Imagine my surprise upon reading Anna Hernandez’ guest commentary about my neighborhood, with my street sign prominent in the photo. Little did I know that those of us who live here are considered rich, racist, isolationist and unwelcoming to anyone who wants to live, work and raise a family in a historic neighborhood. 

A little research showed that Ms. Hernandez does not live in this, or any other historic neighborhood, so I dug deeper to try and understand where the negative comments about us came from. Then I learned she wrote HB 2721, the bill that HB 2375 is meant to amend.

HB 2721 was intended to increase affordable housing statewide, a very laudable goal shared by everyone I know. It’s the restrictions that the bill placed on historic districts that were troublesome, as they removed the ability to work with new or upgraded homes and apartments to maintain the unique and significant history and architecture of these neighborhoods.

Once that fact was widely known, town halls ensued for months with input from all citizens, for and against the new rules. After a great deal of research and discussion, our mayor and city council have given full support to HB 2375 as it allows us to continue to abide by the Special Conservation District objectives that the City of Phoenix approved in 1986. I’d encourage anyone with questions to please read that document as it will explain the history of Willo and reasons for our objection to some provisions of HB 2721. This plan to enhance communities should be replicated, not eliminated.

In 1984, I rented in Willo. People wondered why — the homes were quite old, crime was an issue, there were very few restaurants, no light rail, no ASU, and no real life after 8 pm. I saved for a down payment for six years and purchased a home in 1990. It’s over a hundred years old and has been continually repaired and improved, as have all the other residences here. This area has grown and prospered because we have invested our time and energy in improving every component of this warm and wonderful place to live, work and raise a family. 

All we ask is the continued ability to maintain the unique mix of architectural and historic aspects of any new or upgraded building. We are not denying anyone access to our neighborhoods. We have always warmly welcomed new residents and have a wonderful mix of every ethnic and religious background. To say otherwise is just wrong.

As I travel this city, I see many neighborhoods that are just like Willo was when I moved here. They are in need of residents who will create and care for each other and their homes. 

My hope is that the Senators who vote on HB 2375 will not listen to the name calling and lying abuse heaped on us. My community is not rich, racist, isolationist or unwelcoming. We are not NIMBY. We want folks to join us in keeping historic districts alive and well. Please allow us to keep and maintain these historic neighborhoods by supporting HB 2375.

Mary Durand is a resident of the Willo Historic District.

The post HB 2375 preserves our historic districts, and that’s a good thing. first appeared on Arizona Capitol Times.

Try asking the boss for a raise this year. Seems a lot to ask for since you just asked for a raise last year but start with this number — about 500% more than the Tucson inflation rate for last year. Be sure to let the boss know that this is not some number you just pulled out of thin air; you’re only asking for about the same percentage raise that Tucson Electric Power (TEP) now wants in its latest rate filing with the Arizona Corporation Commission.

Let me know how that goes. 

Still, I have to give TEP some credit here — that is one ballsy move — asking for a 14% raise from each and every residential customer in its service area at a time of never ending summer heat and choking air. You say TEP doesn’t really care at all about you, that they’re some kind of inherently evil corporation? No, they are just a run of the mill for profit corporation doing what they are supposed to do: maximize shareholder revenue. And they’re doing a bang up job of it! The CEO of TEP’s parent company Fortis only earned a salary of $1,700,000 in 2024, but thanks to his bonuses he ended up earning about $16,000,000. Yes, that’s probably an unconscionable amount of money, but we have to give the CEO some props for giving credit where credit was due for all that bonus money. In a recent shareholder letter he singled out TEP’s Tucson base for its bottom line contributions to Fortis’ record profits.

Hey Tucson, we couldn’t have done it without you.

If TEP can squeeze more profit out of its residential customers, it will. It makes no economic sense not to do so. Really, no hard feelings, it’s just business. But what a good business it has turned out to be! The more TEP spends on ACC approved expenditures the more profit TEP makes — as of now, 9.55% of those expenditures, and soon to be 10.55% per TEP rate filing for next year. The more gas, oil and coal TEP burns to make your electricity — and the more water it uses up to cool those processes — costs you more. What a business model! It’s akin to the cigarette/nicotine model: TEP creates an ever escalating need and then charges you for the ever escalating prices — not only an endless loop of rising costs for all TEP customers but also for anyone anywhere near TEP’s climate busting exhaust — per Security Exchange Commission filings in 2024, 86% of TEP’s delivered electricity came from burning fossil fuels. 

It’s a lockdown monopoly utility business model. No way out. Just pay through the nose or else.

So kudos to Mayor Romero and Council for standing up to TEP and filing as an intervenor with the Arizona Corporation Commission on TEP’s 14% increase rate filing. It’s like that old cartoon character Popeye used to say before he righted all the wrongs by downing that can of spinach and clobbering his enemies: “That’s all I can stands, I can’t stands no more.” With the current ACC members routinely drawing down on the world’s rubber supply by giving their stamp of approval on just about every TEP rate hike and expenditure request, the city of Tucson deserves our thanks and support for standing tall in that headwind and saying enough is enough. 

Please pass the spinach.

Rick Rappaport is a volunteer with the Arizonans For Community Choice Energy, the Citizens Climate Lobby, and the Greater Tucson Climate Coalition.

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