Iowa's electric cooperatives discuss important issues in Des Moines

January 24, 2022

More than 160 directors, managers and employees from Iowa’s electric cooperatives discussed priorities with nearly 90 state legislators on January 11 during the annual Welcome Back Legislative Reception in downtown Des Moines. The Iowa Association of Electric Cooperatives hosted the annual reception in conjunction with the Iowa Biotechnology Association, the Iowa Communications Alliance, the Iowa Institute for Cooperatives and FUELIowa.
 
The event provided a valuable opportunity to meet with state legislators at the beginning of the 2022 Legislative Session to discuss issues that impact rural electric cooperatives and the communities we serve. For example, as the Legislature and Governor prioritize tax cuts this session, co-ops are asking for a correction to a 2018 legislative oversight that left electric cooperatives out of a tax exemption on digital good and services. This unfair tax burden has resulted in hundreds of thousands of dollars in increased taxes for rural electric cooperatives.
 
In the coming months, the Iowa General Assembly will be addressing a multitude of issues, including energy-related matters that are central to Iowa’s rural economy. Beginning with the Welcome Back Legislative Reception, electric co-op directors, managers and staff will again be important advocates for a balanced approach in addressing energy issues. Collectively, Iowa’s locally owned electric cooperatives provide affordable, reliable, safe and environmentally responsible power to more than 650,000 Iowans throughout all 99 counties every day.