It's actually kind of entertaining watching Kansas lawmakers re-fight last year's battle over two new coal-fired power plants for Sunflower Electric Power Corporation out near Holcomb. Last Friday, the House voted on a bill approving the plants; last year the legislature couldn't override Gov. Kathleen Sebelius' veto, and after last week's vote the governor issued a statement saying Friday's 79-44 for/against split showed they still couldn't override her this year, either.
"If we join together ... thousands of new jobs can be created in the green energy sector, and Kansas can be a national leader in both wind energy and bio-fuels production," Sebelius said in a statement -- two days before the official announcement that she is, in fact, bolting for a job in Barack Obama's cabinet. We have yet to see how coal politics play out for her successor, Lt. Gov. Mark Parkinson.
What we do know, however, is how much money in Sunflower Electric campaign contributions our local state reps have banked -- and how they've voted. Not that the cash has anything to do with the vote, of course.
Here's a list. It doesn't include area reps who didn't take campaign contributions from Sunflower. Special notoriety goes to Mike Peterson of Kansas City,
Kansas, who voted in favor of the plants last year, then cashed a $500
check from Sunflower -- and voted no this year. And to Kay Wolf of Prairie
Village, who voted no, got $375, and still voted no.
Anthony Brown
Republican from Eudora
Vote last year: Yes
Campaign money from Sunflower last year: $500
Vote this year: Still yes
Mike Kiergerl
Republican from Olathe
Vote last year: Yes
Campaign money from Sunflower last year: $400
Vote this year: Still yes
Ray Merrick
Republican from Stilwell
Vote last year: Yes
Campaign money from Sunflower last year: $375 (up from $125 in '06)
Vote this year: Still yes
Rob Olson
Republican from Olathe
Vote last year: Yes
Campaign money from Sunflower last year: $250
Vote this year: Still yes
Mike Peterson
Democrat from Kansas City, Kansas
Vote last year: Yes
Campaign money from Sunflower last year: $500
Vote this year: No
Scott Schwab
Republican from Olathe
New to the House this year
Campaign money from Sunflower last year: $300
Vote this year: Yes
Arlen Siegfreid
Republican from Olathe
Vote last year: Yes
Campaign money from Sunflower last year: $500
Vote this year: Still yes
Kay Wolf
Republican from Prairie Village
Vote last year: No
Campaign money from Sunflower last year: $375 (up from $100 in '06)
Vote this year: Still no
Kevin Yoder
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