSION DID PASS, SOME SAY IT REALLY IS TOOTHLESS BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, IF YOU HAVE A MATTER PENDING, OKAY, YOU CAN'T DO X, Y, AND Z, IF YOU DON'T HAVE A MATTER PENDING TODAY BUT YOU DO TOMORROW, YOU CAN STILL DO X, Y, AND Z, BUYING DRINKS, DINNER, THE WHOLE NINE YARDS, WHAT'S WRONG WITH THAT?
JUSTIN OLSON: THERE HAVE BEEN SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGES AT THE COMMISSION. WHEN I ARRIVED AT THE COMISSION, I RECOGNIZED THAT, AND WORKED TO BE PART OF THE SOLUTION AND AS WAS MENTIONED, I OFFERED AMENDMENT TO THE CODE OF ETHICS TO MAKE IT A MEANINGFUL CODE OF ETHICS, TO PROHIBIT THE CANDIDATES FROM ACCEPTING CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS OR ANYTHING OF VALUE FROM THE ENTITIES WE REGULATE. IT'S ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL THAT WE RESTORE THE PUBLIC CONFIDENCE IN THE COMMISSION THAT OTHER PUBLIC IS CERTAIN THAT THE UTILITIES THAT WE REGULATE DO NOT HAVE UNDUE INFLUENCE OVER THE COMMISSION. THAT'S WHY I OFFERED THOSE AMENDMENTS. UNFORTUNATELY THOSE AMENDMENTS WERE NOT ADOPTED.
TED: WHY DO YOU THINK THAT HAPPENED? WHY WERE THEY ADOPTED?
JUSTIN OLSON: THERE IS STILL WORK TO BE DONE. I'M NOT GOING TO SPEAK FOR THE OTHER COMMISSIONERS, I'M GOING TO TELL YOU WHAT I WILL DO AND WHAT I HAVE DONE. WHAT I HAVE DONE IS I'VE BEEN A STRONG ADVOCATE FOR THE RATEPAYER, IVE BEEN A STRONG ADVOCATE FOR POLICIES I DESCRIBED THAT WILL INCREASE ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY AT THE COMMISSION. I'VE BEEN AN ADVOCATE FOR MAKING OUR UTILITIES MORE AFFORDABLE WHILE MAINTAINING SAFE AND RELIABLE PUBLIC SERVICES.
TED: THE IDEA OF A STRONGER CODE OF ETHICS FOR THE CORPORATION. THAT IS CERTAINLY A STEP, IS THAT ENOUGH?
KIANA MARIA SEARS: IT'S NOT ENOUGH. WE HAVEN'T GONE NEARLY AS FAR AS WE NEED TO GO, AND AS RODNEY BROUGHT UP AS A CODE, HE ALSO HAS BEEN STARK ABOUT NOT ADVOCATING FOR THE RATEPAYER. ADVOCACY, WE'VE GONE SO FAR THAT IT TAKES PEOPLE STANDING UP LIKE SANDRA AND MYSELF, TO SAY ENOUGH IS ENOUGH. WE HAVE TO PROTECT THE RATEPAYERS, GET BACK TO THE BASICS WHY THE CORPORATION COMMISSION WAS DEVELOPED. IT'S ABOUT THE RATEPAYERS AND NOT LOBBYISTS AND NOT MONOPOLIES AND NOT UTILITY COMPANIES. IT'S ABOUT THE RATEPAYER. THAT IS THE JOB, AND IT TAKES ADVOCACY.
TED: THE IDEA -- PLEASE.
SANDRA KENNEDY: TED, ONE OF THE THINGS AND RODNEY TALKS ABOUT THE JUDICIAL CODE OF CONDUCT, AND 4.4 OF THE RULE SAYS A COMMITTEE CAN BE PUT TOGETHER AS LONG AS THE JUDGE IS NOT PARTICIPATING. WELL, IF WE TAKE -- IF THE COMMISSION IMPLEMENTS WHAT THE JUDICIAL CODE OF CONDUCT, THEN WE'RE BACK WHERE WE ARE TODAY BECAUSE THEN THEY CAN ACTUALLY GO TO A UTILITY COMPANY AND SAY GIVE ME MONEY.
TED: WHAT GOOD IS A CODE OF CONDUCT IF THE COMMISSION IS STILL ON THE WHOLE, AS MANY PERCEIVE BEHOLDEN TO UTILITIES?
RODNEY GLASSMAN: TED, ONE OF THE MOST POWERFUL PIECES OF THE JUDICIAL CODE OF CONDUCT AND THE REASON I BELIEVE OUR STATES HIGHEST REGULATORY BODY SHOULD HOLD THEMSELVES TO THE EXACT SAME STANDARDS WITH NECESSARY MODIFICATIONS IF THEY ARE THERE, IS BECAUSE THE NUMBER ONE ISSUE IS WHAT THE COMMISSIONERS ARE DOING ONCE THEY'RE ON THE COMMISSION. THE CONDUCT THAT IS HAPPENING. AND THE CODE OF CONDUCT SPECIFICALLY SAYS IF SOMEONE CONTRIBUTED TO YOUR CAMPAIGN APPEARS BEFORE YOU IN THE COURTROOM, YOU HAVE TO RECUSE YOURSELF. YOU'RE NOT ALLOWED FREE FOOD. NOT ALLOWED FREE TRIPS. NOT ALLOWED TO HEAR CASES THAT EMPLOYEE YOUR SPOUSE, THAT CONTRIBUTE TO YOUR CAMPAIGN. THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT'S BEEN GOING ON. I FIND IT QUITE IRONIC THAT SOMEONE WHO SERVED ON THE COMMISSION AND RUNNING FOR IT FOR NEARLY TWO DECADES IS TALKING ABOUT NEEDING TO HAVE INTEGRITY. WE HAVE A COMMISSIONER WHO'S TRIED AND CANDIDATE INTERESTED IN BRINGING THAT EXACT SAME LEVEL OF INTEGRITY THAT JUDICIARY SYSTEM HAS TO THE COMMISSION. THAT'S WHAT I THINK WE NEED.
TED: HOW ARE YOU GOING TO KNOW IF A UTILITY DONATED TO A COMMISSIONER OR COMMISSIONER'S CAMPAIGN?
RODNEY GLASSMAN: I BELIEVE AND I SAID THIS DURING OUR PRIMARY THAT EVERY CONTRIBUTION SHOULD BE PUBLICLY REPORTED. I BELIEVE THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT. ANY TIME I FOUND SOMEONE DURING BY CAMPAIGN WHO CONTRIBUTED THAT WOULD PUT ME IN A POSITION TO NOT BE ABLE TO DO MY JOB AS A COMMISSIONER, I RETURNED THOSE DOLLARS. I BELIEVED THAT THE CODE OF CONDUCT WHICH IS FOLLOWED BY EVERY JUDGE IN THE STATE OF ARIZONA IS THE MODEL AND SHOULD BE THE MODEL THAT'S FOLLOWED.
TED: IS IT OKAY FOR APS, FOR EXAMPLE, TO HELP ELECT REGULATORS WHO WILL REGULATE APS?
JUSTIN OLSON: I DON'T THINK SO, THAT'S WHY I OFFERED THIS POLICY AND PROPOSED IT. I VOTED IN SUPPORT OF IT. ANOTHER COMMISSIONER DID SUPPORT ONE OF THE AMENDMENTS, AND THAT WOULD HAVE PROHIBITED CANDIDATES FROM RECEIVING ANYTHING BENEFIT ANY, CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTION FROM THE UTILITIES THAT WE REGULATE. WE'VE GOT TO ENSURE THAT THERE IS NO UNDUE INFLUENCE BY THE UTILITIES WE REGULATE. NOT ONLY NO UNDUE INFLUENCE BUT NOT EVEN THE APPEARANCE OF UNDUE INFLUENCE. THAT'S WHY I PROPOSED THOSE POLICIES, THAT'S WHY I VOTED FOR THEM AND WHY I WILL CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE FOR THEM ON THE COMMISSION.
TED: HOW DO YOU PUSH SOMETHING LIKE THIS WITH DARK MONEY CAMPAIGNS, YOU ARE STILL NOT ENTIRELY SURE WHO'S PULLING THE MONEY INTO THE THINGS?
SANDRA KENNEDY: THAT'S A HUGE ISSUE IN ARIZONA, AND CLEARLY THE COMMISSION HAS BEEN BOUGHT AND PAID FOR BY APS. THEY DIDN'T COME OUT AT FIRST IN 14 AND SAY YES, WE DID IT. IT WASN'T UNTIL COMMISSIONER BYRNES STARTED ASKING QUESTIONS, YEAH, WE KIND OF DID. WE SPENT $3.2 MILLION DOLLARS. BUT UNTIL THERE IS A CODE OF ETHICS, NOT ONLY THAT WILL TOUCH AND, YOU KNOW, SAY WHAT COMMISSIONERS CAN DO, THERE SHOULD BE A POLICY IN THAT CODE OF ETHICS THAT TALKS ABOUT THE REVOLVING DOORS FOR EMPLOYEES.
TED: AND THAT'S ANOTHER QUESTION HERE. SHOULD SOMEONE WHO WORKS FOR -- SHOULD THERE BE A WAITING PERIOD FOR THAT PERSON WHEN THEY LEAVE THE UTILITY BEFORE THEY GO TO WORK FOR A REGULATOR, BEFORE THEY WORK FOR A CAMPAIGN. THAT SORT OF THING. DO YOU LIKE THAT IDEA?
KIANA MARIA SEARS: YES, I LOVE THAT IDEA. AND I WANT TO MAKE A COMMENT BECAUSE WE'RE HERE AT THE CLEAN ELECTIONS DEBATE. I'M PROUD TO BE A CLEAN ELECTIONS CANDIDATE, AND I BELIEVE THAT IS ONE WAY THAT THE PUBLIC GETS TO SEE TRANSPARENCY. WHEN YOU'RE A CLEAN ELECTIONS CANDIDATE, EVERYTHING IS PUBLIC, EVERY DOLLAR YOU ACTUALLY ARE WORKING TO PROTECT THE RATEPAYER BECAUSE ALL OF YOUR INTERESTS IS SOLELY WITH THE PUBLIC AND NOT THE UTILITIES AND NOT SPECIAL INTERESTS. NOT APS, NOT ANY OTHER UTILITIES, NOT ANY SPECIAL INTERESTS. IN THAT WAITING PRESIDENT, IF YOU'RE WORKING FOR A UTILITY COMPANY, I WOULD STAND BY THAT.
TED: ARE YOU SUGGESTING THOSE WHO DON'T RUN AS CLEAN ELECTIONS CANDIDATES ARE EITHER TEMPTED OR HAVE TAKEN THAT KIND OF MONEY?
KIANA MARIA SEARS: RUNNING AS A CLEAN ELECTIONS CANDIDATE IS A CERTAIN LEVEL OF TRANSPARENCY. AND WE KNOW AT TIMES AS A CLEAN ELECTIONS CANDIDATE, IT'S LESS MONEY, BUT YOU HAVE TO DO THE WORK AND YOU EMPLOY ARIZONANS TO GET INVOLVED AND TO HAVE A VOICE.
TED: RODNEY, YOU WERE GOING TO SAY SOMETHING?
RODNEY GLASSMAN: TED, I WAS GOING TO SAY I FIND IT SLIGHTLY IRONIC AS THE ONLY CANDIDATE WHO PUT FORWARD A PROPOSAL THAT ANY OF THE VOTERS CAN READ ON MY WEBSITE, RODNEY GLASSMAN.COM AND RODNEY WITH COMISSIONER OLSON THE OTHER REPUBLICAN WHO PUT IT FORWARD AT A COMMISSION MEETING THAT OUR TWO DEMOCRATIC OPPONENTS WOULD BE TALKING ABOUT HOW OUR PROPOSALS ARE BAD BUT HAVING YET TO OFFER ANY OF THEIR OWN. ONE WHO WORKED AT THE COMMISSION FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS AND ONE RUNNING FOR THE COMMISSION FOR ALMOST TWO DECADES.
SANDRA KENNEDY: I DISAGREE WITH RODNEY, LET ME TELL YOU WHY. I HAVE SERVED AT THE COMMISSION, I HAVE BEEN VERY FORWARD ABOUT WHAT I SEE AT THE COMMISSION, WHAT GOES ON AT THE COMMISSION. WHEN I SERVED AT THE LEGISLATURE, WE HAD CODE OF ETHICS THERE, AND WHY CAN'T WE HAVE A CODE OF ETHICS AT THE COMMISSION. YOU KNOW WHY? BECAUSE THE CURRENT COMMISSION AND THOSE FROM 2012, 2013 HAVE BEEN OPERATING UNDER THEIR OWN CODE OF ETHICS, AND MR. OLSON HAS BEEN THERE, HE'S DONE IT. HE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO VOTE NO, AND SAY THIS IS NOT GOOD ENOUGH, BUT HE DIDN'T. HE VOTED IT WAS A 5-0 VOTE. AND AS FAR AS RODNEY SAYING HE'S THE ONLY ONE WHO HAS PUT A PLAN TOGETHER. BACK IN MARCH, WHEN THEY FIRST PUT OUT THE PROPOSAL OR THEY VOTED ON IT, MR. MUNDELL AND I WROTE A LETTER AND SAID THIS IS NOT GOOD ENOUGH, IT’S NOT WORTH THE PAPER IT'S PRINTED ON AND WE HAD OUR THOUGHTS WHAT NEEDED TO BE CHANGED.
TED: RESPOND, PLEASE.
JUSTIN OLSON: I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO POINT OUT WHILE THIS CODE OF ETHICS DID NOT GO FAR ENOUGH, THAT THAT DOESN'T NECESSARILY MEAN THAT A NO VOTE WOULD HAVE BEEN JUSTIFIED ON THE CODE OF ETHICS. I DID VOTE FOR POLICIES DESCRIBED HERE THAT WOULD HAVE PROHIBITED CANDIDATES FOR THE COMMISSION FROM ACCEPTING ANYTHING OF VALUE FROM THE UTILITIES THAT WE REGULATE. I PROPOSED THAT AMENDMENT. I VOTED IN SUPPORT OF THAT AMENDMENT. THAT AMENDMENT FAILED. THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THE COMMISSION CODE OF ETHICS THAT WAS THEN BEFORE ME WAS NOT WORTH VOTING. IT WAS A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, IT DID NOT GO FAR ENOUGH. WE NEED FOLKS ON THE COMMISSION WHO WILL SUPPORT THE AMENDMENTS THAT I PUT FORWARD. COMMISSIONER BYRNES SUPPORTED ONE OF MY AMENDMENTS. IF I GET ONE MORE COMMISSIONER TO SUPPORT MY AMENDMENTS, WE WILL HAVE THAT MUCH-NEEDED REFORM.
TED: YOU MENTIONED COMMISSIONER BYRNES, DO YOU SUPPORT HIS IDEA OF SUBPOENAING APS TO FIND OUT WHO THEY DONATED TO AS FAR AS CAMPAIGNS WERE CONCERNED?
JUSTIN OLSON: I'M ABSOLUTELY SUPPORT I OF BOB BYRNES AND THE EFFORTS HE'S PURSUED TO ADVOCATE FOR TRANSPARENCY IN OUR PROCESS. I'VE BEEN VERY HONORED TO HAVE THE SUPPORT OF COMMISSIONER BYRNES. HE SAID THAT THE VOTERS OUGHT TO RETURN JUSTIN OLSON TO THE COMMISSION BECAUSE OF MY INTEGRITY AND EXPERIENCE OF ADVOCATING FOR THE RATEPAYER. IT'S AN HONOR TO HAVE HIS SUPPORT AND LOOK FORWARD TO SERVING WITH HIM ANOTHER FOUR YEARS.
TED: HE DID NOT HAVE THE SUPPORT OF THE OTHER REPUBLICANS ON THE COMMISSION. YOU ARE RUNNING AS A REPUBLICAN. WHO IS RIGHT AND WHO IS WRONG?
RODNEY GLASSMAN: I AS WELL AS JUSTIN AM PROUD TO HAVE THE SUPPORT OF COMMISSIONER BYRNES AND IN SUPPORT OF MY CANDIDACY, HE NOTED NOT ONLY MY MILITARY SERVICE, I'LL BE THE ONLY CORPORATION COMMISSION THAT IS A VETERAN, BUT HE ALSO NOTED MY PROPOSAL TO ADOPT THE JUDICIAL CODE OF CONDUCT AND NOTED THAT IT IS CONSISTENT WITH HIS VISION OF TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY AND ADVOCATING FOR THE RATEPAYER.
TED: YOU WOULD HAVE VOTED WITH HIM TO SUBPOENA APS RECORDS?
RODNEY GLASSMAN: I'M SUPPORTIVE OF ANY EFFORT BY THE COMMISSION TO PROVIDE MORE TRANSPARENCY AND MOVING FORWARD JUST LIKE WITH MY CAMPAIGN, I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE SEES WHERE THE DOLLARS ARE COMING FROM.
TED: INCLUDING A SUBPOENA.
RODNEY GLASSMAN: INCLUDING EFFORTS TO OPEN THE DOOR.
SANDRA KENNEDY: I'M GLAD MR. GLASSMAN HAS A GRANDIOSE IDEA OF CODE OF ETHICS BECAUSE WHEN HE WAS ON THE CITY COUNCIL IN TUCSON, I DON'T KNOW WHERE HIS CODE OF ETHICS WAS WHEN HE WAS TRYING TO GET THE CITY COUNCIL TO PURCHASE HIS SKATING RINK, SO I GUESS THAT WENT OUT THE DOOR AND TODAY WAS A NEW DAY.
TED: WHAT WAS THAT ALL ABOUT?
SANDRA KENNEDY: HE HAD A SKATING RINK AND WANTED THE CITY COUNCIL TO MAKE SURE THAT HIS DEFUNCT SKATING RINK WAS SOLD TO THE CITY COUNCIL. HE WANTED THEM TO PURCHASE IT. SO CODE OF ETHICS. I'M GLAD HE'S TALKING ABOUT IT TODAY.
TED: WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF THAT?
RODNEY GLASSMAN: WITHOUT BEING DISRESPECTFUL TO MS. KENNEDY, THE ICE RINK WAS SOLD IN 2003 TO A PRIVATE BUYER. I WAS ELECTED TO THE CITY COUNCIL IN 2007, TED. SO THERE'S ABOUT FOUR YEARS MISSING FROM THE NARRATIVE SHE WOULD LIKE PEOPLE TO LISTEN TO. WHAT I THINK IS ANOTHER STARK CONTRAST BETWEEN THESE DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES IS THAT JUSTIN AND I ARE THE ONLY TWO CANDIDATES RUNNING THIS ELECTION CYCLE WHO WORK IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR. AND ONE OF THE KEYS TO THE CORPORATION COMMISSION IS NOT ONLY ADVOCATE ON BEHALF OF THE FAMILIES OF ARIZONA BUT THE BUSINESSES OF ARIZONA AND I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING ELSE THAT WE BRING IS UNIQUE WORKING IN THE REAL WORLD IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR AND BEING ABLE TO BRING THAT PERSPECTIVE TO THE COMMISSION.
KIANA MARIA SEARS: MR. GLASSMAN, I TOTALLY DISAGREE WITH THAT STATEMENT. I'M A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER, SO IS MY HUSBAND. MY HUSBAND HAS BEEN AN INVESTOR AND WE BOTH HAVE WORKED WITH FORTUNE 500 COMPANIES FOR MANY YEARS, AND EVEN WHEN I WORKED WITH A NONPROFIT SECTOR, I HAD A BUSINESS PORTFOLIO. EVERY FORTUNE 500 COMPANY IN ARIZONA, AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT MY PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION BACKGROUND, IT INCLUDES TAXES, IT INCLUDES BUSINESSES, SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT EXPERIENCE, I KNOW I HAVE EXPERIENCE. I THINK YOU SHOULD PROBABLY CHECK THE RECORD, AND WHILE YOU ARE NOTING IT ON MY WEBSITE, I'M SURE MY RESUME SHOWS THAT I HAVE THE EXPERIENCE YOU HAVE, AND MAYBE MUCH MORE. I'M NOT AN ATTORNEY, BUT I KNOW I HAVE THE EXPERIENCE, AND ONE, I'VE BEEN AT THE CORPORATION COMMISSION, AND I HAVE DONE THE JOB, AND REPORTED TO COMMISSIONERS WHO DO THE JOB EVERY DAY.
TED: AND WE HEARD A COUPLE OF TIMES, MR. GLASSMAN SAYING THAT MY REPUBLICAN FELLOW CANDIDATE, REPUBLICAN, REPUBLICAN. AGAIN, THE CORPORATION COMMISSION HAS BEEN RUN BY REPUBLICANS FOR YEARS NOW. AT LAST WE CHECKED, THE LOSS OF TRUST WITH THE PUBLIC IS STRONG. HOW DO YOU RECONCILE THAT?
JUSTIN OLSON: YOU KNOW, I RECONCILE THE FACT THAT THERE HAVE BEEN SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGES AT THE COMMISSION. AS MS. KENNEDY DESCRIBED, THE HISTORY OF INDICTMENTS AND RESIGNATIONS FOR CONFLICTS OF INTEREST. THAT'S WHY WHEN I WAS APPROACHED ABOUT ACCEPTING THIS APPOINTMENT TO THE COMMISSION, I RECOGNIZE THAT THIS IS GOING TO BE A CHALLENGE, BUT I ALSO RECOGNIZED IF I CAN PLAY A SMALL ROLE IN REBUILDING THE PUBLIC CONFIDENCE IN THE COMMISSION, THAT'S WORK WORTH DOING. AND I ACCEPTED THAT APPOINTMENT AND I WENT TO WORK. I OFFERED THESE AMENDMENTS TO THE CODE OF ETHICS THAT WE DISCUSSED. I ALSO LED THE EFFORT TO REDUCE UTILITY RATES. I HEARD LOUDLY AND CLEARLY FROM THE RATEPAYERS, THE FRUSTRATION THAT THEY FELT ABOUT THE HIGH RATES BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, LED THE EFFORT TO REVERSE THINGS AT JOHNSON UTILITIES. THIS IS AN ACCOMPLISHMENT I'M VERY PROUD OF. JOHNSON UTILITIES HAS INTERIM MANAGER MANAGING THAT IS MANAGING THAT UTILITY. WE'VE TURNED THINGS AROUND THERE. THERE'S A LONG WAY TO GO YET BUT THE STAGE IS SET FOR SUCCESS FOR THE RATEPAYERS AND THOSE THAT RECEIVE THE SERVICES IN THE SAN TAN VALLEY.
TED: I WANT TO GET BACK TO THE IDEA OF SAVING RATEPAYERS MONEY AND SAYING NO TO CERTAIN THINGS. RECENT RATE INCREASE FOR APS HAS FOLKS SAYING WHAT HAPPENED? BILLS WERE SUPPOSED TO BE LOWER. FOR MANY THEY ARE HIGHER. THERE IS A CALL TO REHEAR THAT RATE HIKE. THE LATEST RATE HIKE FOR APS WHICH I BELIEVE WAS REPORTED IN THE LAST YEAR THEY REPORTED 480 SOME ODD MILLION IN PROFIT. SOMETHING ALONG THOSE LINES, CAN CRUNCH ALL THE NUMBERS. BUT WE KNOW HOW IT LOOKS. SHOULD THE RATE HIKE BE REHEARD?
RODNEY GLASSMAN: TED, THE ANSWER IS YES. I TRULY BELIEVE WITHOUT A CODE OF CONDUCT THAT PROVIDES FOR TRANSPARENCY. THAT PROVIDES FOR ACCOUNTABILITY. ALL OF THE DECISIONS MADE BY THE CURRENT COMMISSION AND PREVIOUS COMMISSIONS ARE MADE UNDER A SHROUD OF CONFUSION FOR THE RATEPAYERS. THE CORPORATION COMMISSION WAS CREATED AS THE FOURTH BRANCH OF GOVERNMENT FOR THE SOLE PURPOSE OF REGULATING THE IMPORTANT SERVICES. IN THE CONSTITUTION, THEY'RE NOT CALLED UTILITIES, THEY'RE CALLED PUBLIC SERVICE CORPORATIONS AND I WANT TO RESTORE THE CORPORATION COMMISSION.
TED: WAS IT FAIR AND REASONABLE FOR ALL STAKEHOLDERS?
RODNEY GLASSMAN: TED, AS SOMEONE WHO WASN'T A PART OF THE HEARINGS, WHAT I CAN TELL YOU IS IT NEEDS TO OPENED AND RELOOKED AT. WITHOUT DOING THAT WITH THE CODE OF CONDUCT, I DON'T THINK IT WAS FAIR.
TED: WHAT DO YOU THINK, SANDRA?
SANDRA KENNEDY: IF I WERE THERE, I WOULD DO A 4252. I'D WRITE A LETTER TO THE DOCKET AND BE VERY SPECIFIC ABOUT WHY IT SHOULD BE REOPENED. NUMBER ONE, YOU LOOK AT THE RATE STRUCTURE THAT WAS IN PLACE BEFORE THE RATE INCREASE, IT IS NOT THE SAME RATE STRUCTURE TODAY. SO, THE STAFF KNOW WHICH RATE STRUCTURE THEY WERE USING FOR THEIR 4%. I DON'T THINK ANYBODY KNOWS. SO THAT'S THE BIG QUESTION. THAT'S THE $488 MILLION QUESTION.
TED: RIGHT. DOES STAFF KNOW. DID CONSUMERS KNOW? WE CAN SAFELY SAY, THERE IS A LOT OF CONFUSION WHICH RATE PLAN CONSUMERS CAN TAKE AND SHOULD TAKE.
KIANA MARIA SEARS: YES. TRANSPARENCY. I NOT ONLY TALK THE TALK BUT WALK THE WALK. EVERY SINGLE DAY. AS WE SIT HERE AT THIS CLEAN ELECTIONS DEBATE, TRANSPARENCY IS PARAMOUNT. THEN HONESTY, INTEGRITY AND EXPERTISE. AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU JUST TALKED ABOUT, DOES THE CONSUMER KNOW AND DID THE STAFF KNOW? AND WE'VE HEARD TIME AND TIME AGAIN STAFF HAS RECOMMENDED THAT THERE NOT BE INCREASES. AND THOSE VOICES OF STAFF MEMBERS LIKE MYSELF, WERE IGNORED, AND INSTEAD THESE UNJUSTIFIED RATE INCREASES CONTINUED. THAT'S WHY I'VE DECIDED TO STAND UP AND BE THAT VOICE AND ADVOCATE AND PUT MY CAREER ON THE LINE, TO WORK FOR A BETTER, BRIGHTER ARIZONA.
TED: DID YOU VOTE ON THE RATE INCREASE?
JUSTIN OLSON: THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION. I DID NOT VOTE. I WAS APPOINTED IN OCTOBER OF LAST YEAR, AFTER THE RATE INCREASE WAS VOTED ON. I HEARD LOUDLY AND CLEARLY HOW RATEPAYERS FELT ABOUT THE HIGH RATES THEY PAY FOR PUBLIC SERVICES. AND I'VE GOT A RECORD NOW, AND A RECORD OF ADVOCATING FOR THE RATEPAYER. THAT'S THE RECORD I'M GOING TO CONTINUE TO PURSUE AT THE COMMISSION. NOW NEXT WEEK, I WILL BE SITTING AND HEARING THIS COMPLAINT CASE, THE CHAMPION CASE, AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT PROCESS OF EVALUATING ALL OF THE EVIDENCE BROUGHT FORWARD AND ADVOCATING FOR THE POLICIES IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE RATEPAYER.
TED: HOW DOES A RATE INCREASE WHERE THERE IS SO MUCH CONFUSION AND THE NUMBERS DON'T MATCH UP AS FAR AS WHAT THE INCREASE WILL BE AND THE INCREASE ACTUALLY IS AND PROFITS ROLLING IN THAT GET A LITTLE CROSS EYED HERE. HOW DOES THAT HAPPEN?
JUSTIN OLSON: HOW DOES THAT HAPPEN? THAT'S THE MILLION-DOLLAR QUESTION. THAT THE EXPERTS ARE BATTLING OUT RIGHT NOW. THAT THE QUESTION BEFORE THE COMMISSION. I JUST WANT TO LET YOUR VIEWERS KNOW, YOU CAN LOOK TO MY HISTORY TO KNOW HOW AM I GOING TO RULE? I'M GOING TO FAIRLY EVALUATE ALL OF THE EVIDENCE THAT'S BROUGHT BEFORE ME, AND I'M GOING TO APPROPRIATELY APPLY THE CONSTITUTIONAL REQUIREMENTS AND I'M GOING TO ACT IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE RATEPAYER.
TED: SANDRA -- DO YOU WANT TO RESPOND TO THAT?
SANDRA KENNEDY: I WAS GOING TO SAY, I UNDERSTAND HE'S ONLY ON THE COMMISSION FOR LESS THAN 10, 11 MONTHS, LESS THAN A YEAR, AND YOU'VE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY. YOU'VE HEARD THE SAME COMPLAINTS I HAVE HEARD, AND YOU PROBABLY HEARD MORE COMPLAINTS THAN I HAVE HEARD. HAVE YOU HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO A 4252. THE QUESTION IS WHY NOT? YOU BEING THE COMMISSIONER, TALKING TO THE RATEPAYERS, YOU HEAR THE SCREAMING TALKING MY RATES HAVE GONE UP NOT DOUBLE, TRIPLE, QUADRUPLE, AND NOBODY IS RESPONDING, BUT YOU KNOW WHAT? THEY'RE GOING TO TRY TO HOLD THIS OUT UNTIL AFTER THE ELECTION, AND THEN LET'S SEE WHAT HAPPENS.
JUSTIN OLSON: THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION. I DISAGREE THAT YOU ARGUED THAT I'VE NOT DONE ANYTHING ABOUT THE HIGH RATES, AND I DISAGREEMENT YOU KNOW, WHAT I'VE DONE IS RECOGNIZED THAT FOLKS HAVE BEEN FRUSTRATED WITH THIS INCREASE, AND I RECOGNIZE THERE WAS A COMPLAINT CASE FILED AND I'M ALLOWING THAT PROCESS TO PLAY ITSELF OUT. IT'S ESSENTIAL THAT WE SIT AS JUDGES AND WE ARE IMPARTIAL. WE EVALUATE ALL OF THE EVIDENCE, GATHER ALL OF THE EVIDENCE AND RULE ACCORDING TO THE EVIDENCE. THAT'S WHAT I PLAN TO DO AND LOOK FORWARD TO DOING, AND I'M HOPEFUL IT WILL OCCUR BEFORE THE ELECTION.
TED: RODNEY, ARIZONA ENERGY PLAN. SHOULD THERE BE A PLAN FOR 50% OF ARIZONA'S ENERGY COMING FROM RENEWABLES, NOT NUCLEAR, RENEWABLES, BY 2030.
RODNEY GLASSMAN: TED, ONCE AGAIN A STARK CONTRAST BETWEEN THE DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS. I OPPOSE PROP 127. AS DOES MY RUNNING MATE JUSTIN OLSON. THIS IS A MANDATE. IT'S A MANDATE THAT WASN'T EVEN WRITTEN BY ARIZONANS, IT WAS WRITTEN BY ONE WEALTHY CALIFORNIA BILLIONAIRE WITH NO COMMUNITY MEETINGS, WITH NO RESEARCH, AND HIS APPROACH TO ENERGY POLICY IN OUR STATE, WHICH WOULD TAKE AWAY OUR COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE, WHICH WOULD DOUBLE MAYBE TRIPLE OUR FAMILY'S UTILITY RATES IS EXACTLY THE KIND OF BAD GOVERNMENT AND BAD POLICY MAKING THAT THE DEMOCRATS THAT WE'RE RUNNING AGAINST ARE ADVOCATING FOR.
TED: 50% -- I WANT TO GET TO KIANA. 50% RENEWABLES BY 2030, NO NUCLEAR, ALL RENEWABLES BY 2030. THE ARGUMENT AGAINST IS PRICES WILL GO THROUGH THE ROOF.
KIANA MARIA SEARS: WE KNOW ALL OF THAT IS A FACADE. WE KNOW THAT SOLAR ENERGY COSTS LESS. IT'S NOT A THEORY. IT'S 2.5 CENTS PER KILOWATT HOUR RATHER THAN 5 CENTS OR MORE PER KILOWATT HOUR. AND THE NAVAJO-GENERATING STATION THAT'S GOING TO BE DEFUNCT IN 2019, THEY'VE ALREADY SECURED THAT 2.5 CENTS, AND IF YOU LOOK AT INFRASTRUCTURE AND YOU LOOK AT GOING FORWARD, WE WILL ONLY SAVE MONEY. WE'LL SAVE MONEY WITH NEW TECHNOLOGY, INVASION, HIGH-PAYING JOBS AND ALSO HEALTH CARE. REDUCING THE ASTHMA RATES, THIS IS A BRIGHTER FUTURE. TIME TO GO FORWARD.
TED: DO YOU AGREE SOLAR IS CHEAPER, A, AND, B, WHY NOT? 50% RENEWABLES BY 2030.
JUSTIN OLSON: A GREAT SUCCESS STORY. THE COST OF SOLAR PLUMMETED SO MUCH SO IT IS THE MOST COST EFFECTIVE WAY OF GENERATING ELECTRICITY WHILE THE SUN IS SHINING. THE PROBLEM IS FOLKS GET HOME FROM WORK AND THE SUN FADES BELOW THE HORIZON AND THEY STILL HAVE AN EXPECTATION THAT WHEN THEY TURN ON THE SWITCH THAT THE LIGHTS ARE GOING TO COME ON. AND SOLAR ENERGY PLUS STORAGE IS NOT AS COST EFFECTIVE AS HAVING OUR CONVENTIONAL ENERGY GENERATION METHODS SO, SOLAR SHOULD PLAY A SIGNIFICANT ROLE IN OUR ENERGY PORTFOLIO AND SHOULD BE A GROWING ROLE AS THE COST OF STORAGE FALLS IN THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE. BUT IF WE PUT IN PLACE AN ARTIFICIAL MANDATE, ONE THAT CALIFORNIA HAS ALREADY DONE AND SEEN WHAT HAPPENED IN CALIFORNIA. CALIFORNIA RATEPAYERS PAY ON AVERAGE 50% MORE FOR ELECTRICITY THAN ARIZONA RATEPAYERS. THIS WILL NEARLY DOUBLE THE ELECTRIC BILLS OF ARIZONANS. THIS IS A BURDEN PLACED ON HARD-WORKING ARIZONA FAMILIES AND BUSINESSES AND A BURDEN I DON'T SUPPORT.
TED: ARTIFICIAL MANDATE, SANDRA?
SANDRA KENNEDY: IF THE COMMISSIONERS WERE DOING THEIR JOB, THE PEOPLE OF THIS STATE WOULD NOT BE GOING TO A BALLOT MEASURE. 80% OF PEOPLE WANT RENEWABLE ENERGY. WHY CAN'T ARIZONA BE THE SOLAR CAPITAL OF THE WORLD?
TED: WHY ISN'T ARIZONA THE SOLAR CAPITAL OF THE WORLD?
SANDRA KENNEDY: THAT IS A GREAT QUESTION. I THINK ARIZONA SHOULD BE THE SOLAR CAPITAL. I SUPPORT 127.
TED: IF THE COSTS SKYROCKET. THEY DID IN CALIFORNIA. WHY WOULDN'T THAT HAPPEN IN ARIZONA.
SANDRA KENNEDY: IT'S PROPAGANDA. THE SAME PROPAGANDA APS IS SPEWING, AND YOU LOOK AT THE OTHER STATES AROUND ARIZONA. COLORADO, CALIFORNIA, NEW MEXICO, NEVADA, LOOK AT WHAT THEY'RE DOING. THEY'RE DOING FAR MORE THAN WHAT WE ARE DOING, AND WE'RE JUST KIND OF BEING LEFT BEHIND. THERE ARE INVESTORS WHO WANT TO COME INTO ARIZONA. WHY NOT? ARIZONA IS PRIME. WE'VE GOT PLENTY OF SUNSHINE. ARIZONA IS GREAT, LET'S DO IT.
RODNEY GLASSMAN: TED, THE REALITY IS ARIZONA IS ONE OF THE SOLAR CAPITALS OF OUR COUNTRY. WE'RE NUMBER THREE WHEN IT COMES TO INSTALLATIONS IN OUR STATE, AND IF YOU LISTEN TO CANDIDATES HERE, NAMING TECHNOLOGY BUT YET TO NAME A SINGLE TECHNOLOGY WE COULD USE TODAY. MS. KENNEDY CAN SURROUND THE STATES THAT SURROUND ARIZONA QUITE WELL, BUT DURING CERTAIN POINTS OF THE DAY, BECAUSE CALIFORNIA IS PRODUCING SO MUCH EXTRA SOLAR, THEY LITERALLY PAY OUR ARIZONA UTILITIES TO TAKE THAT SOLAR OFF THEIR GRID. THEIR FAILED POLICIES IN CALIFORNIA HAVE CREATED EXCESS SUPPLY TO OUR BENEFIT. AND SO I DO NOT SUPPORT GIVING UP OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE BY PUTTING THE MANDATES FORWARD AND MS. KENNEDY TALKS ABOUT HOW ARIZONANS WENT TO THE BALLOTS. THE REALITY IS THIS ENTIRE AGENDA IS FUNDED BY ONE PERSON IN CALIFORNIA, A LEFTIST BILLIONAIRE, AND THAT'S NOT THE WAY WE SHOULD DO POLICY. WE HAVE AN ARIZONA STATE LEGISLATURE TO SET ENERGY POLICY.
TED: THE IDEA OF EXCESS POWER AGAIN, AND SOME OF SAYING, REPUBLICANS ARE SAYING, THAT WOULD PUT PALO VERDE IN JEOPARDY, THERE WOULD BE NOWHERE TO LOSE THAT THING AND HAVE TO SHUT DOWN. VALID ARGUMENT?
KIANA MARIA SEARS: NO, IT’S NOT A VALID ARGUMENT AND AS MR. GLASSMAN TALKED ABOUT NOT HAVING TECHNOLOGY, NOT KNOWING, WE HAVE TESLA HERE. AND I BRING UP TESLA BECAUSE THAT SHOWS YOU WHERE WE'RE GOING WITH TECHNOLOGY. AND TESLA IS ATTRACTIVE TO ARIZONA AND ACTUALLY PURCHASED SOLARCITY BECAUSE WE AS ARIZONANS WERE NOT ABLE TO CONTINUE TO GO FORWARD WITH SOLAR, AND FOR BEING AGGRESSIVE ABOUT RENEWABLES, BEING THE SOLAR CAPITAL, I BELIEVE IN MORE THAN WHAT THIS BALLOT MEASURE OFFERS. FOR US TO BE THE SOLAR CAPITAL, IT'S 50%, AND THE MONEY SAVINGS WILL COME FOR -- YOU MENTIONED WE'RE THE BENEFACTORS OF EXCESS ENERGY WITH TECHNOLOGY, THERE'S A WAY TO HAVE EVERY SURROUNDING STATE ACTUALLY BUY OUR SURPLUS AND ARIZONA PROFIT FROM IT.
TED: SANDRA, THERE SAN ARGUMENT, AND THE ARGUMENT IS MADE OVER AND OVER THAT THERE IS NO ONE TO BUY THAT SURPLUS ENERGY, AND IF THERE IS NO ONE THEN PALO VERDE IS THREATENED. THAT'S THE ARGUMENT. HOW DO YOU RESPOND?
SANDRA KENNEDY: PALO VERDE IS NOT GOING ANYWHERE. WE STILL NEED PALO VERDE. WE NEED RENEWABLES. WE HAVE HYDRO HERE. WE HAVE BATTERY. WHY CAN'T WE DO SOLAR, CREATE JOBS WITH IT? IT'S JUST ANOTHER PROPAGANDA WITH THE REPUBLICANS AND APS.
JUSTIN OLSON: TED, IF I COULD JUMP IN THERE, THIS CONCEPT THAT THIS IS PROPAGANDA, THESE ARE THE COLD HARD FACTS. THIS IS THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT'S BUREAU THAT ANALYZES ALL OF THE UTILITY RATES THAT ARE PAID BY ALL AMERICANS. NOBODY DISPUTES THIS CONCEPT THAT RATES ARE HIGHER IN CALIFORNIA. 50% HIGHER IN CALIFORNIA THAN THEY ARE HERE BECAUSE OF THE POLICIES THAT WERE ADOPTED. THEY ADOPTED 50% MANDATE THREE YEARS AGO AND TALKING ABOUT ADOPTING 100% MANDATE. COST OF STORAGE IS TOO EXPENSIVE. YOU CAN'T HARNESS THE SUN AND BOTTLE THAT ENERGY AND PROPEL ALL OF THE NEEDS OF ARIZONANS ALL THROUGHOUT THE NIGHT. WE'VE GOT TO HAVE A NEED FOR THAT BASE LOAD GENERATION, AND THIS WOULD LEAD TO CURTAILMENT OF THE PALO VERDE NUCLEAR POWER PLANT PREMATURELY AT A TREMENDOUS COST TO THE TAXPAYERS.
SANDRA KENNEDY: I DISAGREE. WE CAN'T GET THE APPLES OF THE WORLD, THE INTELS OF THE WORLD TO COME TO ARIZONA BECAUSE WE HAVE NO RENEWABLE ENERGY. THEY WANT TO PRODUCE. WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT IT IS HERE, VIABLE AND READY TO ROLL JUST FOR THEM, AND THE CREATION OF THE MANY JOBS AND THE INVESTMENT THAT COMES ALONG WITH IT. MR. GLASSMAN TALKS ABOUT THE LEGISLATURE SHOULD CREATE THE POLICY. IT'S NOT THE LEGISLATURE, IT'S THE CORPORATION COMMISSION. THE CORPORATION COMMISSION SETS POLICY, NOT THE LEGISLATURE. WE SHOULD DO IT AND THE COMMISSION SHOULD DO IT ALONE.
RODNEY GLASSMAN: TED, THE CORPORATION COMMISSION WAS CREATED AS THE FOURTH BRANCH OF GOVERNMENT TO PROTECT RATE PAYERS AND GUARANTEE RELIABLE, RESILIENT, SAFE ENERGY AND WATER THAT WAS AFFORDABLE, AND THAT'S THE JOB OF THE CORPORATION COMMISSION. IT IS NOT A PLACE FOR MANDATES. IT IS NOT A PLACE FOR ADVOCACY, AND THIS DIALOGUE WE'RE HAVING RIGHT HERE HIGHLIGHTS THE STARK CONTRAST BETWEEN THE DEMOCRATS AND THE REPUBLICAN CHOICES THIS ELECTION CYCLE. TWO OF US ARE INTERESTED IN PROTECTING RATEPAYERS' POCKETBOOKS, THE DEMOCRATS ARE INTERESTED WHAT THEY'RE PUTTING ON THEIR ROOF. JOB OF THE COMMISSION IS IS TO PROTECT THE POCKETBOOK, RELIABILITY, RESILIENCY AND SAFETY.
SANDRA KENNEDY: THE REPUBLICANS HAVE NOT PROTECTED THE RATEPAYERS' POCKETBOOK. IN FACT, THE REPUBLICANS HAVE BEEN PICKPOCKETS, AND THEY HAVE MADE SURE THAT APS HAS BEEN THE RECIPIENT OF EVERYTHING THAT THEY HAVE PICKED OUT OF THE POCKETS OF RATEPAYERS.
TED: DO YOU AGREE WITH THAT?
KIANA MARIA SEARTS: TOTALLY AGREE, AND AS WE TALK ABOUT AFFORDABILITY AND ADVOCACY AND ROLLING BACK WHAT'S HAPPENED THUS FAR UNDER THE REPUBLICANS IS WHY THERE'S THIS STARK DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE REPUBLICANS AND THE ACTUAL DEMOCRATS. WHEN I TALK ABOUT THE RATEPAYERS OF ARIZONA, I TALK ABOUT ALL, AND I MEAN ALL ARIZONANS, WHETHER YOU LIVE IN A POOR AREA, WHETHER YOU ARE BLACK, WHITE, BROWN, RED, IT'S ABOUT PROTECTING THE RATEPAYERS, AFFORDABILITY, AND THE DESIRE FOR ARIZONANS TO HAVE CLEAN AIR, CLEAN WATER AND SOLAR RENEWABLE ENERGY IS ONE ARIZONANS LIKE AND THE DEMOCRATS LIKE.
TED: THE ARGUMENT IS THAT THE REPUBLICANS ARE WATCHING OUT FOR THE RATEPAYERS AND I THINK MR. GLASSMAN SAID THAT THE DEMOCRATS ARE WATCHING OUT WHAT'S ON YOUR ROOF, WHY IS, AGAIN, IT THAT A REPUBLICAN-DOMINATED CORPORATION COMMISSION HAS US TALKING ABOUT CORRUPTION AND TRUST AND WHETHER OR NOT YOU ARE IN THE POCKET OF UTILITY. WHAT WENT OFF THE RAILS HERE?
JUSTIN OLSON: UNFORTUNATELY, SOME FOLKS VIOLATED THAT PUBLIC TRUST. THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT SOME OF THE FOLKS THAT ARE BEFORE THE VOTERS TODAY VIOLATED THAT PUBLIC TRUST. I HAVE A RECORD AND IT'S BEEN ONE OF SERVING WITH THE HIGHEST STANDARD OF ETHICS AND INTEGRITY. IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE TALKED ABOUT THE FRUSTRATION THAT FOLKS HAVE FELT WITH RECENT RATE INCREASES THAT PREVIOUS COMMISSIONERS ENACTED, FOLKS ARE GOING TO BE SHOCKED WHEN THEIR BILLS DOUBLE BECAUSE OF THESE LIBERAL POLICIES ENACTED AND FUNDED WITH THE NEW TAX ON ENERGY. THAT'S WHAT I DON'T SUPPORT. WHAT I SUPPORT IS ENACTING POLICIES THAT ENABLE THE UTILITIES TO USE THE MOST COST EFFECTIVE APPROACH TO GENERATING ELECTRICITY. MANY TIMES THAT'S GOING TO BE SOLAR. MANY TIMES GOING TO BE CONVENTIONAL GENERATION METHODS SO WE CAN HAVE SAFE AND RELIABLE ENERGY WITH AFFORDABLE RATES. TED: THE IDEA OF A MANDATE PUT INTO PLACE BY VOTERS MEANS IT'S IN PLACE UNTIL VOTERS DECIDE TO CHANGE THAT. WHY NOT ALLOW THE LEGISLATURE TO WORK SOMETHING WITH THE PUBLIC'S PUSH SO THAT IT CAN BE TINKERED WITH IT CAN BE MODIFIED?
SANDRA KENNEDY: TED, IT'S NOT THE LEGISLATURE'S RESPONSIBILITY. IT IS THE CORPORATION COMMISSION'S RESPONSIBILITY TO SET POLICY FOR RENEWABLE ENERGY IF ARIZONA IS GOING TO MOVE FORWARD. IT'S GOT TO BE THAT WAY AND THE REASON WE HAVE THIS PROPOSITION AGAIN IS WE HAVE A COMMISSION THAT DOESN'T BELIEVE THAT RENEWABLE ENERGY IS THE RIGHT WAY TO GO. WE SHOULD CONTINUE TO USE COAL, WE SHOULD CONTINUE TO USE FOSSIL FUEL AND 80'S PERFECT ARIZONANS DON'T WANT IT. THEY WANT RENEWABLE ENERGY. WHY AREN'T THEY LISTENING?
TED: WHY AREN'T THEY LISTENING?
JUSTIN OLSON: HOW MUCH ARE THEY WILLING TO PAY FOR IT? WE ALL SUPPORT RENEWABLE ENERGY, I’M A STRONG SUPPORTER OF RENEWABLE ENERGY. WHAT I DON'T SUPPORT IS DOUBLING UTILITY BILLS IN ORDER TO PAY FOR A MANDATE THAT IS NOT ACHIEVABLE. WE'VE GOT NOVFORWARD WITH COMMON SENSE PROPOSALS.
SANDRA KENNEDY: WELL, REPUBLICANS HAVE ALREADY DOUBLED THE RATEPAYERS' MONTHLY BILLS.
JUSTIN OLSON: AND I'VE BEEN WORKING TO REDUCE IT.
SANDRA KENNEDY: BY APS, SO YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT --
JUSTIN OLSON: YOUR POLICY WOULD DOUBLE IT FURTHER. I'VE BEEN WORKING TO MOVE IN THE OTHER DIRECTION AND REDUCE RATES.
SANDRA KENNEDY: THEY ARE LIES AND ALL LIES.
TED: KIANA?
KIANA MARIA SEARS: THE RENEWABLE ENERGY STANDARD HAS BEEN STALLED OVER A DECADE. IT'S TIME WE GO FORWARD AND THE LEADERSHIP THAT'S BEEN AT THE CORPORATION COMMISSION HAS NOT INCREASED THE RENEWABLE ENERGY STANDARD. THAT'S WHY WE'RE HERE. THE ENERGY EFFICIENT STANDARD HAS NOT MOVED FORWARD TO ADDRESS CURRENT TIMES, CURRENT DEMANDS AND THE NEEDS OF ALL ARIZONANS. HARD WORKING RATEPAYERS OF ARIZONA DESERVE LEADERSHIP THAT WILL MOVE FORWARD. THIS IS THE 21st CENTURY. AS I HAVE MENTIONED AND MR. GLASSMAN, TECHNOLOGY, WE'RE BEING LEFT BEHIND. OUR ECONOMY IS LEFT BEHIND. OUR HEALTH CARE SYSTEM IS LEFT BEHIND BECAUSE WE'RE NOT MOVING FORWARD.
TED: ARE WE NOT MOVING FORWARD, A, AND, B, HOW WOULD YOU -- OKAY, YOU DON'T LIKE 50% BY 2030 AND YOU DON'T LIKE THE IDEA OF A CALIFORNIA BILLIONAIRE PUTTING HIS NOSE -- WE GOT ALL. THAT I DON'T LIKE MANDATES. WHAT DO YOU LIKE?
RODNEY GLASSMAN: I LIKE THE FREE MARKET. I LIKE RESEARCH. I LIKE TECHNOLOGY. I LIKE THE FACT WE HAVE THE LARGEST UNIVERSITY IN THE COUNTRY HERE. WE HAVE ONE DEMOCRAT TALKING ABOUT TESLA COMING HERE. ALL WORKING FAMILIES CAN'T AFFORD $65,000 CARS. THAT'S NOT ALL FAMILIES. WE HAVE ANOTHER DEMOCRAT CANDIDATE TALKING ABOUT HOW APPLE IS NOT COMING HERE. THEY WANTED TO COME HERE BECAUSE OF COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE. YOU TALK ABOUT HOW INTEL IS NOT COMING HERE. INTEL IS HERE, TED. REASON COMPANIES ARE MOVING TO ARIZONA, FAMILIES ARE MOVING TO ARIZONA IS BECAUSE THEY'RE ESCAPING CALIFORNIA. THEY'RE ESCAPING DOUBLE UTILITY RATES. ESCAPING MANDATES, POLICY AND TELLING PEOPLE HOW TO LIVE. THAT'S NOT WHAT ARIZONA IS ABOUT. CORPORATION COMMISSION IS SUPPOSED TO PROTECT RATEPAYERS. HOW DO WE DO IT? WE ALLOW THE FREE MARKET TO DICTATE KEEPING PRICES LOW.
TED: IF THE FREE MARKET SAYS GO BACK TO COAL AND COAL POLLUTES THE AIR TO THE POINT WHERE THE PUBLIC IS NOT SATISFIED. THEY'RE NOT HAPPY WITH THAT. WHAT DO YOU SAY?
RODNEY GLASSMAN: IT WOULD HAVE TO BE SAFE. THE COMMISSION HAS A DUTY WHEN IT COMES TO SAFETY.
TED: THE COMMISSION WITH THAT CAVEAT.
RODNEY GLASSMAN: WITH THAT UNDERSTANDING IF THERE IS SOMETHING DANGEROUS HAPPENING IN OUR COMMUNITY, THE STATE LEGISLATURE ARE OUR POLICYMAKERS WHEN IT COMES TO DRAFTING LEGISLATION. WE TALK ABOUT THE LEGISLATURE, TED, THE CALIFORNIA MANDATE THAT USED TO BE ABOUT RENEWABLE, THE CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE IS NOW CHANGING THEIR POLICIES AND ADVOCATING FOR ZERO CARBON. YOU KNOW WHAT GETS INCLUDED IN THE TERM ZERO CARBON? YOU KNOW WHAT GET’S INCLUDED WHEN YOU USE THE TERM ZERO CARBON-NUCLEAR. BECAUSE THE PROPOSAL COMING FROM LEFTY BILLIONAIRE TOM STEYER WHICH EXCLUDES NUCLEAR, WHICH WILL SHUT DOWN PALO VERDE, IS WRONG.
TED: DO YOU THINK PEOPLE CARE THAT THIS MANDATE IS PUSHED BY A QUOTE-ON-QUOTE LEFTY BILLIONAIRE? DO YOU THINK THAT REALLY MATTERS?
JUSTIN OLSON: IT BOTHERS FOLKS WHEN SOMEONE OUT OF STATES HAD A BUNCH OF WEALTH AND PLAYS POLITICS WITH OUR STATE CONSTITUTION. YEAH I THINK THAT OFFENDS FOLKS. WHAT THEY CARE MOST ABOUT ARE WHAT ARE THE POLICIES? I THINK THAT FOLKS WANT CHOICE. WE TALKED ABOUT THE FREE MARKET. I SUBMITTED A LETTER TO THE DOCKET A COUPLE WEEKS AGO SAYING WE OUGHT TO CONSIDER RETAIL COMPETITION IN ENERGY PRODUCTION. JUSTIN OLSON: RETAIL COMPETITION IN ENERGY GENERATION. IF I WANT TO PAY TWICE FOR MY ENERGY GENERATION IN ORDER TO HAVE 100% SOLAR ABILITY. I OUGHT TO HAVE THE ABILITY. IF I WANT TO PAY FOR A MARKET THAT IS MUCH MORE COMPETITIVE, THAT FREE MARKET COMPETITION WOULD GIVE ME THE OPPORTUNITY.
TED: DEREGULATING ELECTRICITY. THIS IS AN IDEA THAT HAS COME AND GONE OVER THE YEARS, DOES IT MAKE SENSE TO YOU?
KIANA MARIAS SEARS: IT'S COME UP AT THE COMMISSION SEVERAL TIMES, AND I DO BELIEVE IN A FREE MARKET. PEOPLE SAY IF YOU BELIEVE IN A FREE MARKET, YOU SHOULDN'T BELIEVE IN RENEWABLES. THEY ARE NOT MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE. IT'S IMPORTANT TO HAVE SOMEONE WITH AN ENERGY BACKGROUND. WE'RE GOING FORWARD IN THE 21st CENTURY. WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE TRANSITION, IT'S ALMOST LIKE GOING FROM THE HORSE AND BUGGY TO THE CAR. SO NOW WE'RE LEAVING COAL BEHIND, WHICH SUCH MORE EXPENSIVE AND MOVING FORWARD TO RENEWABLES, WHICH ALSO HELPS US BREATHE BETTER. AND MR. GLASSMAN TALKED ABOUT WHY PEOPLE COME TO ARIZONA. AT ONE POINT PEOPLE CAME TO ARIZONA BECAUSE THEY COULD BREATHE IN ARIZONA. NOW YOU COME TO ARIZONA, YOU GAIN ASTHMA, IF YOU WANT TO SAY GAIN OR CAUSE. WHAT COMMUNITIES ARE AFFECTED? COMMUNITIES THAT DON'T HAVE A VOICE.
TED: DEREGULATION, WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THAT IDEA?
SANDRA KENNEDY: I HAVE BEEN A STRONG PROPONENT OF COMPETITION. I HAVE ALWAYS THOUGHT, WHEN I RAN IN 2008 AND GOT TO THE COMMISSION IN 2009, I THOUGHT COMPETITION WAS A WONDERFUL THING AND REALLY CONTINUING IS A WONDERFUL THING NOW WITH THE MONOPOLIES CONTROLLING EVERYTHING THAT TAKES PLACE THEIR ELECTED OFFICIALS FROM THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE ON DOWN.
TED: I WOULD IMAGINE, AS SOMEONE WHO LIKES A FREE MARKET, DEREGULATION IS FINE BY YOU.
RODNEY GLASSMAN: OUR ARIZONA CONSTITUTION CREATED THE SYSTEM THAT WE HAVE NOW WITH THESE REGULATED MONOPOLIES BECAUSE THESE CERTAIN PUBLIC SERVICES WERE SO IMPORTANT TO EVERY ARIZONAN. TED, I'M PROUD IN THE REPUBLICAN PRIMARY, I WON 10 OF THE 15 COUNTIES, MANY RURAL ONES AND I HAVE NOT SEEN YET A SITUATION OR EXAMPLE WHERE DEREGULATION TRULY WAS IN THE BEST INTEREST FINANCIALLY OF THE RATEPAYER. I'M OPEN TO THE IDEA OF EXPLORING IT BUT I BELIEVE TAKING AFTER THE LEGISLATURE.
TED: SO LOWER CASE FREE MARKET FOR YOU? OKAY. YOU MENTIONED JOHNSON UTILITIES EARLY ON. THAT'S A MESS. IT'S BEEN A MESS FOR A WHILE. WHY HASN'T THAT MESS BEEN ADDRESSED A LONG TIME AGO.
JUSTIN OLSON: THAT WAS THE QUESTION I HAD WHEN I ARRIVED AT THE COMMISSION IN OCTOBER OF LAST YEAR. I GOT THERE AND READ THE HEADLINES AND BEGAN TO DIG INTO THE DETAILS AND ASK WHAT IS GOING ON AT JOHNSON UTILITIES. I ISSUED A LETTER TO THE DOCKET SAYING WE'VE GOT TO CONSIDER PUTTING IN PLACE INTERIM MANAGER. BEGAN A PROCESS TO VOTE FOR AND ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE. WE HELD HEARINGS OVER A FOUR WEEK PERIOD. WE HAD 220 EXHIBITS AND WE DID A THOROUGH ANALYSIS, HOPING THAT WHATEVER PROCESS WE FOLLOWED WOULD HOLD UP TO AN ANTICIPATED COURT CHALLENGE THAT DID, IN FACT, COME. I'M VERY EXCITED TO REPORT WE WERE SUCCESSFUL IN THAT. VOTED TO PUT IN PLACE INTERIM MANAGER AT JOHNSON UTILITIES AND DEFENDED THAT ACTION IN OUR COURT SYSTEM WHEN IT WAS CHALLENGED AND NOW INTERIM MANAGER HAS CONTROL OF THIS TROUBLED UTILITY.
TED: WATER SHUT OFF. LOW WATER PRESSURE, BACKED-UP SEWAGE, THIS WAS GOING ON QUITE AWHILE. WHY WASN'T THIS ADDRESSED SOONER?
SANDRA KENNEDY: WELL, IN 2010, THERE WAS LANGUAGE PUT INTO THE JOHNSON'S UTILITIES RATE CASE. IN 2011 WAS WHEN THE TEETH OF THAT WAS REMOVED BY GARY PEARCE. IF THE LANGUAGE HAD STAYED, THE TEETH HAD STAYED, WE WOULD NOT HAVE THE PROBLEMS WE HAVE TODAY WITH JOHNSON UTILITIES. THE INTERIM MANAGER, THE PEOPLE OF JOHNSON UTILITIES ARE MUCH BETTER TODAY THAN THEY WERE A YEAR AGO, BUT THE INTERIM MANAGER JUST FOUND $26 MILLION. WHY AREN'T THEY LOOKING AT POSSIBLY GIVING THAT MONEY, WHICH IS OWED TO THE RATEPAYERS? WHY AREN'T THEY LOOKING AT GIVING THAT BACK.
TED: SHORT ON TIME. RODNEY, YOU CONSISTENTLY AND REPEATED THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS. AGAIN, REPUBLICANS IN CHARGE OF THE CORPORATION COMMISSION DURING THIS WHOLE PROBLEM. WHERE WERE THEY?
RODENY GLASSMAN: TED, WHEN IT COMES TO THE ISSUE OF WATER, I AS A CANDIDATE BRING A UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE MYSELF. AS A FORMER COUNCILMAN IN TUCSON, I WAS A RATE SETTER, AS ACTING ACCOUNT MANAGER OF CAVE CREEK, I'M THE ONLY ONE WHO RAN A WATER COMPANY. DONE AN ASSET AMENDMENT PLAN AND DEALT WITH CUSTOMERS. WITH 80% OF THE COMMISSION BEING –
TED: WHERE WERE THE COMMISSION FOR JOHNSON UTILITY PROBLEMS?
RODNEY GLASSMAN: THEY WERE NOT PUNISHING BAD ACTORS AND NOT NURTURING GOOD ACTORS. THE COMMISSION SHOULD BE PROVIDING CERTAINLY FOR GOOD ACTORS TO INCENTIVIZE THAT AND PUNISHING BAD ACTORS WHICH THEY DID NOT DO SOON ENOUGH.
TED: YOUR THOUGHTS ON THIS?
KIANA MARIA SEARS: LEADERSHIP WAS NOT PRESENT. ALL-REPUBLICAN COMMISSION DID NOT PROTECT THE RATEPAYERS. THERE IS INCOMPETENCE AND THERE WAS ALSO SELF-DEALING. THAT IS WHY HONESTY, INTEGRITY IS SO IMPORTANT AND MOST OF ALL TRANSPARENCY, BECAUSE THERE WAS A HUGE COVER-UP WE SLOWLY UNRAVELED. IT'S ABOUT PROTECTING THE RATEPAYERS. STILL TODAY. THE RATEPAYERS NEED PROTECTION, THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WHY I, ENERGY REGULATORY PROFESSIONAL SET UP AND DECIDED TO RUN.
TED: GOOD DEBATE EVERYONE. GOOD TO HAVE YOU HERE. TIME FOR CLOSING STATEMENTS AND GOING IN REVERSE ORDER OF OUR OPENING STATEMENTS, WE WILL START WITH JUSTIN OLSON.
JUSTIN OLSON: MY NAME IS JUSTIN OLSON, YOU'VE GOT A CLEAR CHOICE IN THIS RACE. DEMOCRAT NOMINEES WANT TO SUPPORT MANDATES, WILL DRAMATICALLY INCREASE UTILITY RATES. ON THE OTHER HAND, YOUR REPUBLICAN NOMINEES WANT TO KEEP YOUR RATES AS LOWS AS POSSIBLE WHILE MAINTAINING RELIABLE SOURCES. I GOT TO THE COMMISSION AT A TIME OF SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGES AND BEEN PART OF THE SOLUTION. I SERVED WITH THE HIGHEST STANDARDS OF ETHICS AND INTEGRITY. SUPPORTED POLICIES TO INCREASE ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, I'VE REDUCED YOUR RATES. RATES ARE LOWER TODAY THAN THE DAY I TOOK OFFICE BECAUSE OF THE EFFORTS I LED AT THE COMMISSION. WITH YOUR SUPPORT, I WILL CONTINUE TO FIGHT FOR LOW RATES AND RELIABLE PUBLIC SERVICES. MY NAME IS JUSTIN OLSON AND HONORED TO HAVE YOUR SUPPORT.
TED: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. NEXT UP WE HAVE RODNEY GLASSMAN'S CLOSING STATEMENT.
RODNEY GLASSMAN: MY NAME IS RODNEY GLASSMAN AND ASK FOR YOUR VOTE FOR THE CORPORATION COMMISSION. I'M AN EAGLE SCOUT, HUSBAND, FATHER, HOLD MY Ph.D. FROM AIRID LAND AND RESOURCE SCIENCES, PRACTICING ATTORNEY AND PROUD TO BE THE ONLY VETERAN RUNNING. I SERVE AS A MAJOR IN THE UNITED STATES JAG CORPS RESERVE. I PUT FORWARD A PROPOSAL TO RESTORE INTEGRITY AT THE COMMISSION, AVAILABLE AT RODNEY GLASSMAN.COM WITH, MY WATER BACKGROUND, I ASK YOU TO VOTE RODNEY GLASSMAN, THERE'S A STARK CONTRAST BETWEEN THE DEMOCRATS WHO WANT TO PUT MANDATES AND DOUBLE UTILITY RATES AND THE REPUBLICANS WHO ARE MORE FOCUSED ON RESTORING INTEGRITY, KEEPING RATES LOW AND ALLOWING ARIZONA'S WORKING FAMILIES TO PUT FOOD ON THE TABLE. VOTE RODNEY GLASSMAN AND JUSTIN OLSON FOR THE ARIZONA CORPORATION COMMISSION. TED: THANK YOU VERY MUCH, FOR OUR NEXT CLOSING STATEMENT, KIANA MARIA SEARS.
KIANA MARIA SEARS: GOOD EVENING AND THANK YOU FOR STAYING WITH US TONIGHT. I'M KIANA MARIA SEARS AND I ASK FOR YOUR VOTE BECAUSE IT'S TIME FOR A CHANGE AT THE ARIZONA CORPORATION COMMISSION. THE CORRUPTION, THE SELF-DEALING, THE INCOMPETENCE HAS GONE ON FAR TOO LONG, THAT'S WHY AFTER 6 1/2 YEARS AS AN EMPLOYEE OF THE CORPORATION COMMISSION, I DECIDED IT WAS MY DUTY TO STAND UP AND STEP UP AND FIGHT FOR HARD-WORKING ARIZONANS THAT DESERVE BETTER. WE DESERVE CLEAN AIR, CLEAN WATER, CLEAN POLITICS, BUT AS A MOTHER I WANT ARIZONA TO HAVE A BRIGHTER FUTURE FOR MY GRANDCHILDREN, BECAUSE I KNOW WHEN YOU HAVE A GRANDCHILD, GRANDMOTHERS WILL MOVE WHEREVER NECESSARY TO SUPPORT THEIR GRANDCHILDREN. SO I ASK FOR YOUR SUPPORT, KIANA SEARS, NEXT CORPORATION COMMISSIONER. TED: THANK YOU VERY MUCH, AND WRAP UP WITH SANDRA KENNEDY.
SANDRA KENNEDY: THANK YOU FOR HAVING US TONIGHT. MY NAME IS SANDRA KENNEDY. I, TOO, AM A FORMER BLUE BIRD BROWNIE, GIRL SCOUT AND EVEN A FORMER MEMBER OF THE ARIZONA CACTUS PINE GIRL SCOUT COUNCIL AND GLAD TO BE ON THE COUNCIL TO HELP SET POLICY. AS A FORMER COMMISSIONER, I WAS A STAUNCH CONSUMER ADVOCATE. I WANT YOU TO RETURN ME TO THE COMMISSION SO THAT I CAN CONTINUE TO WATCH OUT FOR YOUR POCKETBOOK. AS YOU HAVE SEEN, THE CONTROLLED COMMISSION BY REPUBLICANS, ALL REPUBLICANS, HAS RAISED YOUR RATES THREE TIMES, FOUR TIMES WITHIN THE LAST YEAR. YOU NEED SOMEONE WHO IS GOING TO SPEAK FOR YOU AND YOU THE CONSUMER, THE RATEPAYER. I ASK FOR YOUR SUPPORT, I ASK FOR YOUR VOTE. SANDRA KENNEDY, AND THANK YOU SO KINDLY. TED: THANK YOU, CANDIDATES, VERY MUCH. AND THANK YOU FOR WATCHING THIS SPECIAL "ELECTION 2018" FEATURING CANDIDATES FOR ARIZONA CORPORATION COMMISSION. KEEP WATCHING "ARIZONA HORIZON" THIS ELECTION SEASON, FOR MORE DEBATES INCLUDING TOMORROW NIGHT WHEN WE HEAR FROM THE CANDIDATES FROM ARIZONA'S 6th CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT. THAT'S IT FOR NOW. I'M TED SIMONS. THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.
Republicans Rodney Glassman and Justin Olson and Democrats Sandra Kennedy and Kiana Maria Sears