I am a non-incumbent candidate for the Arizona House of Representatives, Legislative District 16. I have served in the United States Air Force, on the City of Maricopa City Council (two terms), as the Director of Veterans Upward Bound at Arizona State University, as a Senior Advisor with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs as a presidential appointee and most recently as legislative liaison with the Arizona Department of Veterans Services (AZDVS) working with both Democrats & Republicans in both the Arizona House and Senate.
A few weeks ago, Arizona Clean Elections held a “debate” for all candidates, and the two incumbents failed to show up.
Last week, the Pinal County Supervisors held a meeting to approve the La Osa Data Center in Eloy, Arizona. I attended that meeting (and the prior meeting held in July), with a room full of community members & union groups opposed to or in favor of this project. I waited my turn to speak and oppose this project, while once again our “elected” representatives were not present.
Yesterday, I attended a “No Flock Cameras” rally outside the City of Maricopa City Hall before the scheduled City Council meeting. We had great conversations and everyone present expressed their opposition to these cameras. Many of us joined the “Call to the Public” portion of the City Council meeting to express our concerns and opposition to these cameras. Our two elected/incumbent Arizona House of Representatives were once again not present.
In my comments addressed to the Council, I delivered copies of four water bills: Global Water Resources, Arizona Water Company, Maricopa Consolidated Water Improvement District, and City of Chandler Utility Services. Before I delivered my comments, a councilmember and the Mayor praised Global Water Resources in their updates. At Call to the Public, Global Water Resources, Mr. Corwin mentioned “in Maricopa, we do not use Colorado River water; we use groundwater”. In providing my water bills, I wanted the City Council (and the public, these are now public records) to compare these bills since Global Water Resources requested yet another rate increase to our water. This is the same privately owned water company that was to be the water provider in the “failed” La Osa Data Center. In my opinion, this is corporate greed increasing our utility costs while depleting the one resource we need for human consumption and survival: water!
During this election cycle, I have been canvassing and traveling throughout the district, and water, our overinflated utility bills, data centers, and Flock cameras are all non-partisan issues our residents care deeply about. Once again, I ask you, where do our state (and city) representatives stand on these issues? You have my word: if elected, I will stand with our communities in opposing data centers and Flock cameras, fight against rising utility bills, and protect and conserve our water resources.
Julia Romero Gusse
Arizona House candidate
