Regulator wants to review tax break for Pinal utility facing bribery charges

by Howard Fischer | Casa Grande Dispatch

A state regulator is taking the first steps to possibly kill a special tax break that was pushed through years ago by a now-indicted member of the Arizona Corporation Commission.

In documents filed late Friday, Andy Tobin wants the current commission to tell affected companies, including a Pinal County utility, to immediately start putting the additional money they’re collecting from customers into an interest-bearing account. In the interim, he said regulators will review the policy change enacted at the behest of Gary Pierce.

One of the companies that benefits is Johnson Utilities, the manager of which the federal indictment handed up last month charges bribed Pierce to push for the change. Also indicted was Pierce’s wife who the indictment says was funneled more than $31,000 from George H. Johnson for minimal consulting work, and lobbyist Jim Norton who the indictment says acted as a go-between.

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