Proposition 127 will pay for clean energy on the backs of students

Proposition 127 should be called the Cuts to Public Education initiative.

This is the ballot proposal to mandate Arizona public utilities get at least half their power from renewable sources by 2030, “irrespective of cost to consumers.” No surprise, virtually every independent analysis has found this initiative would significantly increase the price of electricity.

When you’re talking about a public university system comprising approximately 28 million square feet of classrooms, research labs, dormitories and other space, these added costs for heating and cooling add up to millions of dollars.

For Arizona’s public university system alone, these expenses under Prop. 127 are projected to total more than $350 million between now and 2030, according to estimates provided by the public utilities serving campuses across metro Phoenix, Flagstaff and Tucson. As a taxpayer, business owner, mother with children in our school system and member of the Arizona Board of Regents (speaking for myself), this is an enormous concern.

Arizona State University, Northern Arizona University and the University of Arizona don’t have the ability to simply absorb these increased overhead costs. If voters approve Prop. 127, our universities will be forced to make up the difference by either cutting student services or increasing tuition.

Ironically, the Yes on 127 campaign and its chief funder — a Super PAC known as NextGen Climate Action — have been extremely active on Arizona college campuses in recent months. While it’s wonderful to register young people to vote and encourage them to be politically active this fall, I suspect students aren’t being warned Prop 127 may negatively impact their programs and tuition rates.

The cost impact of Prop 127 isn’t limited to our public universities, though.

K-12 public schools range across approximately 130 million square feet statewide. Prop. 127 is forecast to cost Arizona public schools more than $300 million additional for heating and cooling between now and 2030. Think about what that number represents — $25 million each and every year that could be spent improving teacher pay and making other critical classroom investments, but instead will be paid toward increased utility expenses if Prop. 127 becomes law.

The story is much the same for public community colleges. The added costs under Prop. 127 total at least $35 million over the next 12 years.

Across Arizona’s system of public education — including K-12 schools, community colleges and universities — projected additional heating/cooling costs under Prop. 127 total nearly $700 million between now and 2030.

At a time when public education is on the mind of virtually every Arizona voter, and when there is a growing consensus that we need sustainable funding resources for education, the last thing we should do is increase overhead costs. Prop. 127 would divert precious dollars away from student learning. This makes no sense.

It’s time to sound the alarm on Proposition 127. Arizona public schools and universities can’t afford it.

Karrin Taylor Robson is a native Arizonan, attorney and business leader. She was appointed to the Arizona Board of Regents in 2017. Reach her at ktaylor@arizonastrategies.com; on Twitter, @KTaylorRobson.