I just finished reading with disbelief a recommendation by a judge employed by Arizona’s utility regulator that asks the Arizona Corporation Commission to put the interests of a $230 billion Dutch investment firm over the citizens of my city. As mayor of Eloy, I am disappointed to see a judge recommend a 100% increase in the amount our citizens will have to pay for water and sewer service, and I am calling upon the respected members of the Arizona Corporation Commission to do something about this when they consider this item on March 4. 

I am not a utility regulator, but to me the judge’s position seems to be that the ACC cannot do anything about the proposed increase. This cynical position undermines the authority of the commission and suggests that rate cases are nothing more than performative. This cannot be right.     

The thing that is most disappointing is that the staff of the ACC admitted under oath during an earlier hearing that no member of staff even considered the impact this rate increase would have on the residents of Eloy. Something is terribly broken if the regulator charged with protecting ratepayers only considers the interests of the utility it regulates and flatly ignores the people. This isn’t just my opinion. In fact, for more than 100 years Arizona’s courts have repeatedly found that the regulator is required to make certain that rates are fair to both consumers and the utilities. In this case, staff admitted it never gave the ratepayers a single thought.     

Believe me, I understand how the government can get in the way of business in ways that are damaging, and I know the ACC has made great strides to make sure Arizona has thriving utilities that are financially sound and can make proper investments to support our infrastructure. Nevertheless, supporting a constructive regulatory environment for utilities is very different than just giving them whatever they want. 

It is important to keep in mind that my neighbors in Eloy and I are only facing this unprecedented increase because of the actions of the utility itself.  For 27 years, the utility never raised its rates. Not because we asked them not to, rather because the ownership group from the Robson family decided not raising rates was good for them. They were sophisticated and wealthy and managed the utility well. Then, in November of 2024, Robson sold control of our tiny utilities to a massive Dutch investment firm that touts over $230 billion in assets. 

It has become clear that this multinational investment firm purchased our utilities with the immediate goal of implementing a massive rate increase and proceeded from Day One as if it was an entitlement. Now, after 27 years without seeking a rate increase, the utility’s new ownership seeks 27 years of rate increases all at once. They have refused to make even a single concession that could help lower rates for customers. 

This massive foreign company bought this utility after performing due diligence. If they bought a company that required a 100% rate increase to make their investment work, that is their fault, and the ACC should not force the people of Eloy to subsidize Dutch investors so that they can make a speedy ROI.    

Luckily, it’s the corporation commissioners and not this judge that has the final say. Ignoring ratepayers isn’t fair and it isn’t right. The people of Eloy are willing to face a rate increase, but it must be fair, and doubling our rate simply isn’t right. 

Andrew Sutton is the mayor of Eloy.