You don’t know what you’ve got…’til it’s gone

MMUA CEO Karleen Kos uses a familiar lyric to underscore the value of keeping power local

Drawing on Joni Mitchell’s iconic song “Big Yellow Taxi,” Karleen Kos delivers a powerful reminder about the value of municipal electric utilities. Using the familiar lyric, “Don’t it always seem to go that you don’t know what you’ve got ’til it’s gone,” she frames local utilities as something communities often take for granted—until they risk losing them.

In her latest Resource column, Kos, CEO of Minnesota Municipal Utilities Association, highlights how municipal utilities are deeply rooted in their communities – defined by local accountability, strong customer relationships, and a shared commitment to reliable service.

While residents may not always think about who provides their power, they quickly recognize the difference when that local control is threatened.

Municipal utilities will always face challenges. But it’s important to remember problems are temporary and can be overcome with planning and resolve. In the long run, maintaining your utility is better for your community than handing it over for a one-time cash infusion. The reasons for selling a municipal utility almost always pale in comparison to the community’s experience after the sale.

According to the American Public Power Association:

• Buyers of a municipal utility make promises that are often not kept
• Electric rates tend to go up after a sale, even when buyers give assurances this will not happen
• Communities suffer financially after a sale since utility services and revenues are no longer available to support city projects or economic development
• Investments in the system often go down after a sale

In short, once local control is gone, it is not unusual that communities regret the sale and wish they had their municipal utility back.

Kos cautions that once a municipal utility is sold or lost, it is nearly impossible to ever get it back. Like the “paradise” in Mitchell’s song, a locally owned utility can be replaced by something far less connected to the community—leaving residents wishing they had protected what they once had. 

To read Kos’s column in its entirety, click here.