1. OK, here’s a story about Arizona, democracy, energy policy, a utility monopoly, and corrupt politicians in its pocket.
2. This might get long, because it’s been a while since I’ve done a 42-tweet thread and I’m in the mood.
3. There’s a ballot initiative in Arizona, Prop 127, to increase the state’s renewable portfolio standard. (@NextGenAmerica supports it.)
4. Arizona is the sunniest state in America, but gets only 3 percent of its energy from clean, affordable solar. This is ridiculous.
5. That’s because utility monopolies like APS, which has massive political influence in Arizona, make more money from dirty energy.
6. How much money does utility monopoly APS make? $488 million in profit last year. *Profit.* Enough to pay its CEO $10.5 million a year.
7. Remember: APS is a regulated monopoly. It has a guaranteed customer base. Live in APS territory & want electricity? Gotta buy from APS.
8. So it isn’t like APS CEO Don Brandt has to be some sort of super genius to run APS. Yet they pay him $10.5 million anyway.
9. And APS keeps jacking up rates on customers -- some of whom face multi-hundred-dollar monthly bills in Arizona’s hot summer.
10. In fact, APS is trying to raise rates by another $68 million, right now -- to clean up their pollution without cutting into profits. cleanhealthyaz.com/2018/04/30/aft…
11. Remember APS made $488 in profit last year. They COULD clean up their mess WITHOUT raising rates and STILL make $400+ million in profit.
12. But Don Brandt & APS don’t want to do that; they want to jack up rates instead of paying to clean up their own mess. Because greed.
13. So anyway: utility monopoly APS makes $488 million in profits while unnecessarily raising rates oncustomers who need A/C in 115° heat.
14. Why? Because APS and its $10 million CEO Don Brandt do not give a damn about their customers; they’re just greedy.
15. And that’s why Arizona only gets 6% of its power from the sun: APS makes more money on expensive dirty energy that pollutes the air.
16. So, you can imagine how APS reacted to Prop 127, which would force them to use more solar.
17. Actually, you probably can’t.
18. That was all just background.
This is where shit gets crazy.
This is where shit gets crazy.
19. Remember how I said APS has corrupt politicians in its pocket?
20. So first, before Prop 127 even qualified for the ballot, APS got its pals in the legislature to pass a bill trying to gut it.
21. Under the bill, which Gov. Ducey admitted signing to help APS, non-compliance with a voter-passed RPS could carry a maximum fine of $100 tucson.com/news/local/eve… 
22. A $100 fine. One hundred dollars. APS made $488 million in profit just last year! It’s a giant thumb in the eye of Arizona voters.
23. Then APS lit $11 million of its customers’ money on fire a campaign to keep Prop 127 off the ballot, complete with frivolous lawsuits. cleanhealthyaz.com/2018/08/27/bre…
24. Remember: Clean energy is cheaper and healthier than dirty energy. APS is spending its customers’ money on a political campaign to keep customers’ bills high and air dirty.
25. Didn’t work; Prop 127 made the ballot after hundreds of thousands of Arizonans demanded it.
26. Fortunately for APS, Arizona’s Attorney General decides how initiatives are described on the ballot -- and he’s a friend.
27. Maybe “friend” isn’t quite the right word. APS spent $425,000 electing Attorney General Mark Brnovich, so he’s more like a subsidiary. azcapitoltimes.com/news/2014/10/2…
28. Brnovich has previously recused himself from matters relating to APS because of that $425,000 favor he owes them. Not this time, though. 12news.com/article/news/l…
29. Instead, Brnovich’s office took the ballot language the Secretary of State drafted and crammed it so full of pro-APS BS it might burst.
30. The SecState’s office (SoS is a Republican, btw) was taken aback. “Eyebrow-raising,” they called it & warned of political & legal risks.
31. Here, look: It’s an email from the SecState office to Brnovich’s AG office. It’s lawyer-speak for “LOL WTF?!?” <screenshot>
32. But AG Mark Brnovich was undeterred; after all, he has that $425,000 debt to APS.
A debt no honest man can pay.
A debt no honest man can pay.
33. So that’s how Prop 127 ended up with a ballot description bloated with APS bullshit…that APS promptly highlighted in a dishonest TV ad.
34. So what now? Well, Arizonans who want clean energy -- and clean politicians -- have a clear choice: Vote for 127 and against Brnovich.
35. Yep, Mark Brnovich is up for re-election this year, running against January Contreras. Here’s an ad, giving him what he has coming.
36. Brnovich isn’t the only Arizona politician working for APS instead of Arizonans. Gov Doug Ducey, the AZ Corporation Commission, the leg…
37. It’s accountability time for corrupt AZ politicians who help a utility monopoly make $488 million by poisoning the air & raising rates.
38. Stay tuned.
And guess who opposed Red for Ed? Yep, APS & Don Brandt.
APS is why Arizona can’t have nice things. 12news.com/article/news/l…
I’m quite confident that @apsfyi is the utility monopoly in the bad place.
Just realized that as a non-human, Michael can't vote for clean energy in Arizona. But Eleanor Shellstrop is an Arizonan! Little help here, @IMKristenBell?
