By Linda Kor The City of Holbrook and the Town of Snowflake may be in hot water after making resolutions in council meetings in opposition to Proposition 127, the NextGen Climate Action ballot measure that was on the ballot and, if passed, would require that half of Arizona’s energy comes from renewable sources like solar and wind by 2030. The concern expressed by the councils was that if measure should pass, utility bills could double for residents, municipalities and schools, placing an additional burden upon residents. Ken Clark, a Democratic lawmaker representing District 24 that encompasses much of Phoenix and east to Scottsdale and who lost his seat in the August primary, is asking the Arizona Attorney General to investigate whether these towns, as well as Pinetop-Lakeside, and Navajo, Greenlee and Gila counties violated state statute by approving resolutions that may have influenced voters. The Town of Snowflake has already received a notification from the Arizona Attorney General’s office that a complaint was received alleging violation of A.R.S. 9-500.14, which states that it is against the law to use public resources to influence an election, which includes supporting or opposing a ballot measure, question or proposition. More specifically the statute states that, among other things, a city or town shall not spend or use its resources, including the use of facilities and telecommunications, buildings or any other thing of value of the city or town, for the purpose of influencing the outcomes of an election. The Snowflake Council passed a resolution on June 5 in opposition to the NextGen Climate Action and the Holbrook Council passed a similar resolution on Oct. 9. On May 8, Navajo County Board of Supervisors also passed a resolution in opposition to the NextGen Climate Action but amended the resolution on Oct. 9 to “clarify” the board’s intent was only to educate voters. The letter also notes that such a violation would be a serious matter and violators may be assessed a civil penalty of up to $5,000. The Attorney General’s Office requested to know the reasons why the city’s actions should not be considered a violation of the statute, and requested copies of the resolution and the names of those involved. It is noted in the statute that it is permissible for city employees or council members to provide information on proposed measures, but not to take a side on them. As of press time the City of Holbrook had received no notification from the Arizona Attorney General. A message requesting comment from the Town of Snowflake was not responded to as of press time.
