Dear Alfalfa Electric Member,
HB-3835 allows large, for-profit companies to dictate to rural electric co-ops the fee they should pay to attach on cooperatives? poles. These companies are focused on profits, not people. Your cooperative is a not-for-profit company. Your cooperative exists to serve their members. You’re a member-owner. It’s your co-op, your investment. Ask your legislator to vote NO on HB-3835.
WHY THIS MATTERS TO OUR MEMBERS
How does this impact me?
Your electric cooperative has invested millions of your dollars to secure the right-of-way, purchase the poles, and hang over 6,000 miles of wire to provide electricity to our member-owners. You own this infrastructure. Not only do for-profit telecommunications companies want to rent space on your poles, they want to tell the cooperative what they can charge. And if the owner declines to rent at their price, which would result in the owner subsidizing the renter, they ask the legislature to set the prices the owner can charge.
How does my co-op get involved?
Co-ops around the state meet with our legislators to educate them about what a cooperative is and encourage them to act in the best interest of our member-owners. Electric co-ops like ours were founded by members who participated in civic life and voted for causes they believed in, like rural electrification. Democratic Member Control is one of our seven Cooperative Principles. While remaining non-partisan, we encourage all our members to vote in their own best interest and be actively involved in shaping the society we share.
How can I get involved?
Your co-op. Your investment. Help us to protect it. Click this link to send a prewritten letter to your legislator: Send letter
Alfalfa Electric Cooperative