My husband and I have gotten used to living in the dark. We abide by a strict “one light at a time rule” in our home to keep our energy bills down. I rely on an oxygen machine to breathe, and my husband needs a CPAP machine and a heart monitor. These devices are critical to our survival and require a lot of power. To balance those needs, we restrict our energy uses elsewhere.

I was born and raised in Yuma, and my husband and I have lived here for 13 years. Arizona is our home and lately, our home here has been dark and cold. Even though we’ve been cutting back, our electricity bill was $567 last month. 

To make a bad situation worse, Arizona Public Service wants to raise our electricity rates by 14% this year. Under those rates, our bill last month would have been almost $650. My husband and I have a combined income of about $4,000 per month. When we factor in the cost of rent, gas, food and other necessities, there’s nothing left to cover APS’ proposed increase. 

My parents taught me that if I wanted to support myself and a family, I had to get up every morning and go to work. I’ve done just that throughout my life. I worked as a medical specialist that helps people, often children and seniors, access care. My job was to make sure folks were able to get what they needed to survive. Now that I need the support, there is no support out there for me and other seniors.

Already, I’ve fallen behind on my APS bill. I’ve had to skip payments in the past in order to pay for food and water for my husband and me. Last month, I paid APS a total of $900, which left 35 cents in my bank account. I had hoped my husband and I would be able to go out to dinner or do an activity to celebrate our anniversary, but we were not able to afford it. 

I’m drowning in late notices from APS, our credit cards and the hospital. Recently, everything is so expensive, and it feels impossible to keep up. It’s a struggle to put food on the table every day. I don’t understand how it got to this point. My husband and I have both worked our whole lives. We saved money. We utilized resources like WorkMoney, which helps people lower their monthly costs. We’ve played by the rules, and right now, it feels like billionaires, CEOs and politicians are not holding up their end of the bargain. What happened to the promises of the American dream?

APS’ parent company, Pinnacle West, made $600 million in 2024. The CEO of APS makes over $3 million a year. APS has already raised its rates twice in the past four years, by 8% in 2022 and 8% again in 2024. This is not a struggling company trying to keep up with the cost of business. It is a company asking Arizonans to sacrifice more food, fall behind on more bills and give more of our hard-earned money to boost their profits. 

Fortunately, Arizonans have an opportunity to fight back and speak up against the proposed rate increase. In May, the Arizona Corporation Commission will hold a public hearing where we can demand the commissioners stop the 2026 rate hike. I shared my story at a hearing in February, and APS customers across Arizona are doing the same. Just by attending a hearing or submitting a public comment online, we can make a real difference. 

I’m sure very few of us can afford the proposed rate increase. It is an added burden for Arizona families at a time when we are already struggling. I’m tired of living in the dark. That is why I am calling on the Arizona Corporation Commission to stand with the hardworking people of Arizona and oppose APS’s 14% rate hike. 

Ruthey Phillips is a long-time Yuma resident.