A corporate PAC endorsed a candidate for SRP Vice President on the same website where his company is listed as a donor. The PAC's footer says it is "not authorized by any candidate." This is how it works.
Updated March 9, 2026: Phoenix New Times reports AZFRG has raised $219,000 to date, up from the $172,001 filed through December 31, 2025. Google has pulled its $25,000 contribution and demanded its name be removed. Turning Point USA's COO states the organization has "injected millions of dollars of capital" into the SRP elections.[53]
Arizonans for Responsible Growth (AZFRG), a political action committee chaired by a Willmeng Construction executive, has raised $219,000+ to date (per Phoenix New Times, March 9, 2026[53]; campaign finance filings through December 31, 2025 showed $172,001, committee ID 101777[35]). AZFRG's website displays 15 business donors across tiered sponsorship levels - all with substantial interests in SRP's service territory, many holding direct contracts, energy agreements, or development work tied to SRP.[1][2][3] Campaign finance filings also show individual contributors, including AZFRG's chairman, though the website displays only corporate logos.[35]
AZFRG's srp-election page explicitly endorses approximately 20 candidates across seven districts, including a full slate for President, Vice President, and both at-large board seats - a broad, coordinated effort spanning top offices and district races.[6]
One endorsed candidate - Barry Paceley, running for SRP Vice President - is the president and owner of Paceley Constructors, Inc., which appears on the same website's supporters page as an AZFRG donor. The PAC's legally required footer states it is "Not authorized by any candidate or candidate's agent." His company's name appears on the donor list. His name appears on the endorsement list. Both are on azforrg.com.[1][5][6]
AZFRG's top contributor, Willmeng Construction ($52,551 filed), has held over $3.15 million in SRP contracts since 2011 - and Willmeng's own VP of Economic Development, Jimmy Lindblom, founded AZFRG and serves as its Chairman.[4][14][35]
The Salt River Project is not a typical utility. Only property owners can vote. For most seats, voting power is proportional to acreage - one acre, one vote. Approximately 49% of SRP ratepayers cannot vote at all, including all renters.[32][33] The four at-large District board seats use one-landowner, one-vote. Election Day is April 7, 2026; early voting ballots were mailed March 11.[34]
This means a well-funded campaign by commercial landowners and developers carries disproportionate weight in an already restricted electorate.
Arizonans for Responsible Growth was founded in 2025 by Jimmy Lindblom, Vice President of Economic Development & Infrastructure at Willmeng Construction, Inc.[11][12] The Arizona Capitol Times first identified Lindblom as the creator, reporting in August 2025 that AZFRG was "a new PAC started by construction executive Jimmy Lindblom" that was "already building a slate of candidates" for the SRP elections.[13] In September 2025, Axios Phoenix confirmed Lindblom "runs the PAC," quoting him saying the group would work to elect candidates "who understand how important utilities are to keep things moving economically."[10]
Lindblom holds the title of Chairman of AZFRG. A press release on AZFRG's own website identifies him as "Jimmy Lindblom, Chairman, Arizonans for Responsible Growth and Vice President, Economic Development and Infrastructure at Willmeng Construction."[14]
Willmeng Construction itself sits atop AZFRG's publicly disclosed donor list at the Nuclear tier ($50,000+). Campaign finance records show Willmeng contributed $52,551.31 through December 31, 2025.[35] AZFRG's website footer has historically read: "Top Donors: Willmeng, Google, and VW Connect."[1] Google has since withdrawn its contribution and demanded its name be removed, though some AZFRG materials still list Google.[53]
Willmeng's SRP relationship is documented on the company's own website. A page titled "SRP JOC" states: the company has held a Job Order Contract with SRP since 2011 as a prime general contractor, encompassing construction, repair, rehabilitation, and alteration services. As of the page's publication, the number of Job Orders processed was 32 and the total contract value exceeded $3,153,492.[4] That page was published March 2019; the total may now be higher.
Barry E. Paceley is the founder and President of Paceley Constructors, Inc., a small commercial construction firm headquartered in Phoenix. He founded the company in 1978 while attending Arizona State University.[16][17] LinkedIn records describe the company as having 2-10 employees and specializing in tenant improvement and remodeling - primarily for FedEx facilities.[18]
Paceley currently serves as a District 7 Council member for both the SRP Association and District, and as Vice Chair of the SRP Council.[19] He is now running for Vice President of both the Association and the District - the second-highest office in SRP governance.[5]
On azforrg.com/supporters, Paceley Constructors appears as a Spark-tier ($1,000+) donor to AZFRG.[1] (Note: The specific contribution amount and date have not been independently confirmed from campaign finance filings accessed for this report.)
On azforrg.com/srp-election, under the heading "Endorsed SRP Candidates," AZFRG lists: "Vice President - Barry Paceley" with a link to his official SRP candidate bio.[6]
On every page of azforrg.com, the footer reads: "Paid for by Arizonans for Responsible Growth. Top Donors: Willmeng, Google, and VW Connect. Not authorized by any candidate or candidate's agent."[1]
Three pages. One domain. His company is on the donor list. His name is on the endorsement list. The PAC says it is independent of candidates. All of this is documented on their own website.
The Elected Leadership for SRP campaign website footer, by contrast, reads: "Paid for by Chris Dobson for SRP President and Barry Paceley for SRP VP. Authorized by Chris Dobson and Barry Paceley."[5]
Interpretation: Paceley Constructors is a small firm with no apparent SRP contracts or data center work. This raises the question of why a 2-10 person FedEx remodeling contractor would donate to a PAC focused on utility governance. One possible explanation is that the donation functions as a personal contribution by Paceley to the PAC ecosystem supporting his own candidacy, routed through his company. Other explanations may exist. This is an inference; no coordination between Paceley and AZFRG is alleged or proven by this report.
The AZFRG election page reveals the scope of the operation. AZFRG has endorsed approximately 20 candidates across seven districts, plus all four at-large positions - a broad, coordinated slate spanning top offices, district seats, and council races.[6]
Additional endorsed Council candidates span Districts 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 - including three Council seats per district in some cases. The full list is published at azforrg.com/srp-election.[6]
Barry Paceley (VP candidate): His company, Paceley Constructors, is listed as an AZFRG donor on the same website that endorses him.
Nicholas & Michael Vanderwey (D6 Board & Council): The Vanderwey family sold ~206 acres to QTS/Blackstone for $246.8M for data center development. Both are endorsed by a PAC funded by data center companies. Two family members running for two seats in one district.
Nina Mullins (D8 Board): SRP's own Senior Director of Land - the executive who manages all of SRP's real estate and property rights. Endorsed by a PAC funded by construction and real estate companies that do business with SRP.
AZFRG's supporters page displays 14 business donors across five tiers. Campaign finance filings identify at least one additional donor - Adobe Drywall ($10,000) - not displayed on the website.[53] The website shows only corporate logos - no individuals appear on the page. Campaign finance records (committee ID 101777) showed $172,001 in contributions through December 31, 2025; Phoenix New Times reports the total has reached $219,000+ as of March 2026.[35][53] Individual contributors include AZFRG chairman Jimmy Lindblom ($5,000) and others.[35]
Phoenix New Times confirmed on March 9, 2026 that AZFRG has raised $219,000 to date, reflecting 2026 contributions beyond the $172,001 filed through year-end 2025.[53]
The table below reflects what AZFRG displays on its website. The "SRP Connection" column grades evidence strength: confirmed contract means a documented SRP procurement or energy agreement; self-described means the donor's own materials claim an SRP relationship; territorial means the donor operates in SRP-served municipalities but no direct SRP contract was located.
| Tier | Min. | Donor | Business | SRP Connection (evidence strength) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nuclear | $50K+ | Willmeng Construction | GC; VP founded AZFRG | Confirmed contract. $3.15M+ JOC contracts with SRP since 2011 (per Willmeng website). Corporate filing: $52,551. Phoenix New Times reports "more than $50,000 along with its employees" - total including employee contributions may be higher.[4][35][53] |
| Powerhouse | $25K+ | Google WITHDREW | $1B data center, Mesa | Confirmed energy agreement. More than 430 MW supply agreement with SRP. Original contribution: $25,000. Google has since requested its money back and demanded its name be removed from all campaign materials. AZFRG chairman Jimmy Lindblom confirmed this to Phoenix New Times on Feb. 24, 2026. Google did not respond to requests for comment. Some AZFRG materials still list Google as a top donor.[7][35][53] |
| VW Connect | Utility installation, Tempe | Self-described. Company LinkedIn lists SRP as served utility. Filed contribution: $25,000.[20][35] | ||
| ViaWest Group | $3.1B+ developer, Phoenix | Territorial. Projects in SRP-served municipalities (Phoenix, Mesa, Tempe, Chandler). No direct SRP contract located.[9] | ||
| High Voltage | $10K+ | Douglas Allred Co. | 13M+ SF commercial developer | Territorial. Developments in SRP-served municipalities (Chandler, Phoenix). No direct SRP contract located.[21] |
| EdgeCore Digital | 450+ MW data center, Mesa | Confirmed SRP partnership. SRP CEO quoted in campus partnership announcement. $1.9B financing.[8][27] | ||
| Suntec Concrete | Commercial concrete, Phoenix | Indirect. Built EdgeCore data center (SRP-served campus). No direct SRP vendor record located.[22] | ||
| ESOP-branded logo | Possibly Kinkaid Civil Construction | Unconfirmed. Entity identity unclear from supporter page logo; may be ESOP-owned firm. No SRP connection established.[1] | ||
| Adobe Drywall NEW | Drywall/construction, Phoenix | Filing-only donor. Identified through campaign finance filings at $10,000 but not displayed on azforrg.com/supporters. Construction firm in the same development ecosystem as other AZFRG donors.[53] | ||
| Grid Champion | $5K+ | Coe & Van Loo | Civil engineering, est. 1958 | Self-described. Staff bio lists SRP as client.[23] |
| Trademark | Logo displayed; identity unclear | Unconfirmed. Legal entity not identified from logo alone. No SRP connection established.[1] | ||
| Rummel Construction | Heavy civil, Scottsdale | Confirmed SRP work. Listed in SRP District meeting packet for Copper Crossing 2 PH2 Solar Complex civil work.[24][36] | ||
| Spark | $1K+ | Kieckhefer Properties | ~700K SF commercial, Chandler | Territorial. All properties in SRP-served municipalities (Chandler, Tempe). No direct SRP contract located.[25] |
| Paceley Constructors | Small contractor, Phoenix | Candidate linkage. Owner is AZFRG-endorsed VP candidate. No SRP vendor relationship established.[1][6] | ||
| Withey Morris Baugh | #1 land use lobbying firm, PHX | Indirect (via EdgeCore). Entitled EdgeCore data center campus in Mesa (SRP-served).[26] |
Several donors occupy positions along a single pipeline. Google and EdgeCore need data centers built and powered (though Google has since withdrawn its contribution[53]). ViaWest and Douglas Allred develop commercial real estate in the same SRP-served cities. Withey Morris Baugh handled EdgeCore's entitlements. Coe & Van Loo lists SRP as a client. Willmeng holds SRP contracts; Rummel is listed in SRP procurement records for solar work; Suntec built EdgeCore's campus. VW Connect names SRP as a utility partner. Adobe Drywall contributed $10,000 per campaign finance filings.[53] These companies are not necessarily coordinating with each other - but even without coordination, their financial interests align, and they contributed to a single PAC that has raised $219,000+ while endorsing candidates for the utility they all depend on.
AZFRG's endorsed slate includes two members of the Vanderwey family running for District 6 seats: Nicholas Vanderwey for Board and Michael Vanderwey for Council.[6] Nicholas currently holds a District 6 Council seat on both the Association and District.[19]
Before the Vanderweys sold their land, they used it to decide an SRP board race. An investigation by the Energy and Policy Institute, backed by Maricopa County deed records and SRP's own early voting data, documented a sequence of transactions around the 2024 Division 3 election:[30]
In December 2023, Hermosa North, LLC - a Vanderwey family entity - transferred approximately 240 acres to the Hermosa North Trust, with Nick Vanderwey as trustee (Maricopa County Recorder, recording no. 20230643382). The transfer was recorded days before SRP's land ownership cutoff date. This matters because land held in an LLC cannot vote in SRP elections; land held in a trust can.[30][32]
In the April 2024 Division 3 race, incumbent Mario Herrera won with 263.88 votes to Andrea Moreno's 22.30. According to SRP Corporate Secretary's early voting records, 217.76 of those votes came from Nick Vanderwey via the Hermosa North Trust - roughly 83% of the winning candidate's total. Vanderwey's votes alone exceeded Moreno's by nearly ten to one.[30]
After the election, in June 2024, the land was transferred back to LLC ownership (Maricopa County Recorder, recording no. 20240312109) - the same structure that made it ineligible to vote. The 239.678 acres went to TGV Investments LLC and related Vanderwey entities.[30]
EPI asked SRP whether this type of transaction comports with SRP's stated purpose for trust voting - estate planning. SRP replied that it "does not involve itself in or advise how property owners hold title to their property."[30]
One month later, in July 2024, QTS Data Centers - a subsidiary of Blackstone - purchased approximately 206 acres of this same Avondale land for $246,866,895 for the Hermosa Ranch Technology Campus, a data center development. The seller was TGV Investments LLC, the Vanderwey family entity that had just reacquired the land from the trust.[28][29][30]
The sequence: LLC to trust (to vote), trust back to LLC (after the election), LLC to QTS/Blackstone (for $246.8 million). The land that decided a board race became a quarter-billion-dollar data center sale within months.
Now two members of the same family are endorsed by a PAC funded by data center companies (Google, EdgeCore), data center builders (Willmeng, Suntec, Rummel), and data center lobbyists (Withey Morris Baugh) to serve on the board that will oversee data center policy in SRP's territory. The incumbent whose seat Vanderwey's votes secured, Mario Herrera, will be able to weigh in on future contracts with the data center developer that bought Vanderwey land. So will Nick Vanderwey himself, if he wins the Division 6 board seat he is now running for.[30]
Turning Point Action (TPA), the political arm of Turning Point USA founded by the late Charlie Kirk, has launched a parallel campaign to influence the 2026 SRP elections. Tyler Bowyer, TPA's COO, posted on X: "My goal is to out register the Democrats 10-1 for the (SRP) Election. We need to get the radical environmentalists out of AZ."[13]
The Arizona Capitol Times reported TPA began deploying canvassers and registering voters for SRP elections as early as June 2025.[13] TPA has a dedicated SRP election page describing it as "The largest utility election in America."[31]
Critically, AZFRG and Turning Point Action view each other as allies. Axios Phoenix reported: "Lindblom and Bowyer both told Axios that they view each other's groups as allies in the SRP race."[10]
Phoenix New Times reported on March 9, 2026 that Bowyer described the mission as being "to eliminate radical leftists from contention" in SRP elections. He stated that Turning Point has "injected millions of dollars of capital to protecting SRP."[53]
The distinction matters: AZFRG's $219,000+ is the disclosed PAC money with named donors. Turning Point USA operates as a 501(c)(4) with fewer disclosure requirements. "Millions" in dark money is flowing into a local utility election with no comparable transparency about where it comes from.[53]
The Turning Point involvement is proving toxic even within Republican circles. Tyler Montague, a Republican activist in Mesa and Lindblom's own cousin, called Bowyer "the most toxic guy in Arizona politics" and questioned the alliance.[53]
Even Lindblom himself acknowledged the cost. He told New Times that he heard someone at a presentation say: "I can't support that candidate because they're backed by Turning Point." The PAC's own chairman is admitting on the record that the Turning Point association is losing them votes.[53]
Opposing candidates are running for the same at-large and district seats. SRP publishes official candidate information for all races at srpnet.com/elections.
In District 6 - the same district where AZFRG endorses two Vanderwey family members - John Travise and Sara Travise are running for Council. Both are SRP customers and solar homeowners running a grassroots, small-dollar campaign. This website is paid for by the John Travise Election Committee and the Sara Travise Election Committee.
AZFRG operates srpelectionalert.com, an attack site that labels opposing candidates "The Rate Hike Slate." The site groups the Travises with other opposing candidates, though the Travises are independent District 6 Council candidates running their own campaign.[15]
Editorial - John Travise & Sara Travise Election Committees
The "rate hike" framing is worth examining on two levels.
First, AZFRG's own donors include data center companies that consume massive amounts of power and water at discounted industrial rates - costs that are effectively subsidized by residential ratepayers. The candidates AZFRG opposes are the ones asking who pays for that growth.
Second, the attack relies on fearmongering over solar and battery storage - claiming clean energy will raise rates. But solar and battery are now among the cheapest sources of new electricity generation. The AZFRG-backed candidates favor continued reliance on fossil fuel infrastructure that is both more expensive to build and worse for the environment. The "rate hike" label is projection: it's the corporate-backed slate pushing the costlier energy path.
Solar and renewables also lead Arizona toward energy self-sufficiency - power generated here, from sunlight that's free and abundant, instead of dependence on imported fuels subject to volatile markets and supply chain disruptions.
Phoenix New Times confirmed on March 9, 2026 that the SRP board voted 10-5 to approve the 2025 rate increase, with a significant disparity in how the increase was applied:[53]
Residential customers: 3.5% rate increase.
Data centers: 1.5% rate increase.
Same vote. Same board. The companies funding AZFRG got the smaller increase. The ratepayers got the larger one.
Kennedy voted no. Several board members who voted yes are endorsed by AZFRG. These are the incumbents the Chair of the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors is asking you to re-elect.[53]
As noted above, SRP's governance is unusual among American utilities. The acreage-weighted voting system dates to SRP's founding as an agricultural cooperative in 1903. SRP's election FAQ confirms that "all elected officials, with the exception of the four District at-large directors, are elected on an acreage basis (one acre, one vote)." The four at-large District board seats (Seats 11-14) are the exception: they use a one-landowner, one-vote system regardless of acreage.[32]
The practical consequence: approximately one million SRP customers depend on the utility for electricity and water, but only a subset of property owners can vote - and among those, large landowners wield proportionally more influence in district races. A PAC funded by commercial developers, construction firms, and data center operators is spending money in an electorate structurally tilted toward exactly those interests.[33]
The documented facts present a consistent picture:
A construction company VP created a PAC. That same company - which holds millions of dollars in SRP contracts - became the PAC's largest donor. The PAC endorsed approximately 20 candidates across the entire SRP board, including a VP candidate whose own company appears on the PAC's donor page on the same website that endorses him. Two members of a family that sold $246.8 million in land for data center development are endorsed for two seats in one district. An SRP employee who manages the utility's real estate is endorsed for a board seat.
The remaining donors - Google, EdgeCore, ViaWest Group, Douglas Allred Company - are among the largest commercial interests in SRP's service territory. Google and EdgeCore have confirmed energy agreements and partnerships with SRP; ViaWest and Douglas Allred develop major projects in SRP-served cities. Their collective interest in who governs SRP is both obvious and financial.
None of this is necessarily illegal. Arizona's independent expenditure laws permit corporations to donate to PACs, and those PACs may support candidates without formal coordination. This report does not allege coordination between any candidate and AZFRG. But the density of financial relationships between AZFRG's donors and SRP - contracts, energy agreements, development in SRP-served territory, and construction projects - raises substantive questions about whether these elections serve the approximately one million ratepayers who depend on SRP, or the companies that fund the PAC trying to choose their leaders.
The facts documented here are a matter of public record - much of it published on AZFRG's own website. The voters will decide what they mean.
Check your eligibility: You can vote if you own property within SRP's boundaries. Find your district at srpnet.com/elections/voting-district-map.
Request a ballot: If you're not on SRP's Permanent Early Voting List, request a ballot by calling (602) 236-3048, emailing election@srpnet.com, or visiting srpnet.com online. Deadline: March 27, 2026.
Research the candidates: SRP publishes candidate information PDFs at srpnet.com/elections. Compare slate websites like azforrg.com/srp-election and review each candidate's background, endorsements, and funding sources.
Follow the money: Review AZFRG's disclosed donor list at azforrg.com/supporters. Ask candidates: Who is funding the groups that support you? What commitments have you made to them?
Vote: Drop off your ballot at SRP Administration Building (1500 N Mill Ave, Tempe) through April 6, or vote in person on Election Day, April 7, 2026, 6:00 AM - 7:00 PM.
[1] Arizonans for Responsible Growth. "Supporters." azforrg.com/supporters. Accessed Feb. 22, 2026. Lists 14 donors across five tiers with logos: Nuclear ($50K+): Willmeng; Powerhouse ($25K+): Google, VW Connect, ViaWest Group; High Voltage ($10K+): Douglas Allred, EdgeCore, Suntec Concrete, ESOP; Grid Champion ($5K+): Coe & Van Loo, Trademark, Rummel Construction; Spark ($1K+): Kieckhefer Properties, Paceley Constructors, Withey Morris Baugh.
[2] Arizonans for Responsible Growth. "Who We Are." azforrg.com/who-we-are. Accessed Feb. 22, 2026.
[3] Arizonans for Responsible Growth. Homepage. azforrg.com. Accessed Feb. 22, 2026.
[4] Willmeng Construction, Inc. "SRP JOC." willmeng.com/srp-joc. Published Mar. 7, 2019. Accessed Feb. 22, 2026. States: "Willmeng has held this contract since 2011... the number of Job Orders processed is 32 and the total contract value has exceeded: $3,153,492."
[5] Elected Leadership for SRP. electedleadershipforsrp.com. Accessed Feb. 22, 2026. Slate: Dobson (President), Paceley (VP), Cooper (Seat 14), Kennedy (Seat 12). Paceley bio: "Vice Chair of the SRP Council and President of Paceley Constructors, Inc." Footer: "Paid for by Chris Dobson for SRP President and Barry Paceley for SRP VP. Authorized by Chris Dobson and Barry Paceley."
[6] Arizonans for Responsible Growth. "SRP Election - Endorsed SRP Candidates." azforrg.com/srp-election. Accessed Feb. 22, 2026. Lists endorsed candidates by name across President, Vice President, Districts 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, and At-Large Seats 12 and 14. Vice President entry: "Barry Paceley" with link to SRP candidate bio PDF. District 6 entries include Nicholas Vanderwey (Board) and Michael Vanderwey (Council). Footer: "Paid for by Arizonans for Responsible Growth. Top Donors: Willmeng, Google, and VW Connect. Not authorized by any candidate or candidate's agent."
[7] Google. Mesa data center announcements, 2022-2025. Additional: Latitude Media, "In lieu of water cooling, Google locks down renewables for Mesa data center." Confirms $1B campus, 187 acres, 8-year energy supply agreement with SRP for "more than 430 megawatts" of carbon-free energy capacity from three NextEra Energy projects.
[8] EdgeCore Digital Infrastructure. Press releases, 2023-2025. Mesa campus: 3.1M+ SF, 450+ MW capacity. SRP CEO Jim Pratt quoted in partnership announcement. Additional: AZ Big Media; TelecomTalk.
[9] ViaWest Group. viawestgroup.com. "$3.1 Billion of acquisitions and developments comprising over 83 projects." Also: LoopNet listing, loopnet.com.
[10] Duda, Jeremy. "Conservative Turning Point Action wades into SRP board election." Axios Phoenix. Sep. 8, 2025. axios.com. Quotes Lindblom as "a construction company executive who runs the PAC." Reports: "Lindblom and Bowyer both told Axios that they view each other's groups as allies in the SRP race."
[11] Lindblom, Jimmy. LinkedIn profile. linkedin.com/in/lindblom-jimmy. Title: "VP of Economic Development & Infrastructure" at Willmeng Construction.
[12] ZoomInfo. "Jimmy Lindblom." zoominfo.com. Confirms: "Vice President, Economic Development & Infrastructure at Willmeng."
[13] Priest, Reagan. "Turning Point Action sets sights on SRP board elections in 2026." Arizona Capitol Times. Aug. 22, 2025. azcapitoltimes.com. Identifies AZFRG as "a new PAC started by construction executive Jimmy Lindblom." Quotes Sandy Bahr (Sierra Club) and Tyler Bowyer (TPA COO).
[14] Arizonans for Responsible Growth. "AZFRG Applauds Transwestern's Desert Southwest Interstate Pipeline Project." azforrg.com. Aug. 7, 2025. Identifies "Jimmy Lindblom, Chairman, Arizonans for Responsible Growth and Vice President, Economic Development and Infrastructure at Willmeng Construction."
[15] Arizonans for Responsible Growth. srpelectionalert.com. Attack site titled "Sandra Kennedy's Failed Record." Labels opposing slate "The Rate Hike Slate." Same footer disclaimer.
[16] Paceley Constructors, Inc. paceley.net. "Since 1978." Blog: "Founded in 1978 by Barry Paceley, then a student at Arizona State University." Also: paceley.net/post/meet-the-team.
[17] The Blue Book. "Paceley Const Inc." thebluebook.com. "Founded in 1978 by Barry Paceley, while attending Arizona State University."
[18] Paceley Constructors, Inc. LinkedIn. linkedin.com. "2-10 employees. Specialties: Tenant Improvement, Image/Design, and Remodeling."
[19] Salt River Project. "Board and Council Members." srpnet.com. Lists Barry E. Paceley (D7 Council), Nicholas J. Vanderwey (D6 Council).
[20] VW Connect LLC. LinkedIn. linkedin.com/company/vwconnect. Lists utilities served: "APS, SRP, TEP, Trico, Southwest Gas."
[21] Douglas Allred Company. douglasallredco.com. "More than 13,000,000 sq. ft. of commercial, industrial, and retail space."
[22] Suntec Concrete Inc. "Arizona Projects." suntecconcrete.com/arizona. Lists "Edge Core Data Center" and "Allred Park Place."
[23] Coe & Van Loo Consultants (CVL). cvlci.com. Founded 1958. Staff bio lists "Salt River Project" as client.
[24] Rummel Construction. rummelconstruction.com. 100% employee-owned; 675+ employees; projects include Thunder Wolf Solar (2,380 acres).
[25] Kieckhefer Properties. kp-az.com. ~700,000 SF in Chandler and Tempe. Also: LoopNet.
[26] Withey Morris Baugh PLC. LinkedIn. States: "delighted to work with EdgeCore Digital Infrastructure on entitling its massive data center campus in Mesa." Ranked #1, PBJ Largest PHX Lobbying Firms. Also: wmbattorneys.com.
[27] EdgeCore Digital Infrastructure. "$1.9 Billion Debt Financing." PRNewswire. Jan. 4, 2024. prnewswire.com.
[28] AZ Big Media & others. QTS/Blackstone 206-acre Avondale purchase for $246,866,895, July 2024. Sellers: "Terry Klinger and Grand View Dairy" / TGV Investments LLC. Also: Data Center Dynamics, The Real Deal, Connect CRE.
[29] The Land Report. Vanderwey family profile, 2012. "Some 30 miles west of Phoenix, the Vanderwey family runs 4,800 cows at their Grand View Dairy." Michael Vanderwey LinkedIn: "CPA, Member Manager at GVD/TGV/Rexco, LLC."
[30] Energy and Policy Institute. "SRP landowner games 2024 race to elect preferred candidate." energyandpolicy.org. Accessed Feb. 2026. Documents Nick Vanderwey's transfer of ~240 acres from Hermosa North, LLC to Hermosa North Trust (Maricopa County Recorder no. 20230643382, Dec. 2023), 217.76 votes cast via trust in April 2024 Division 3 race (per SRP Corporate Secretary early voting records), transfer back to LLC ownership (recording no. 20240312109, June 2024), and subsequent sale to QTS/Blackstone for $246.8M (July 2024). Includes SRP response: "does not involve itself in or advise how property owners hold title to their property."
[31] Turning Point Action. tpaction.com/srp. "The largest utility election in America." Deploying "Chase the Vote" canvassing model.
[32] SRP. "Election FAQ." srpnet.com/elections/faq. "All elected officials, with the exception of the four District at-large directors, are elected on an acreage basis (one acre, one vote)."
[33] Sierra Club, Grand Canyon Chapter. SRP election coverage, Mar. 2024. "About 49% of SRP ratepayers are not eligible to vote."
[34] SRP. "Early Voting Ballots for SRP Elections Available Through March 27." media.srpnet.com. Jan. 6, 2026. "22 seats on the Board and Council." Early ballots mailed Mar. 11; Election Day Apr. 7, 2026.
[35] Campaign finance aggregation for Arizonans for Responsible Growth (committee ID 101777). Data through 12/31/2025. Reports $172,001 total contributions, $108,879 total expenditures. Top contributors: Willmeng Construction ($52,551.31), Google ($25,000), VW Connect ($25,000). Also lists individual contributors including Jimmy Lindblom ($5,000). Note: Original filings via Arizona's SeeTheMoney system were not directly accessible for independent verification at the time of this report; this data is sourced from a campaign-finance aggregation layer and should be treated accordingly.
[36] Salt River Project District. Public meeting agenda packet. Lists "Rummel Construction Inc." for "Copper Crossing 2 PH2 Solar Complex Civil Work." Confirms Rummel as SRP-linked contractor for solar infrastructure.
[53] Lemons, Stephen. "Google claws back money from Turning Point-aligned PAC in SRP election." Phoenix New Times. March 9, 2026. phoenixnewtimes.com. Reports: AZFRG has raised $219,000 to date. Google requested its $25,000 back and demanded name removal; Lindblom confirmed Feb. 24, 2026. Bowyer stated Turning Point has "injected millions of dollars of capital to protecting SRP" and the mission was "to eliminate radical leftists from contention." Tyler Montague (Republican activist, Lindblom's cousin) called Bowyer "the most toxic guy in Arizona politics." Lindblom acknowledged hearing "I can't support that candidate because they're backed by Turning Point." Willmeng contributed "more than $50,000 along with its employees." Adobe Drywall identified as $10,000 donor. Rate hike passed 10-5; residential 3.5%, data centers 1.5%.