宣传
的 Minnesota Rural Electric Association represents 1.通过与州和联邦各级的法律和政策制定者积极接触，为明尼苏达州700万人口提供了支持.政策
明尼苏达州必须保持对公用事业配电线路附件的财产税豁免，以使明尼苏达州农村地区的电力服务负担得起.
向明尼苏达州农村地区提供电力服务的成本仍然远远高于城市地区. 长期以来对电表和路灯免征财产税的政策必须保持下去，以确保明尼苏达州农村居民能够负担得起电力服务.
Minnesota’s electric cooperatives exemplify the cooperative difference.
In the beginning there was light – for people who lived in cities. In 1935, only 10 percent of Americans lived in cities 和 had electricity. 电力公司拒绝给美国农村供电，因为他们看不到利润. By 1950, rural community members solved this challenge. Local communities b和ed together to form their own electric cooperatives. 他们选举了董事会，并授权这些新成立的组织向联邦政府借款，建设配电线路，为当地社区的人们提供电力.
今天, 邻居们继续选举他们的邻居加入合作社董事会，合作社继续为当地社区提供动力——提供可靠的服务, 负担得起的 和 increasingly clean energy to over 1.7 million energy consumers in Minnesota.
Minnesota electric cooperatives’ are committed to transparency 和 accountability.
Minnesota’s electric cooperatives promote practices that promote good 政府ernance. Good 政府ernance includes abiding by a strong code of ethics, disclosing 和/or avoiding potential conflicts of interest, 操作透明, 和 keeping member data confidential.
Minnesota’s electric cooperatives are leaders in the state’s energy transition.
Your Minnesota electric cooperatives are at the heart of a decades-long, nationwide campaign to decarbonize our energy production. 电力部门正在迅速减少碳排放，是唯一超过其脱碳目标的经济部门.
我们的方法是使用低成本的可再生能源，并根据需要与其他资源进行平衡. 这确保了安全, 可靠的 和 负担得起的 electricity, which is crucial to support electrification of other sectors of the economy, 包括电动汽车.
监管
的 Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (PUC) 和 商务部 在利率制定过程中为投资者所有的公用事业(iou)发挥监管作用，以提供制衡, 和 to ensure compliance with local, state 和 federal laws 和 policies.
While Minnesota’s electric cooperatives are not rate-regulated*, 与其他公用事业公司一样，合作社也受到明尼苏达州数百项法规和公共电力公司的监督. 合作社遵循 Occupational 安全 和 Health Administration (OSHA) 规定, National Electrical 安全 Code® st和ards 和 Environmental Protection Agency 规定, 仅举几个例子.
Additionally, Minnesota’s electric cooperatives work with USDA Rural Utilities Service (RUS). 美国农业部俄文:
- 使 infrastructure 和 infrastructure improvements, including electric power infrastructure, 在农村社区.
- Provides capital 和 leadership to maintain, 扩大, upgrade 和 modernize America’s vast rural electric infrastructure.
- 为建设或改善配电设施提供贷款和贷款担保, transmission 和 generation facilities in rural areas.
- 资金需求侧管理, energy efficiency 和 conservation programs, 和 on-和 off-grid renewable energy systems.
*Dakota Electric Association is rate-regulated by the MN PUC
Political Action Committees (PACs)
A statewide or national association’s credibility depends on the knowledge, 信心, 和它的成员的热情. beat365中文官方网站之所以成功，是因为其成员在家庭供电业务中与政府官员进行了互动和接触, 农场, 和企业.
Telling the cooperative story is essential, particularly when it comes to the unique challenges our members face. 我们还提倡灵活性，以便电力合作社能够有效运作并继续提供安全, 可靠的, 和 负担得起的 electricity even in the most remote areas of the state.
政治行动委员会(pac)是合作社成员参与政治进程的一个简单途径. 政治行动委员会允许普通公民汇集他们的小额捐款，为支持他们观点的立法候选人提供有意义的捐款. 这正是我们联邦的美国电力合作委员会和州农村电力政治行动委员会(REPAC)所做的.
REPAC 和 America’s Cooperative PAC allow electric co-op directors, 经理, 员工, 和 members to more actively participate in the 腿islative process. 他们 allow us to join together to make our voice strong on electric utility issues. Without regard to party affiliation, 我们的政治行动委员会向对电力合作社的立法职位感兴趣的立法候选人捐款. 他们通过鼓励电力合作社更积极有效地参与365beat中文网来促进政府的改善. 他们, in conjunction with our national 和 state grassroots efforts, encourage electric co-ops to know 和 underst和 the nature 和 actions of their 政府ernment, the critical political issues, 以及立法记录.
REPAC
农村电力政治行动委员会(REPAC)是一个由合作社董事自愿捐款资助的州政治行动委员会, 员工 和 consumer-owners. 的 funds are contributed to Minnesota State House 和 Senate c和idates seeking public office. 捐款帮助明尼苏达州立法者的竞选活动，这些立法者听取电力合作社的意见，并与电力合作社合作制定重要的立法.
Legislative affairs on the state level is an essential program for electric co-ops, especially as the state 腿islature is considering electric power needs, 排放, 可购性, 可靠性, 还有其他重要的变化. To influence electric industry issues, we must have broad-based 腿islative support. Because we need support from both parties 和 all areas of the state, 农村和地铁, REPAC在全州范围内运作，所有的州议员都支持当地的立法者和那些在他们的地区没有电力合作社的立法者.
REPAC的规模不断扩大，使立法者了解到我们的成员对他们的立法活动越来越感兴趣, especially issues on electric industry 可靠性 和 other changes. REPAC不仅要对其成员负责，还要对竞选财务和公开披露委员会的规定负责. We encourage contributions of $50 or $100. 捐款100美元将获得一个Willie Wiredh和别针，以表示您对明尼苏达州电力合作社的支持. 的 contribution option of $25 is open for members as well. 的 REPAC contribution cycle runs from January 1 to December 31.
America's Electric Cooperative PAC
美国电力合作社PAC(原ACRE®)是全国农村电力合作协会的基层政治行动委员会. PAC代表了全国近930个非营利性电力合作系统及其4200万农村消费者的利益, 城郊和市区.
它的组织是为了支持那些代表和保护电力合作社及其消费者利益的联邦候选人. 这是两党, 和 its contributions are based on a c和idate’s record of support for rural electrification, not on his/her political affiliation. 的 process by which c和idates are chosen to receive support is rigorous, requiring the approval of state committees, NRECA’s staff 和 electric co-op state association CEOs.
It supports congressional c和idates, 不分党派, 谁的公共政策目标与成员所有制电力合作社的使命一致. 也, 对美国电力合作社政治行动委员会的捐款有一半返还给各州协会，用于州选举. It does not contribute to presidential campaigns.
的 PAC is comprised of more than 35,000 individual contributions from electric cooperative directors, 经理, 员工 和 consumers nationwide. 的 average donation is $44 per year. It is truly a grassroots PAC 和 is a reflection of our membership.
的 contribution cycle runs from January 1 和 ends on December 31. 所有政治行动委员会捐款, including their monthly disclosure report, are available from the Federal Election Commission’s website at www.选举委员会.政府.
参与
政策 decisions impact co-op members in many ways. Your voice can make a difference.
Join us in advocating for safe, 负担得起的, 可靠的电力-以负责任的方式交付，并为我们的州和会员促进光明和持续的经济未来.
看这里 to find a map of Minnesota cooperatives 和 腿islative districts.
You can find or contact your Minnesota State Senator 和 Representative by going to http://www.leg.mn.gov/.
访问 合作力量的声音 to learn about 和 engage on important issues impacted cooperatives across the country.