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House Passes 3rd Coal Bill, Shawnee County Jobs On the Line Save Email Print
Posted: 1:18 PM May 7, 2008
Last Updated: 5:12 PM May 7, 2008
Reporter: Rae Chelle Davis
Email Address: RaeChelle.Davis@wibw.com
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The third bill attempting to approve two coal-fired plants for southwest Kansas is on its way to the Governor's Office. The bill is called The Economic Stimulus Act of 2008. It combines the two coal plants with important tax breaks that would attract a wind turbine manufacturing company to Shawnee County providing up to 950 new jobs. There is a similar plan included in the bill for Johnson County as well.

 
Should Governor Sebelius veto the economic stimulus package as long as it contains the coal plant?
Yes
No
Don't know/ care
 

Governor Sebelius is expected to veto the bill and that would mean the tax breaks go down with it. "There's a new plant being proposed. They need these tax breaks that have now been bundled up into the new energy bill and it's important that they have this to come to Topeka and build." said Rep. Harold Lane (D) Topeka. "It's kind of what they call a Hail Mary bill. It's one last chance to get it passed. To me, I can't compromise my vote. My vote's not for sale."

House Speaker Melvin Neufeld disagrees. "The bill also includes a mandate for new wind energy. If you don't create demand for the wind products they don't need the manufacturing plants in Kansas because there's no place to send it." Rep. Neufeld also says it's going to be tough for the Governor to veto this bill because of the jobs it provides Kansans.

____________________________________________
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) _ The latest legislative proposal allowing two coal-fired power plants in southwest Kansas has gone to Gov. Kathleen Sebelius.

Sebelius has rejected two previous bills allowing the plants and limiting the power of the regulator who's blocked their construction. She's expected to veto this bill as well.

The House approved the bill Wednesday, 78-46. The Senate had approved it 24-10.

Supporters tied the plants to economic development projects. They called their latest measure the ``Economic Stimulus Act of 2008.''

But the measure appears to have little chance of becoming law.

The vote in the House left supporters six votes short of the two-thirds majority needed to override a veto.

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

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Posted by: Anonymous on May 7, 2008 at 09:39 PM
Goodyear is always iffy when it comes to job security, the other jobs are taken by illegals, and she wants to veto not only the coal plants (that would produce jobs out west) but the capability of bringing a good/stable jobs to Shawnee County? What is in this for her? Politician's just don't have a clue, and honestly, they don't give a crap about us. We suffer, struggle to find a good paying job that can actually support a family, we don't want the low paying jobs at Kentucky Fried Chicken b/c we can't speak Spanish and no one can live on minimum wage, and this crazy bat gets to sit up on top of the hill with all of her money, safe for the rest of her life from monetary concerns. Someone like me or you who WOULD care enough to be a good mayor/governor/senator/whatever could never AFFORD to run for it in the first place. It's just a game for the rich and Sebelius is no different. We're her pawns. Hope she's having fun.

Posted by: JC Location: NE Kansas on May 7, 2008 at 05:20 PM
We really need to start making the governors pay for their own utility bills and gasoline. As long as her son has a job selling the "Don't Drop The Soap" game from the Cedar Crest mansion, I suppose jobs for the rest of us are irrelevant to her.

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