Managing editor
Representative Bob Brookens said Saturday that he did not know how he was going to vote regarding the construction of two coal-fired plants near Holcomb until he voted Friday.
He voted for it.
That was the news he told constituents Saturday at the annual legislative coffee at Stone City Café, Marion, an event sponsored by SBC, when a constituent asked about the current proposal for the plants.
Much of the talk was about budget deficits and windfalls of stimulus money.
Senator Jim Barnett opened the presentation by telling more than 40 people in attendance that the state’s budget was the more important issue and there is a $1 billion difference between the state’s revenue and expenses.
“By cutting education by $32 per student and other shifts helped to balance the budget for 2009,” Barnett said, but now the legislature is looking at 2010.
There is more than $1.5 billion in federal stimulus funds available. Barnett said he wanted to maintain the budget for K-12 and Medicare.
Health care funding also is important, Barnett said, stating medical debt continues to be an issue, information technology is imperative, and dealing with smoking issue.
Barnett also is an advocate for HIV testing of pregnant women, costing less than $20 per test instead of hundreds of thousands of dollars if a mother delivers an HIV-infected baby.
He also said he wanted to see more forms of energy besides coal-fired plants.
Brookens said he was working on the corrections and juvenile justice committee and balancing of sentencing.
“An arsonist will be in prison longer than someone who batters a child,” the freshman state representative said.
In the past, nothing was done with prisoners while they were incarcerated.
“We want prisoners to be equipped before returning to society,” Brookens said, but people cannot be rehabilitated if they have not been nurtured.
The rate of recidivism, those who return to jail or prison, has gone from 80 percent to 30 percent.
“We’re now treating people during the trial,” he said, instead of waiting until sentenced.
Budget cuts are tough, Brookens said, and should affect buildings and not people.
The federal government stimulus package is available.
“The package says ‘Get on our back and we’ll help carry you’ but we don’t know where it’s coming from,” he said.
The success rate of special education also has increased. Brookens said annual assessments of special education students were 29 percent. Now it is in the 80 percent range.
“The stimulus package will allow us to maintain as in 2008,” he said.
Brookens said he opposed the proposed makeup of the Kansas Supreme Court, saying it was a “bad idea.”
Questions from constituents
Brookens and Barnett were asked their positions on coal plants. Is that going to be clean air for Kansas?
“I voted ‘yes’ for it Friday,” Brookens said, “but was very conflicted. This coal plant will have the lowest emissions of any other plant in the country.”
He continued that carbon dioxide would come from the burning of any fossil fuel. More wind energy is needed in the state.
Brookens said the issue was capping or mitigating CO2. He said he believed that President Obama and the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) Secretary will properly regulate CO2 in the coming years but was concerned about “selling out” Western Kansas.
Marion County resident Eileen Sieger said she read an article in an area newspaper that other states, Montana, Arizona, Pennsylvania, Ohio, South Dakota, New Mexico, and Nevada have all scrapped or put on hold plans for coal plants.
The article also indicated that without knowing the cost of a potential carbon tax system, it was too risky for companies and ratepayers to invest in a plant whose energy might become increasingly expensive.
“Is this another example of ‘What’s the matter with Kansas’? We’re moving in the opposite direction,” Sieger said.
“There is an ocean of change occurring,” Barnett said. “Kansas needs to re-evaluate every policy.”
The state needs to look at the whole issue of energy, he said.
There will need to be transmission lines and a grid to use.
“President Obama said he was going to put a cap on CO2 but I’m concerned because there is no technology,” Barnett said. “I would think Sunflower (the company proposing the plants near Holcomb) would think the same thing.”
Barnett continued that he does not think Congress known what they passed and how they are going to pay for it.
“I am very conflicted on the issue,” Brookens said. “I didn’t know how I was going to vote until two to three minutes before voting.”
He continued that Governor Kathleen Sebelius has assured she will veto it if it gets to her desk.
Marion resident Pat Jackson asked if there was a deadline for different kinds of energy.
Both legislators said they were not aware of any deadline.
Harry Bennett of rural Marion asked if legislators have called for a comprehensive energy policy. He said wind-powered turbines near Beaumont have produced hundreds of megawatts of power but had to be “feathered back” because there were transmission problems.
“The project is owned by large investors and the money leaves the state,” he said. “Hillsboro and Marion cold put up towers and sell back to Westar Energy but Westar wants the City of Marion to sign a 20-year contract with the agreement the city cannot use any form of renewable energy.
“They’re holding us back,” Bennett said.
He continued that $300,000 has been spent on lobbying for coal plants. Technology should be required in any coal plant bill.
Barnett said it will take time for policies to be established and unfortunately, the system answered to money.
“If you know there is a something wrong, why not fix it?” asked Marion resident Dick Varenhorst.
“I’m not certain if there would be a majority vote in the House or Senate,” Brookens said.
“You saw the State of Kansas almost come to a screeching halt,” Brookens said, referring to a threat of state employees not being paid as a ploy to balance the budget.
“It’s larger than two people,” Brookens continued. “Neither side was interested in resolving the issue but making a point. Words were chosen to enflame and anger.”
“Let’s do what we need to do to take care of own taxpayers and let other states take care of their own,” Barnett said.
For Marion resident Judy Wegerer, it is an issue from the heart. She said she has family in Western Kansas and is concerned for them if a coal-fired plant is constructed.
“There’s no such thing as clean coal,” Wegerer said. “This will affect residents for generations to come.”
She encouraged the legislators to stop pollution, be pro-life, and be pro-wellness.
“Vote with your heart,” Wegerer said.
“Let’s get rid of automobiles and cattle,” suggested Bob Maxwell of rural Marion. “We can’t get rid of pollutants.”
“The environment and clean air and water are important,” Barnett said.
The question was asked regarding who paid for the calls a constituent received asking Brookens to vote against a coal-fired plant.
Brookens said the calls he received were about 50 percent in favor and 50 percent opposed.
Mike Moran, counselor at Hillsboro Elementary School and a rural Marion resident, asked if the state accepts stimulus funds, would HealthWave continue?
Barnett responded it would and he would like to expand the coverage.
Brookens said HealthWave is available for those families who are working and cannot afford health insurance. Others who are unable to work receive Medicaid. He believes it is important to continue the HealthWave program for the “working poor.”
Barnett then asked the group if it was in favor of the state taking the stimulus package. He continued that if the state took the money, Kansas could “slide by” for the next two years.
“If we don’t take it, we’ll have to cut jobs. It’s one-time money,” Barnett said.
“With comprehensive planning and not dart-throwing, we bought time for schools with the funding,” Brookens said.
Marion Mayor Mary Olson said she was in Kentucky last week.
“We didn’t get very good P.R. (public relations),” she said, referring to the state’s deficit problems and the threat of not paying state employees.
Brookens said this past summer when he was on the campaign trail, he had a difficult time driving to Tampa because the three roads to the city were impassable. He had to drive on a “closed” road to reach his destination. Stimulus money could help with the maintenance of roads, he said.
“Education funding was a result of a lawsuit. Are there more lawsuits to come?” asked Martin Tice of Marion.
“The court understands fiscal issues,” Barnett said. “I personally don’t have a worry that this will bring us back to court.”
“The supreme court does not live in a vacuum,” Brookens said. There is strong encouragement from a minority to roll back funding to education.
The question was asked how stimulus funding would be paid.
“The state operates on a cash basis system,” Brookens said. “When the feds print money, it comes from us. What are the choices? Do we want a larger government with no inter-action from government and let the chips fall where they may? I’m hearing that we shouldn’t just do nothing.”
“We were selling our debt to other nations,” Barnett said. “They don’t have the money to lend to us so we have to print more money which causes inflation.”
With that, a vote was taken from constituents regarding whether the state should take federal funds. It was overwhelmingly in favor of taking the money.
“If we don’t take it, someone else will,” Brookens said.