PHOENIX — It's a decision that would impact more than a million people in Arizona.
The state's largest utility provider, Arizona Public Service (APS), has proposed to increase it's rates, sparking a protest from about a dozen people during a special public comment meeting regarding the proposal.
APS is asking for its allowable “return on equity,” which drives the company’s profit, be raised from 8.7% to 10.25%. APS also reported annual profits for each of the last three years ranging from $542 million to $649 million.
VERSIÓN EN ESPAÑOL: Clientes de APS protestan por propuesta de aumento de tarifas
APS claims the impact on residential bills would reportedly increase by 13.6% or about $18 for the average household. However, a state consumer agency wrote in a legal filing earlier this year consumers faced a “grave” situation, projecting the impact to all APS bills at 26%.
While it may not seem that much, those who spoke out against it Tuesday night said they can't pay any more than they already are.
"Even a 20 dollar increase in someone's bill can mean the difference of not having dinner or not being able to pay your rent," one person said.
Those with CHISPA Arizona, an environmental group made up by those in the Hispanic community, also spoke at the meeting, saying this increase would create even further hardships for minorities.
"People are dealing with constant increases of rent and so anything that's going to further cause a burden on our families is unnecessary," said Vania Guevara, CHISPA's advocacy deputy director.
Out of the 15 or so people who spoke during public comment, only one person said they were for the rate hike. They believed that if the hike does not go through, it would negatively impact APS services.
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