The callous public official responsible for regulating APS
In talking about the state of my mother’s health, I alluded to how Arizona Corporation Commissioner Nick Myers — whose job is supposed to be holding companies like Arizona Public Service accountable — insulted my mother on Twitter. My brother Adam picked up the thread later, resulting in …
A very illuminating exchange.
Stacey Champion
Wondering when <@CorpCommAZ> is going to publicly address that one of your regulated utilities turned off another senior woman’s power in dangerous temps who died. Hope you have questions.
Nick Meyers
We did address it and trust me, I'm sure the family doesn't want made public what we found. This is another case where the utility did above and beyond what they needed to, and more importantly the shutting off of power for non payment was NOT the cause of death.
Adam Korman
Before asking people to trust you about what “the family” wants, you might consider talking to us. My mom may not have been in good health, but she wouldn't have died when she did in the way she did if the power had not been cut off.
Myers
So you are really going to come after us, who have no control over the situation, when you failed to protect your own mother, even though there were multiple tools in place for you to use for that exact purpose?
Adam
When you say you “have no control” … isn’t regulating APS literally the ACC’s job? Instead of victim blaming, maybe focus on why the tools that are in place failed in this case and what could be done differently to prevent future tragedies.
Blaming my mom for not using the available tools is a (cruel) distraction. Arizona Public Service <@apsFYI> cut her power when temps were around 100º which they KNOW kills people. You aren’t powerless — you could insist that utilities not be allowed to do that and you would save lives.
Myers
I’m not just blaming your mom, I’m more blaming you for not looking out for your elderly mom. I refuse to tell utilities that they have to provide power to people that do not pay their bills. To be honest, I’m not even happy about many of the programs that they have in place to help, but I understand the need for them. The only problem is the customer, and their family, have to actually reach out to take advantage of those programs. Again, I am sorry for your loss, but you have to take responsibility here. This is not a problem that the rest of society should shoulder.
Adam
What a weird & vile thing to say. I can’t go back in time to save my mom, but you are in a position to prevent more deaths. Now it’s clear why you won’t do that — you think she deserved to die. I feel sad for you and the people of Arizona you represent.
Myers
There was no need to actually travel back to your mom to save her if the electricity was the problem. But by saying this you admit they she passed from other reasons, just as the medical report said. This has been my point all along, and hence the reason we should not be mandating the utilities to do anything more.
Adam
Not surprisingly, you are lying and missing the point. She would not have died when she did in the way she did if APS hadn't cut her power during 100º weather. You have the power to prevent similar deaths in the future, except you believe people like my mom deserve to die.
Myers
I’m the only honest one in this conversation … Including the fact that I never once said that she deserved to die, and I never will. Just because I think responsibility should stay with the APPROPRIATE people, doesn't mean anyone “deserves to die” as you so wrongly put it.
Adam
She died in part because the power was cut... when you said she was to blame (and me too!) for this, how is that different than saying she got what she deserved? Just own what you said & believe!
Myers
That is a huge, dishonest, and disgusting twist of words and you should be ashamed of yourself. Just because I said the responsibility lies on yours and your mom's shoulders, does not, IN ANY WAY, imply she deserved it or even that I said she deserved it. Shame on you.
Champion
You are literally in charge of REGULATING our MONOPOLY UTILITIES.
Myers
And there is nothing more that needs done … And quite possibly the opposite. If you don’t like it, run against me and if you can win, YOU can regulate the utilities.
Another fork in this Twitter exchange:
Adam
When you say you “have no control” … isn’t regulating APS literally the ACC's job? Instead of victim blaming, maybe focus on why the tools that are in place failed in this case and what could be done differently to prevent future tragedies.
Myers
The tools cannot fail if they are not used. In this case. None of the tools were used. I'm sorry this happened to you and your family, but there isn't much more that can or should be done with regards to the utility. There are many protections put in place already, but if the customers don't use them there's not much that can be done.
Champion
Ummm… Not giving the utilities the choice of temp-based vs. date-based would be a great starting point, along with making the rural electric co-ops follow the disconnect rules too.
Myers
Nope, that's bad policy and I will not support it. What is currently in place is actually expected to do be causing more problems than it solves, I'm not going to support strengthening already bad policy. Furthermore, I'm currently working with AZPIRG to quantify the problem and see if we can make changes to make it better, but I'm definitely NOT going to make things worse.
Champion
So who exactly is taking part in these meetings and when / where are they happening?
Myers
Sorry, you are not invited.
Champion
The question is who is invited? Because these are Rules in case you were unaware.
Myers
And if it is determined we need to change the rules, then you can participate.
Jonathan Korman (me)
I’m curious — what are the problems created by the policy which was inadequate to keep my mother alive?
Myers
I’m glad you asked. I don’t feel it is a utilities responsibility to keep everyone alive. They are not doctors. Also, it is impractical to cover all situations. We are already at a point where the policies we have in place are causing massive debt within our lower income communities (an unintended consequence of those policies) and therefore I believe, and am attempting to verify, that the mental stress is actually CAUSING more deaths than they are saving (by way if suicides increasing). Furthermore, much of that debt, millions of dollars of it actually, are ultimately being transferred back to the rest of the customers, increasing bills, which is actually exacerbating the underlying problem of people not being able to pay their bills. In a nutshell, at some point people (and their families, and possibly their communities, like churches) should be responsible, it shouldn't all fall on utilities and the ratepayers of utilities. It’s ultimately an unsustainable catch-22, and we are possibly seeing that we are at that cusp right now. Add I told your brother, I truly am sorry for your loss. Furthermore, none of this is meant to minimize her death, it's just the reality of the situation. Again, thank you for asking.
Myers is a piece of work.
Me
Gobsmacked to see one of the people responsible for regulating the power company which killed my mother blaming me and my brother for her death
Myers
Alcoholism killed your mother, heat may have been a contributing factor, but the utility did go above and beyond what we require. There really is no more practical methods that can be implemented at this point.
Me
Managing what utilities are required to do is your day job, yes? Since what you require let them kill my mother, I think you should require more.
[⋯]
Myers
This is exactly the issue. It's never enough. People have died when it was 80 degrees. Should they just never cut off anyone's power, regardless of if they pay? If we make that a mandate, no one will pay and the utility will collapse. We have to look out for EVERYONE!
Me
Again I ask: Isn’t coming up with effective regulatory solutions which protect people your day job?
Myers
And we did. She, and her family chose not to implement them. Nothing we can do about that.
Me
You’re saying I chose to let my mother die?
Another revealing exchange
Champion
Is there a public health expert or coroner who can possibly explain to a dense Corporation Commissioner how turning off an 82 year old woman’s electricity in triple digit temps could (and did) contribute to her death? We don’t seem to be getting through …
Myers
Contribute != Cause. Why are you now backtracking? [for non-nerds reading, “!=” means “not equal to”]
Champion
Dude. Try reading words. Because you are failing.
Screencap of the Medical Examiner’s report on my mother’s death
CAUSE OF DEATH: Complications of chronic ethanolism
CONTRIBUTORY CAUSE OF DEATH: Artherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, environmental heat stress
MANNER OF DEATH: Accident
HOW INJURY OCCURRED: Exposure to elevated temperatures
Myers
Dude, here, I fixed it for you. Try reading the correct words.
A heavier red circle around “CAUSE OF DEATH: Complications of chronic ethanolism”
Champion
Again, you are seemingly too dense to understand how heat plays a role in killing people - hence it being called the “silent killer.” These are all examples of indoor heat deaths. Maybe the pictures can help you understand better?
Screencaps of multiple Medical Examiners’ reports, all indicating death by heat exposure as a “contributory cause” and “how injury occurred” without naming it as “cause of death”
Myers
And you are too dishonest to admit that you are now changing your narrative. Yes, it likely was a contributing factor but it was not the cause as you have been arguing prior to now.
Champion
I’ve been saying the same thing over and over that everyone can literally go read for themselves. You’re a nutter.
Myers
I'm not the nutter in this conversation.
