Climate change is a top concern for many voters, especially those who are young, yet some Arizonans don’t know how the Arizona Corporation Commission plays an important role in that fight. 

The ACC is responsible for utilities in Arizona, including decisions on renewable energy; in this area, the commission directly impacts Arizona’s energy future. 

Jonathan Hill, one of the Democratic candidates running for a spot on the ACC, said “It’s the least sexy office in Arizona.” 

With this reputation, it might be surprising for some to see Jane Fonda in Tucson canvassing for the ACC’s Democratic candidates– Hill, Joshua Polacheck and Ylenia Aguilar. 

Many know Jane Fonda as a famous actress, but she’s also a long-time activist and started the Jane Fonda Climate Political Action Committee to support candidates focused on progressive climate action. 

On Friday morning, Fonda and two of the three Democratic candidates, Hill and Polacheck, hosted a get-out-the-vote canvassing event outside of Pima County Supervisor Adelita Grijalva’s office.

“Down-ballot candidates are having a hard time getting the money, getting the volunteers, getting the media coverage and we come along, the Jane Fonda Climate PAC and we can help with that,” Fonda said while addressing canvassers. 

The ACC is a five-member commission with a 4-1 Republican majority. With three seats up for election, the three Democratic candidates have an opportunity to flip that Republican majority. 

The Republicans running are Rene Lopez, Rachel Walden and Lea Marquez Peterson. Peterson is the only incumbent seeking re-election. 

“So much of your daily life is affected by who is on the ACC and that is why we have to flip it,” Fonda said. “We are very rigorous in who we endorse. So the fact that we’re endorsing these chaps [Hill, Polacheck and Aguilar] means that they are true climate champions. They are going to work for you, they are not going to work for corporations, which has been the situation in Arizona for far too long.”

Polacheck grew up across the rural West and attended middle and high school in Tucson. After spending 20 years serving as a foreign service officer with the U.S. Department of State, he arrived back in Tucson in 2019 and became involved with the League of Women Voters and the Democratic Party. 

Polacheck said he is running for ACC because it has been one of the races that doesn’t get the attention he hoped it would. 

According to Polacheck, there is a disconnect between public perception and the realities of where Arizona gets its energy. 

“Right now we think this is a sunshine state. We see solar panels on parking lots and we think ‘Oh Arizona is making the transition to affordable energy independence […] That’s completely divorced from the reality. The current Corporation Commission is putting de facto mandates on the utilities to keep using coal and gas,” Polacheck said. “When we talk about our diversification, we say, ‘Arizona should have the best of the above approach.’ There are lots of different ways Arizona can get our electricity. First and foremost, Arizona is the prime economy in the entire world for solar.”

Polacheck addressed young voters and said that clean energy like solar would provide stability for renters, particularly young people who are often more vulnerable to fluctuating utility costs and are paying for utilities for the first time. 

“If you’re in an old 1920s house in West University wouldn’t it be great if your landlord could get reimbursed for making that house airtight and getting better insulation?” Polacheck said. 

Polacheck also said that the “current Commission literally killed a program that allowed landlords to upgrade their rental properties to make them more energy efficient and get reimbursed.” 

“For the renters that would love to see their utility bills go down, would love to see the stability and reliability that comes from clean energy, that’s only going to happen if we have a Corporation Commission that is actually committed to diversifying how we get our electricity,” Polacheck said.

Polacheck and Fonda encouraged voters to spend more time researching smaller elections and elections people may not pay attention to before voting in the upcoming general election. 

“We just want to make sure people understand that they know the power of their vote and that they have three votes for the three spots on the Arizona Corporation Commission,” Polacheck said. 

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