⚡ Power to the People: Tucsonans Rally Against Canadian Corporate Control of TEP
💼 Corporate Profits Over People: The TEP Story 🏪 From Walgreens to Car Washes: The Corporatization of Tucson's Corners 🌳 Trees vs. Temperature: The Battle for Climate Justice
🙊 Notable quotes from the meeting
Public Power & Corporate Control
Lee Ziesche: "We can't have the boot of a Canadian corporation on our neck"
Context: Speaking about TEP's corporate ownership and impact on local community
Chelsea Ortiz: "I'm not really interested in the vision that some business from Canada has for our energy sector"
Context: High school counselor describing struggle with rising utility bills
Housing Justice
Meredith Aronson: "The larger unit a one-bedroom... was $5,900 for fees, the smaller unit which is 144 square feet... was $888"
Context: Discussing economic barriers to ADU construction
Ethan Alcock: "As soon as they switched on the light switch that TEP bill started ticking"
Context: Describing challenges facing formerly homeless individuals in maintaining housing
Environmental Justice
Nicole Gillett: "We're planting a record number of trees"
Context: Urban Forestry Program Manager discussing climate resilience efforts
Vice Mayor Dahl: "Ward 3 has temperatures that are 10 degrees hotter in summer... than the wealthier neighborhoods due largely to tree canopy"
Context: Discussing environmental inequality
⏮️ ICYMI: The Last Meeting
😽 Keepin’ It Simple Summary for Younger Readers
👧🏾✊🏾👦🏾
The Tucson City Council had a big meeting where people talked about making houses more affordable 🏘️, keeping the city cooler with more trees 🌳, and helping people who can't pay their electric bills ⚡. Some people are paying $1,000 just to keep their AC running in summer! 🌡️ The city is trying to help by allowing people to build small houses in their backyards and creating more places where people can go to stay cool when it's super hot outside 🏢. They're also planning to plant hundreds of new trees 🌱 to make our neighborhoods nicer and cooler.
🗝️ Takeaways
🔍 108 car washes in Tucson reflects misplaced development priorities
💡 TEP bills reaching $800-$1,100, forcing working families to choose between AC and food
🏗️ ADU impact fees ($5,900) creating economic barriers to affordable housing solutions
🌡️ Heat deaths disproportionately affecting low-income communities
💰 $98 million federal funding coming but restricted by eligibility criteria
🏢 Corporate interests (TEP/Fortis) prioritizing shareholder profits over community needs
🌳 Tree canopy inequality showing 10-degree temperature difference between wealthy and poor neighborhoods
📢 Call to Audience: Voices of the People
During this evening's call to the audience, twelve community members raised concerns that reflected the broader struggles of working-class Tucsonans.
Their testimonies painted a picture of a city grappling with corporate power, housing affordability, and basic quality of life issues.
Public Power & Utility Justice
Chelsea Ortiz (High school counselor) "I'm not really interested in the vision that some business from Canada has for our energy sector. I believe that working class tucsonans can best determine what our needs are."
Spoke about struggling with rising electric bills
Called for public power feasibility study
Criticized prioritization of shareholder profits over community needs
Lee Ziesche (Tucson DSA organizer) "If Tucson is serious about resiliency, we have to address the issues of our Energy System... we can't have the boot of a Canadian corporation on our neck."
Reported collecting 1,468 petition signatures for public power
Shared stories of residents facing $800-$1,100 utility bills
Connected utility justice to climate action
Ethan Alcock (Local nonprofit housing provider)
Spoke in support of publicly owned utility
Shared experience helping hundreds of people into permanent housing
Highlighted how high utility costs undermine housing stability
Key quote: "As soon as they switched on the light switch that TEP bill started ticking"
Described clients accumulating $1000+ in electricity debt
Jeanne Lucasko
Discussed utility rate concerns
Supported public power initiative
Clifton Maye (Social security disability recipient)
Spoke in favor of public takeover of TEP
Described extremely high electric bills
Gathered signatures on Fourth Avenue for public power petition
Reported common theme of expensive electric bills from public
Rick Rapaport (Volunteer with Arizonans for Community Choice)
Discussed TEP takeover costs
Referenced Boulder, Colorado's $26 million legal battle with their utility
Warned about potential litigation costs
Raised concerns about continued fossil fuel use during protracted legal battles
J.P. Salvatierra (Native Tucsonan)
Discussed city and county potential to take over TEP services
Referenced $1.6 billion county budget
Suggested Habitat for Humanity partnership
Proposed youth housing program
Discussed student homelessness (mentioned 1,100 TSD students who are parents and homeless)
Neighborhood Quality of Life
Robert Fife "I have exhausted every possible remedy on my behalf in a peaceful and friendly manner..."
Detailed year-long noise disturbance at his apartment
Reported 20 unanswered police calls
Described severe sleep deprivation
Location: 3700 North 1st Avenue, Apt 2118
Housing Justice & Property Rights
Sarah Latif (W2 property owner) "I am the victim of a negligent reckless person who caused a fire that led to complete loss of my property."
Lost property due to neighbor's fire
Fighting three city liens on her property
Unable to get response from Housing Development Department
Seeking accountability for damages
Michael Cajero
Discussed homelessness issues
Referenced Chicago's tent cities
Suggested buying up properties like "the Mark" for housing
Made connections to weather impacts
Manufactured Housing Rights
Kim Lucas (AMHO volunteer advocate)
Detailed issues with mobile home park utilities
Discussed master meter problems
Advocated for mobile home resident protections
Highlighted regulatory oversight gaps
Environmental & Climate Justice
Garrett Weaver (Ward 6 resident) "At our current warming trend of 2.7 degrees centigrade of warming by the end of the century, we are going to see a mass migration of two billion people."
Connected immigration and climate change
Supported energy resource study
Advocated for local climate action
Most speakers focused on either public power/TEP issues or housing/homelessness concerns, showing these as primary community concerns during this meeting.
🍁 The Canadian Corporation Controlling Tucson's Power: A Deep Dive into TEP and Fortis
In what emerged as one of the most contentious issues during the October Council meeting, Tucsonans delivered passionate testimony about their struggles under TEP's (Tucson Electric Power) corporate ownership by Canadian-based Fortis Inc.
From Local Utility to Foreign Profit Center
As Lee Ziesche pointed out during public comment, TEP's transformation mirrors a troubling pattern of local utility corporatization:
"The Atlantic Business cites that before it was Fortis, it was Newfoundland Light and Power, a quote 'vitally important Local Company people depended on for reliable and affordable power for their homes and businesses.'"
The parallel to TEP's evolution from local utility to corporate profit center wasn't lost on the audience.
The Human Cost of Corporate Profits
The real-world impact of this corporate ownership structure became clear through multiple testimonies:
High school counselor Chelsea Ortiz described struggling with "more and more expensive" bills
Community members reported bills ranging from $800 to $1,100
Nonprofit worker Ethan Alcock described how high utility bills sabotage housing stability for formerly homeless individuals.
Public Power Alternative
A growing movement for public power emerged in the testimony, with advocates noting:
1,468 signatures collected supporting public power study
The city is now studying municipalization through GDS Associates
Concerns about TEP's continued investment in fossil fuels
Questions about the company's commitment to climate goals
The Corporate Response
Rick Rapaport provided a sobering warning about potential corporate resistance, citing Boulder, Colorado's experience: "Boulder Colorado with a population of one-tenth of Tucson tried to municipalize... $26 million in legal fees and in 2020 they had they gave up."
By The Numbers
40% of utility bills go to shareholder profits, according to advocates
$1.6 billion: Pima County's total budget
$200 million: Reported amount Fortis took out of Pima County in 2022
Environmental Justice Implications
Advocates connected TEP's corporate ownership to environmental concerns:
"They are continuing to invest in fracking gas. They will not give just transition funds to the Indigenous communities that they have poisoned with their coal power plants, and they are constantly advocating for people to get less and less when they have solar on their homes," testified Lee Ziesche.
Looking Forward
The city has commissioned an energy sourcing study to explore alternatives, including:
Municipalization
Power purchase agreements
Community choice aggregation
Microgrids
The study is expected to be completed by May 2025, with an initial presentation scheduled for October 25th, 2024.
As one speaker noted, "The moment requires it... people want this. That is what I found talking to them: We have to take over TEP if we want a liveable Tucson."
This struggle between corporate profits and community needs exemplifies larger questions about local control, environmental justice, and economic equity in our desert community.
Major Actions & Votes
Executive Session Action
Motion: Regarding TEP's Midtown Reliability Project
Vote: CARRIED 7-0
Direction: "Authorize and direct the City Attorney to proceed as discussed in Executive Session relating to TEP's Midtown Reliability Project; and to continue to compel TEP to comply with all of the City's ordinances, regulations, conditions, public notice requirements, and processes, including the City's Special Exception requirements."
Liquor License Applications
Vote: CARRIED 7-0
Action: Forward recommendations for approval to State Liquor Board for:
Two new/transfer licenses
Six special event applications
ADU Regulations (Ordinance No. 12131)
Vote: PASSED 7-0 Key changes:
Allows up to two ADUs per lot
New size calculations based on primary home size
Removes parking requirements
Standardizes setbacks to 5 feet
Maximum height aligned with single-family homes (25 feet)
Houghton East Neighborhood Plan Amendment (Resolution No. 23836)
Vote: PASSED 7-0
Context: Mister Car Wash height increase from 20 to 30 feet Notable quote from Linda Schaub (Houghton East Neighborhood Association): "30 feet is exorbitant for that area... how many Walgreens have gone belly up because they were built on every corner well now what are we going to exchange that for car washes"
Safe and Vibrant City Initiative (Ordinance No. 12132 & Resolution No. 23838)
Votes: Both PASSED 7-0 Funding allocations:
Affordable housing and shelter: 17.5%
Neighborhood and Community resilience: 16.75%
Enhanced emergency response: 22.75%
Technology Investments: 12.25%
Capital Investments for First Responders: 30.75%
Important amendment by Mayor Romero: Added language to sections B-7 and B-8 prioritizing "applications that target reduction of concentrated and/or generational poverty and mitigation of the impacts of historic and/or systemic inequity"
Key Discussions
Climate Resilience
Presented by Fatima Luna, Chief Resilience Officer:
Secured multiple grants totaling over $6.1 million
Increased cooling centers from 13 to 40+
Launched energy sourcing study
Recognized for heat protection ordinance Quote: "We work closely with the Pima County Health Department and other multi-jurisdictional partners to increase our heat resilience efforts"
Housing and Homelessness
Significant announcement from Elizabeth da Costa (AHCCCS): "$98 million annually in federal resources into the state for us to be able to cover these housing related needs for eligible members"
Urban Forestry
Nicole Gillett reported:
Entering fifth year of Tucson Million Trees
Received $5 million USDA grant
Planning record tree planting at Menlo Park
🦉 Three Sonorans Commentary:
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People Mentioned
City Leadership & Staff
Mayor Regina Romero
Position: Mayor of Tucson
Notable quote: "The City of Tucson has a strong commitment to making sure that we worked diligently and creatively to address the affordability crisis and housing in the City of Tucson"
Known for: Climate action initiatives, first Latina mayor of Tucson
Timothy M. Thomure
Position: City Manager
Context: Presented multiple items, including safe and vibrant city initiative
Notable quote about prop 414: "These percentages shown on the screen and as presented in presentations will be fixed by the voter and the only way those percentages across those five different categories could be changed is by the voter"
Fatima Luna
Position: Chief Resilience Officer
Notable achievements: Secured $6.1 million in grants, expanded cooling centers from 13 to 40+
Quote: "We work closely with the Pima County Health Department and other multi-jurisdictional partners to increase our heat resilience efforts"
Nicole Gillett
Position: Urban Forestry Program Manager
Context: Approaching 4th work anniversary
Quote: "We're planting a record number of trees... well over a 100"
Sam Credio
Position: Department of Transportation and Mobility Director
Notable quote about RTA funding: "There's roughly $200 million of projects that or or or a deficit that is not currently accounted for"
Community Members & Advocates
Lee Ziesche
Position: Tucson DSA organizer
Notable achievement: Gathered 1,468 signatures for public power initiative
Key quote: "We can't have the boot of a Canadian corporation on our neck"
Chelsea Ortiz
Position: High school counselor
Context: Speaking about TEP bills
Quote: "I'm not really interested in the vision that some business from Canada has for our energy sector"
Linda Schaub
Position: Houghton East Neighborhood Association representative
Experience: 42-year engineering draftsman retired from TEP
Notable quote about development: "How many Walgreens have gone belly up because they were built on every corner well, now what are we going to exchange that for car washes"
Elizabeth da Costa
Position: AHCCCS State Housing Director
Key announcement: "$98 million annually in federal resources into the state"
Context: Presenting H2O housing program
Meredith Aronson
Position: ADU owner/advocate
Notable quote about fees: "The larger unit a one-bedroom... was $5,900 for fees, the smaller unit which is 144 square feet... was $888"
Kim Lucas
Position: AMHO (Arizona Association of Mobile Home Owners) volunteer
Context: Advocating for mobile home residents
Experience: 3 years in Tucson, retired special ed teacher from Chicago
Sarah Latif
Position: Property owner in Ward 2
Context: Seeking resolution for fire damage and city liens
Quote: "I am the victim of a negligent reckless person who caused a fire"
Ethan Alcock
Position: Local nonprofit housing provider
Notable quote: "As soon as they switched on the light switch that TEP bill started ticking"
Rick Rapaport
Position: Volunteer with Arizonans for Community Choice
Notable quote about municipalization: "Boulder Colorado with a population of one-tenth of Tucson tried to municipalize... $26 million in legal fees"
Council Members
Vice Mayor Kevin Dahl
Position: Vice Mayor, Ward 3
Notable quote about environmental justice: "Ward 3 has temperatures that are 10 degrees hotter in summer... than the wealthier neighborhoods"
Lane Santa Cruz
Position: Council Member, Ward 1
Notable comments about housing equity and student housing needs
Paul Cunningham
Position: Council Member, Ward 2
Context: Discussed car wash development and compliance issues
Nikki Lee
Position: Council Member, Ward 4
Context: Focused on technology and cybersecurity issues
Richard G. Fimbres
Position: Council Member, Ward 5
Participation: Electronic attendance
Karin Uhlich
Position: Council Member, Ward 6
Participation: Electronic attendance