$871k in Property Taxes; Electric Vehicles
While some non-profit and governmental organizations like churches and schools are exempt from property taxes, SEMO Electric Cooperative is not exempt from paying property taxes.
Each year, the Cooperative pays hundreds of thousands of dollars in local property taxes that support important social services like health care, education, and emergency management.
Property taxes are paid on things such as real property (the land and buildings where our offices and warehouses are located), vehicles, and the more than 2,600 miles of distribution lines, which bring electricity to you, and 2,000 miles of fiber, which brings the internet, TV, and phone services to you.
In 2020, SEMO Electric paid $656,196 in property taxes and GoSEMO Fiber paid $214,868, a total of $871,064 in six counties. In 2010, the cooperative paid $443,055. This represents a 97% increase over the past ten years.
The next time you pay your electricity or fiber bill, you can rest easy knowing that SEMO Electric and GoSEMO Fiber invest part of your payment back into your local community by paying annual property taxes.
Electric vehicles (EVs) are becoming more popular. With nearly two million EVs operating in the United States, EV sales are forecasted to surpass 3.5 million per year by 2030. Purchasing an EV is a little different than purchasing a gas-powered vehicle. It is important to understand key elements, such as vehicle range-per-charge and how tax credits work. If you are considering buying an electric vehicle, we have added a section to our web page to help answer questions, calculate savings, and find charging stations. Visit the Electric Vehicles Page.
The cooperative’s monthly electric and fiber bills will get a refresh in 2021. The new bill design will benefit electric members and fiber subscribers as it will be more friendly and easier to read and understand. We will publish more information next month. We expect the new bill format to arrive in late March.
Attention Farmers. If you plan on adding services for 2021 irrigation, let us know so we can start the planning process. Or if you want to switch your uncontrolled rate to load control, the deadline to change is April 30. Call us at (800) 813-5230 or Email. We appreciate our farmers and pray for a great harvest in 2021!
Book of the Month: “We are responsible for our own ignorance or, with time and openhearted enlightenment, our own wisdom. We are responsible for ourselves and our own deeds or misdeeds in our time and in our own space and will be judged accordingly by succeeding generations.” Isabel Wilkerson – Caste Book
Be smart. Act safe. Keep pushing forward!
Vanslyke is the general manager and chief executive officer of SEMO Electric Cooperative. The photo is Sean with SEMO Electric’s Chevy Bolt, an electric vehicle capable of traveling up to 258 miles on a single charge.