Page 8 October 2016 3641 N. 56th Street, Phoenix • 480-945-9537 • www.popphoenix.org Northeast corner of 56th St. and Indian School Worship and Children’s Sunday School Sundays at 9:30 a.m. Discover God’s Love for you this fall at Prince of Peace Join us for TRUNK OR TREAT at POP Preschool Family friendly community event Friday, October 28th, 6-8 p.m. Trunk or Treating, Music, Food Trucks, Photobooth! Wear your costumes and come have some spooky fun! Save the date: Craft Bazaar, November 19. By Michelle Donati-Grayman Don’t let All Hallows’ Eve haunt you this year by following AAA Arizona’s advice to have a safe Halloween. “It’s easy for trick-or-treaters to become distracted by the excitement of the night,” said Cristy Robinson, community relations specialist for AAA Arizona. Parents can keep their ghouls and goblins safe with the following tips: Trick or treat together – Parents should accompany young trick-or-treaters. Map out the route ahead of time and be sure to use traffic signals and cross only at street corners or crosswalks. Stay visible – Have each child carry or wear something lit, such as a flashlight, glow stick or reflective tape in order to enhance visibility. Be costume smart – Avoid costumes that drag and carry flexible props. Long costumes can pose a tripping hazard. Props such as swords and knives should be carried in a way that will not pose an injury hazard in the event of a fall. In addition, AAA urges drivers to take the following precautions to keep roads safe this Halloween: Turn your lights on – Turn on your car’s headlights earlier in the day to increase visibility on the road. Drive slowly in residential areas and watch out for costumed kids that may be crossing streets or darting out from between parked cars. Buckle up – If you’re driving trick-or- treaters, always use appropriate restraints and child seats. Don’t make exceptions for large or bulky costumes. Also, have children exit and enter on the passenger side of the vehicle. Keep watch – Look for kids walking on streets, driveways, medians and curbs. Excited trick-or-treaters may have reduced visibility, may not pay attention to traffic and may cross mid-block or between parked cars. Avoid distractions – Refrain from text messaging and making phone calls, in order to keep 100 percent of your focus on safe driving. Celebrate responsibly – Nearly 40 percent of fatal crashes on Halloween night involve a drunk driver. Celebrate responsibly by planning ahead to have a safe ride home. “Following these basic steps can take some of the fright out of Halloween night,” Robinson said. “Stay safe this Halloween by using extra caution and celebrating responsibly.” Safety tips for Halloween

Page 9 October 2016 Serving the Arcadia area since 1958          Find us on Facebook! Member Since 1959      •  •    •    •    •         www.ingleside.com ALL NEW GROOMING CLIENTS WILL RECEIVE 25% OFF THEIR FIRST GROOM! Current clients will receive 25% off 1 grooming for a referral! BRIAN A. SERBIN, DVM • RACHEL BART, DVM KATIE CHILES, DVM • KATHERINE HEWITT, DVM • TALI TONCRAY, DVM HOSPITAL 602-840-3446 | GROOMING 602-952-1754 Hospital and Grooming OPEN 7 days a week p a i d a d v e r t i s e m e n t By Jennifer A. Cranston The Arizona Corporation Commission is charged with the constitutional authority and obligation to regulate public utilities. In August, the Arizona Supreme Court issued a decision confirming the broad discretion that the Commission holds in carrying out one of its most impor tant regulator y functions – setting utility rates. In RUCO v. Ariz. Corp. Commission , the Residential Utility Consumer Office (RUCO, a state agency responsible for representing the interests of residential utility ratepayers) challenged the Commission’s approval of a mechanism that allowed a water company to adjust its rates between rate cases. RUCO objected to the adjustment mechanism because it would allow the utility to charge higher rates without the kind of detailed analysis that the Commission typically employs to set rates in a full rate case. A full rate case, as the Court explained, is the procedure used by the Commission to evaluate a utility’s operations and finances and determine what rates are just and reasonable. The Commission considers a variety of rate-related factors in a rate case, including the value of the company’s property and its reasonable operating expenses. As the Court acknowledged, rate cases can be complex, litigious and time consuming, which is why utilities favor mechanisms that allow rate adjustments between full rate cases. Based on prior appellate court decisions, RUCO argued that rate adjustments between rate cases are only permissible under very limited circumstances, specifically in response to emergencies or to account for price fluctuations in a narrow category of operating expenses. Accordingly, RUCO claimed that the Commission’s approval of the water company’s adjustment mechanism was improper because it allowed annual rate increases based on infrastructure projects completed between rate cases. According to RUCO, such an increase should only be considered in the context of a rate case, where the Commission can evaluate whether the new rates are truly reasonable in light of all relevant and up- to-date information. The Arizona Supreme Court disagreed with RUCO’s analysis and confirmed the Commission’s broad discretion in setting utility rates, including discretion to authorize rate adjustments between full rate cases. In the context of monopoly, for-profit utilities (like the water company at issue in the lawsuit), the Court held that the Commission could authorize rate adjustments between rate cases based on updated or summary financial information. The Court’s ruling emphasizes the significance of the Corporation Commission to both utility companies and ratepayers. And the timing of the decision is a good reminder of the important role that voters play in electing the individual Commissioners who ultimately exercise this broad discretion in setting utility rates. In the upcoming November election, voters will have the opportunity to elect three of the five Commissioner positions. — Jennifer A. Cranston is a shareholder at Gallagher & Kennedy. For more information about Ms. Cranston, visit gknet.com. AZ Supreme Court rules on broad discretion in utility rates LEGAL EASE