Tom Chabin, Bill Mundell to Hold Kick-Off Press Conference
Thursday, Feb. 25 at 11am
Phoenix (Feb. 23, 2016) – Two widely respected, longstanding Arizona public servants, Tom Chabin and Bill Mundell, will kick off their race for seats on the Arizona Corporation Commission and begin their battles to restore integrity and conflict-free governance to the public body.
Media is encouraged to attend the press and public event Thursday, Feb. 25 at 11 a.m. at Grant Park, 701 S. Third Avenue in Phoenix.
“Arizona deserves better. As a former chair of the Commission, I know how important it is to have commissioners who are not beholden to the very utilities they’re elected to regulate,” said Mundell. “We will not take money from lobbyists, PACs or other special interests – that’s why we are running as Clean Elections candidates.”
“The words integrity and service are often overused in today’s political arena,” said Chabin. “But when it comes to the commission that ensures fairly priced electricity, clean water and safe access to natural gas, those words haven’t been considered often enough.”
The public servants are frustrated with the influence of dark money and special interests on the commission.
“We thought we had retired from politics,” added Chabin. “But we just can’t sit and watch what is happening at the Commission and not do something. It’s an outrage that through the use of ‘dark money’ one utility can literally buy its regulators. We are not for sale. Someone has to speak up for consumers.”
Chabin and Mundell have served the residents of Arizona for decades in a variety of roles, positions and appointments. Below are their brief biographies, and additional information is available at www.TomChabinforCorporationCommission.com and www.BillMundellforCorporationCommission.com.
Media contact: Stacy Pearson at 602-577-6888 or stacyp@strategies360.com.
Bill Mundell Biography
William A. Mundell came to Arizona from Illinois in 1968 with his parents. He graduated from Arizona State University with a B.A. in political science in 1974. He earned a law degree from St. Mary’s University in San Antonio, Texas in 1977.
Mr. Mundell has been in private practice as an attorney in Chandler, Arizona since 1977. He also served as Presiding Judge of the Chandler Municipal Court from 1980 to 1986 when he resigned as judge to run for the Arizona House of Representatives.
Mr. Mundell was first elected in 1986 and served as a member of the Arizona House of Representatives from 1987 to 1992. As chairman of the House Environment Committee, he sponsored numerous pieces of legislation protecting Arizona’s environment, including the state’s first recycling law and a law preventing Arizona from becoming the nation’s dumping ground for hazardous waste. During his tenure at the legislature, he was voted “One of Arizona’s Top 10 Legislators.”
Mr. Mundell’s past civic and community service memberships include vice president of public policy, Chandler Chamber of Commerce; vice president of Arizona Heritage Alliance; president of the Chandler Fraternal Order of Police Associates; chairman, the United Way, the East Valley Partnership; board of directors, Chandler Regional Hospital; the Lions Club; and the Salvation Army Advisory Board.
Governor Jane Hull appointed Mundell to the Arizona Corporation Commission in 1999. In 2000, he was elected to serve on the Commission completing his final term in 2008.
Governor Jan Brewer appointed Mundell as the Director of the Registrar of Contractors in February of 2009. He served as Director until February of 2015.
Mundell is married to Judge Barbara R. Mundell, and has two children, Meghan and Samantha.
Tom Chabin Biography
Tom Chabin currently lives in Tucson, has been an Arizona resident for over 44 years. He graduated from Northern Arizona University with a degree in American Studies in 1976.
The Coconino County Board of Supervisors appointed him to the legislature after Representative Ann Kirkpatrick resigned from the Legislature to run for Arizona’s 1st Congressional District. He was in the legislature from 2007-2012.
Mr. Chabin served two terms on the Coconino County Board of Supervisors, seven years on the Coconino County Planning and Zoning Commission and three years on the Tuba City Public School Board. Civic activities include coaching little league baseball and serving as a board member to numerous commissions, youth, church and community organizations, He and his late wife were licensed Foster Parents for six years.
Mr. Chabin is a widower to the late Delia Fernandez Chabin who was born in Douglas, Arizona and taught 20 years at Moenkopi Day School in Tuba City. He has one son, Rodrigo Santiago Chabin, who attends Pima Community College.