I moved to Tucson on the finish of September from Brooklyn. My companion is from right here, loves Tucson and all the time needed to come back house. It was a giant transfer for me, and never simple to depart my neighborhood and work in New York, however one factor I used to be wanting ahead to was escaping the crushing unaffordability of New York Metropolis.

Sadly, Tucson Electrical Energy has different plans. TEP has proposed an 11.8% fee hike that may jack up our payments by a median of $16.22 monthly, taking the month-to-month common to a surprising $135.95 monthly.

That’s merely unaffordable, particularly for folk who haven’t been in a position to catch a break as they work to pay again utility payments that stacked up in the course of the COVID-19 pandemic. And so as to add insult to harm, TEP is spending our buyer cash to maintain soiled coal-fired energy vegetation working longer, prolonging hurt to communities residing close by.

I’ve realized that TEP has been elevating payments for years now. Since 2019, there have been three main month-to-month invoice will increase, together with a charge to pay for the rising and unstable value of fuel for energy vegetation. The most recent proposed improve will likely be utilized in half to pay for soiled, costly fossil gas infrastructure that residents have demanded be retired and changed with clear power. However TEP insists on burning buyer {dollars} on a number of the most polluting and costly coal-fired energy vegetation within the Southwest: the Springerville and 4 Corners vegetation.

Whereas throughout the nation coal use is swiftly declining, TEP continues to prop up fossil fuels on the expense of consumers and the planet, prolonging poisonous vegetation that contribute to extreme well being impacts together with acute bronchitis, bronchial asthma assaults, and even coronary heart assaults. These impacts particularly have an effect on indigenous communities surrounding coal vegetation corresponding to these with the Navajo Nation and Hopi Tribe, who haven’t obtained help from the utility after earlier plant closures on tribal land, leaving them to take care of the aftermath.

Within the a number of months I’ve lived right here, I’ve discovered Tucson to be stuffed with caring, hard-working folks. I can’t think about a single considered one of them could be completely satisfied to know their payments are about to go up once more to pay for racist, coal energy vegetation that may exacerbate the local weather disaster that threatens our weak desert house.

It doesn’t must be this manner and it’s as much as us, TEP prospects, to demand a Simply Vitality Transition, one paid for by rich shareholders, not working-class folks.

It’s time for TEP prospects to reclaim our energy and converse up for the clear power future we deserve. The final alternative to weigh in on this essential challenge will likely be on Wednesday, March 29, at 10 a.m. on the Arizona Company Fee’s workplace at 400 W. Congress, Room 222. Be a part of me in talking up for honest charges and a simply and equitable transition for our communities.