SCTA remains steadfast as fire flow rate hike foe

The president of the Sun City Taxpayers Association defended the organization Tuesday from criticism leveled against it by fire officials who said the SCTA and other organizations are standing in the way of necessary safety improvements in the Sun City fire district.

"They seem to think we are operating outside our scope," Marv Worthen said at the SCTA's regular meeting.

Last week, several officials from the Sun City Fire District said the SCTA, Recreation Centers of Sun City and the Sun City Home Owners Association were taking "pot shots" at the district for trying to add more hydrants and improved pipelines to the water system that includes Youngtown, part of Sun City and a small portion of Peoria.

The Arizona Corporation Commission is considering the fire flow rate case, which revolves primarily around the necessity of the project and how it should be financed.

Fire board chairman Irvin Mitchell indicated last week that all of the organizations involved have their own areas of expertise and that's what each organization should focus upon.

Worthen rejected that argument.

"The RCSC is only supposed to worry about whether we are having fun, SCHOA and the condo association are only supposed to worry about if our yards look nice and we (the SCTA) are only supposed to worry about keeping taxes down. I don't agree with that," he said. "I think these organizations are working together, as they should, to make life for Sun City residents as enjoyable and affordable as possible. And opposing the fire flow case is part of that."

Guest speakers from the Residential Utility Consumer Office were at Tuesday's meeting and encouraged the SCTA and its members to keep the pressure on.

Dan Pozefsky, an attorney for RUCO who is representing the residents in the fire flow case, said he was happy to see how many residents showed up to the initial ACC hearing in January.

"It's a very good thing when individuals come to make their voices heard in cases like this," Pozefsky said. "So often, you hear people getting really upset, but only after the hearing is over and they read about the results. Essentially, by the time they are interested and ready to get angry about it, the horse is already out of the barn. Obviously, this makes it much less likely that they will achieve the result they are looking for."

The SCTA will be busing residents to the ACC next hearing on May 6, a plan Pozefsky said will likely pay dividends.

"I can tell you that residents, especially a lot of them, will have much more of an impression on the commissioners than lawyers who are there as mouthpieces for the company they represent," Pozefsky said. "That's nothing against the lawyers, because we serve an important role, but having a room full of residents speak is very valuable."

With all the criticism that has been traded between those who oppose the fire flow improvements and those who support it, Pozefsky felt the need to clarify RUCO's position.

"We are not completely opposed to the improvements themselves, just how they are planning to pay for them," Pozefsky said. "It is our opinion that the recovery mechanism proposed by the water company will set a bad precedent for future similar cases. Our argument is primarily about how they want to pay for this, not about the necessity of the project, though at this time we do feel it is a discretionary project."

After Pozefsky was finished with his presentation, Tracy Spoon, executive director for the SCTA, encouraged residents to sign up and be a part of the hearing on May 6.

"We can go down there and we can make a stink," Spoon said. "We can make a stink, and hopefully we can have an impact."