Things are heating up over the Arizona law!

[Widespread Panic]

FOXNews.com - Arizona Official Threatens to Cut Off Los Angeles Power as Payback for Boycott

If Los Angeles wants to boycott Arizona, it had better get used to reading by candlelight.

That's the message from a member of Arizona's top government utilities agency, who threw down the gauntlet Tuesday in a letter to Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa by threatening to cut off the city's power supply as retribution.

Gary Pierce, a commissioner on the five-member Arizona Corporation Commission, wrote the letter in response to the Los Angeles City Council's decision last week to boycott the Grand Canyon State -- in protest of its immigration law -- by suspending official travel there and ending future contracts with state businesses.

Noting that a quarter of Los Angeles' electricity comes from Arizona power plants, Pierce threatened to pull the plug if the City Council does not reconsider.

"Doggone it -- if you're going to boycott this candy store ... then don't come in for any of it," Pierce told FoxNews.com.

In the letter, he ridiculed Villaraigosa for saying that the point of the boycott was to "send a message" by severing the "resources and ties" they share.

"I received your message; please receive mine. As a statewide elected member of the Arizona Corporation Commission overseeing Arizona's electric and water utilities, I too am keenly aware of the 'resources and ties' we share with the city of Los Angeles," Pierce wrote.

"If an economic boycott is truly what you desire, I will be happy to encourage Arizona utilities to renegotiate your power agreements so Los Angeles no longer receives any power from Arizona-based generation."

Appearing to tap into local frustration in Arizona over the raft of boycotts and threatened boycotts from cities across the country, including Los Angeles, Pierce warned that Arizona companies are willing and ready to fight boycott with boycott.

"I am confident that Arizona's utilities would be happy to take those electrons off your hands," Pierce wrote. "If, however, you find that the City Council lacks the strength of its convictions to turn off the lights in Los Angeles and boycott Arizona power, please reconsider the wisdom of attempting to harm Arizona's economy."

Pierce told FoxNews.com that he was speaking for himself, not the entire commission, though he has the support of at least one other member. But Arizona has some serious leverage over Los Angeles, as well as the rest of California. The state and city get electricity from a nuclear power plant outside Phoenix, as well as from coal-fired power plants in northern Arizona and two giant hydroelectric power generators along the Colorado River.

Despite that, the Los Angeles City Council voted overwhelmingly last week to ban future business with Arizona -- a decision that could cost Arizona millions of dollars in lost contracts.

Los Angeles officials were furious with the Arizona immigration law passed last month and joined local officials in cities across the country in pushing boycotts to register their dismay. Critics say the law will lead to racial profiling and civil rights abuses.

Arizona officials have defended the law, saying the state needed to take its illegal immigration problem into its own hands. Pierce said he's "supportive" of the state's efforts to control the border.

The law requires local law enforcement to try to verify the immigration status of anyone they have contact with whom they suspect of being an illegal immigrant. It empowers them to turn over verified illegal immigrants to federal custody. The legislation explicitly prohibits screening people based solely on race or national origin.

[Steve R Jones]

Its a GREAT IDEA...But unless aunt Martha who living off life support agrees to the boycott - I wouldn't pull the plug and kill her.

[sharder8]

Those boycotting should have expected this as a possibility. LA now has the time to get Aunt Martha's life support onto a suitable backup or un-effected power source.


Harder

[MTAtech]

I think it's funny that AZ wants sympathy and threatens to cut off power to hospitals, the military and police to get that sympathy.

I also think that there are constitutional issues (Article I, section 10) which prohibit "Law impairing the Obligation of Contracts," since CA must have contracts governing power.

Then there is the practical matter of the power plants getting an immediate reduction in revenue that would need to be made up by selling power elsewhere. They may sell it on the grid and CA will then buy it from Utah who bought it from AZ.

[mad1]

FOXNews.com - Arizona Official Threatens to Cut Off Los Angeles Power as Payback for Boycott

If Los Angeles wants to boycott Arizona, it had better get used to reading by candlelight.

That's the message from a member of Arizona's top government utilities agency, who threw down the gauntlet Tuesday in a letter to Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa by threatening to cut off the city's power supply as retribution.

Gary Pierce, a commissioner on the five-member Arizona Corporation Commission, wrote the letter in response to the Los Angeles City Council's decision last week to boycott the Grand Canyon State -- in protest of its immigration law -- by suspending official travel there and ending future contracts with state businesses.

Noting that a quarter of Los Angeles' electricity comes from Arizona power plants, Pierce threatened to pull the plug if the City Council does not reconsider.

"Doggone it -- if you're going to boycott this candy store ... then don't come in for any of it," Pierce told FoxNews.com.

In the letter, he ridiculed Villaraigosa for saying that the point of the boycott was to "send a message" by severing the "resources and ties" they share.

"I received your message; please receive mine. As a statewide elected member of the Arizona Corporation Commission overseeing Arizona's electric and water utilities, I too am keenly aware of the 'resources and ties' we share with the city of Los Angeles," Pierce wrote.

"If an economic boycott is truly what you desire, I will be happy to encourage Arizona utilities to renegotiate your power agreements so Los Angeles no longer receives any power from Arizona-based generation."

Appearing to tap into local frustration in Arizona over the raft of boycotts and threatened boycotts from cities across the country, including Los Angeles, Pierce warned that Arizona companies are willing and ready to fight boycott with boycott.

"I am confident that Arizona's utilities would be happy to take those electrons off your hands," Pierce wrote. "If, however, you find that the City Council lacks the strength of its convictions to turn off the lights in Los Angeles and boycott Arizona power, please reconsider the wisdom of attempting to harm Arizona's economy."

Pierce told FoxNews.com that he was speaking for himself, not the entire commission, though he has the support of at least one other member. But Arizona has some serious leverage over Los Angeles, as well as the rest of California. The state and city get electricity from a nuclear power plant outside Phoenix, as well as from coal-fired power plants in northern Arizona and two giant hydroelectric power generators along the Colorado River.

Despite that, the Los Angeles City Council voted overwhelmingly last week to ban future business with Arizona -- a decision that could cost Arizona millions of dollars in lost contracts.

Los Angeles officials were furious with the Arizona immigration law passed last month and joined local officials in cities across the country in pushing boycotts to register their dismay. Critics say the law will lead to racial profiling and civil rights abuses.

Arizona officials have defended the law, saying the state needed to take its illegal immigration problem into its own hands. Pierce said he's "supportive" of the state's efforts to control the border.

The law requires local law enforcement to try to verify the immigration status of anyone they have contact with whom they suspect of being an illegal immigrant. It empowers them to turn over verified illegal immigrants to federal custody. The legislation explicitly prohibits screening people based solely on race or national origin.

The bright minds in California really thought this one thru? Arizona residents have been canceling trips planned for Californian.

Do You Agree With Arizona's Threats to Pull Plug on L.A.?
FOXNews.com - Do You Agree With Arizona's Threats to Pull Plug on L.A.?

http://www.foxnews.com/projects/pdf/...arizonapdf.pdf

[Widespread Panic]

I think it's funny that AZ wants sympathy and threatens to cut off power to hospitals, the military and police to get that sympathy.

I don't see anything in that article that eludes to this. It seems to me that this is a consequence to the LA council's decision to try and hurt the AZ economy.

Care to elaborate?

Wow, just saw that poll. 93% of 76,000 votes agree with AZ's response to L.A. council.

[MTAtech]

Care to elaborate?

If AZ cuts off power to CA, CA's hospitals, police and U.S. military will be cut off too.

Where did you see this poll?

[mad1]

If AZ cuts off power to CA, CA's hospitals, police and U.S. military will be cut off too.

Where did you see this poll?

Things are heating up over the Arizona law!

[Widespread Panic]

If AZ cuts off power to CA, CA's hospitals, police and U.S. military will be cut off too.

Where did you see this poll?

I was referring to the sympathy part. Is that just your opinion that AZ is seeking sympathy? I see it as fighting fire with fire. Or, is AZ just supposed to roll over and not stick up for itself?

[sharder8]

If AZ cuts off power to CA, CA's hospitals, police and U.S. military will be cut off too.

Where did you see this poll?

I'm not too worried about any of those MTA . . . military bases tend to be self sufficient or are capable of it. Hospitals and police have back up systems as well. Plus, power can be routed from other sources to those facilities.

California is dependent on other states for many things, like power, and refuses to correct that problem to begin with.


Harder

[SiliconJon]

Well, with current PDD's any dictator in chief can stop this if they choose.

Will it even result in blackouts? Or will CA just have to get it's power elsewhere - doing nothing more than shift who buys from where, and maybe up the price a bit?

[sharder8]

I know CA buys a lot of electricity from AZ, NV, UT, and OR . . .

There's a push in OR on the immigration problem as well . . . maybe CA would be better minding their own problems, rather than telling other states how to handle theirs.


Harder

[tony_j15]

I think it's funny that AZ wants sympathy and threatens to cut off power to hospitals, the military and police to get that sympathy.

I also think that there are constitutional issues (Article I, section 10) which prohibit "Law impairing the Obligation of Contracts," since CA must have contracts governing power.

Then there is the practical matter of the power plants getting an immediate reduction in revenue that would need to be made up by selling power elsewhere. They may sell it on the grid and CA will then buy it from Utah who bought it from AZ.

I don't see Arizona requesting sympathy. They are angry and happy with their decision. There is a very large constitutional question here, but it does go both ways. I think this will most likely not go past people writing nasty letters back and forth. There's too much at stake on both sides to adequately affect a boycott.

[Toadman]

Mind you it was the Los Angeles City Council members who voted on the boycott, not at the state level. Tony's right, there's too much at stake. It only hurts the citizens.

[pickel]

Cut them off for about an hour and let them sweat.

[HMMurdock]

I think it's funny that AZ wants sympathy and threatens to cut off power to hospitals, the military and police to get that sympathy.

I also think that there are constitutional issues (Article I, section 10) which prohibit "Law impairing the Obligation of Contracts," since CA must have contracts governing power.

Then there is the practical matter of the power plants getting an immediate reduction in revenue that would need to be made up by selling power elsewhere. They may sell it on the grid and CA will then buy it from Utah who bought it from AZ.

The LA government should have thought of the "hospitals, military and police" before issuing their boycott stupidity. It's not Arizona's fault. I say cut the bastards off now.

[HMMurdock]

I know CA buys a lot of electricity from AZ, NV, UT, and OR . . .

There's a push in OR on the immigration problem as well . . . maybe CA would be better minding their own problems, rather than telling other states how to handle theirs.


Harder

Isn't California whining about being basically bankrupt? They really need to get their own house in order and maybe start with an immigration law of their own...

[MTAtech]

The LA government should have thought of the "hospitals, military and police" before issuing their boycott stupidity. It's not Arizona's fault. I say cut the bastards off now.

Let me dwell on your reasoning: California should have anticipated that Arizona would have responded by using the unprecedented act of denying power to another state and planned a contingency.

[HMMurdock]

Let me dwell on your reasoning: California should have anticipated that Arizona would have responded by using the unprecedented act of denying power to another state and planned a contingency.

LA should have realized if they boycott AZ, AZ could and should boycott them.

Nice try MTA, and usually I agree you...

[Steve R Jones]

L.A. mayor says Arizona 'isolating itself' from rest of America, rejects idea of power cutoff | L.A. NOW | Los Angeles Times

The head of the Department of Water and Power said Wednesday that the Arizona boycott would not affect the city’s utilities because the agency is a part owner of both Arizona power plants that supply electricity to Los Angeles.