Candidates for Corporation Commission debate

Candidates for the Arizona Corporation Commission Nick Myers (R), Kevin Thompson (R), Sandra Kennedy (D) and Lauren Kuby (D) joined together for a one hour debate over important topics involving the Corporation Commission.

Is the Corporation Commission a fourth branch of government?

Opening the debate, candidates shared their thoughts about the role the Corporation Commission has inside the state.
“I do believe that the Corporation Commission is a fourth branch of government, I think it is probably the most powerful entity in the state next to the governors office,” Kennedy said.

“We do have powers that are delegated to us by the constitution but we are not necessarily a fourth branch,” Myers said. “We’re closer to an executive branch as far as the function we play.”

Renewable Energy

During the renewable energy topic discussion, Kennedy and Kuby expressed their approval for this form of energy and how cheap it can be. Kuby mentioned how Arizona must take advantage of the sun and its power.

Myers and Thompson expressed that renewable energy generation might be cheap, but the state does not have enough storage for it. Instead, the state should let technology dictate when it would be the perfect time to switch to renewable energy.

Energy Efficiency

When discussing the Energy Efficiency standard candidates Kennedy and Kuby expressed how convenient this can be for the Arizona community and the great results it has had in the past.

“We have actual recent history to look at and see the success of the renewable energy standard and the energy efficiency standard,” Kuby said. “Arizona actually lead in energy efficiency standard.”

“That’s a subsidy,” Myers said. “That shifting cost is not appropriate. People should be incentivized through education. They should be incentivized through the savings on their own bills to make these changes.”

Micro nuclear power

Another topic that was brought up to conversation was the use of micro nuclear power. “It is one of the most efficient, most effective, and one of the cleanest forms of electric generation,” Thompson said. The candidate expressed that he would like to see it play. On the other hand, Kennedy expressed that we are currently going through a drought so said power form wouldn’t be the greatest idea.