Letter to the Editor: Not fair that rural Alliant Energy customers can't vote if there's a referendum

(The following Letter to the Editor has been submitted by Ardith Stockman-Ramsey of Decorah):

"I had a conversation with an individual at our local co-op the other week about utilities. This individual doesn't live in the area that would be affected, but was asking people to sign a petition to vote for costly changes to our utilities.  I explained  that many households outside Decorah city limits would be affected, without opportunity to vote.
 
There are special interests groups that will benefit financially from this takeover and they are the ones pushing for it. These individuals think they know what's best for everyone else. What about people like myself in Freeport, Haugen Hummel, or the Downing edition, or other people who live outside of city limits? We don't have a voice, we don't have a vote, and we don't have representation on the city council. Decorah Power is shoving this down our throats and they want to stick us with the bill. They don't have a right to make a decision for us, but we just have to accept it.

There's another thing that just doesn't make sense about this. The people who live in the area and will be affected can't vote, but Luther students who won't be around long enough to be affected can. How is that fair?
 
Decorah used to have more small businesses and people with common sense. Now special interests groups in town are trying to get rich quick without any regard for people who can't vote or employees of Alliant Energy, who are local people.
 
Where is the fairness in this?"