Candidates debate energy

Each political season, there are a number of topics that seem to rise to the top of most lists, and during Kansas’ last legislative session, energy became a topic everyone was talking about.

The issue began with proposed coal-fired electrical plants near Holcomb, and how construction was blocked by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment and the governor’s office, but the discussion also included alternative energy and future needs.

“We need to be looking at all forms of energy,” said Sen. Carolyn McGinn of Sedgwick during a political forum Tuesday at Charlie's in Newton. “And we need to maintain our base load as well.”

Her opponent in the Aug. 5 primary, Rick Farley, agreed with her at the forum. Both believe there needs to be more discussion of how the state can meet future energy needs but also consider environmental impact.

Farley pointed to wind power, which, according to the lieutenant governor’s office, now provides nearly 10 percent of the state’s power needs.

“We have had wind in Kansas as long as I can remember,” Farley said. “And I am sure we will have it as long as our grandkids can remember.”

But while wind is in abundance and may provide part of the solution, it comes with a cost.

“It costs $1.5 million for a windmill,” McGinn said. “And $2.2 million for the grid. As we discuss wind as an alternative, we also have to discuss the costs and how to pay for those costs.”

Farley said those costs should not be passed on to consumers in the form of big increases, and the state needs to remain diligent as new technologies and energy sources are used.

“I think diligence is necessary so the wind farm owners and organizers don’t get big heads and think they have the answer and can runaway with prices,” Farley said.

The two candidates also discussed illegal immigration at the forum and again, agreed on one major principle.

“It is a federal problem,” McGinn said. “I think most people believe that. ... At the same time, the citizens of the state of Kansas want us to do something.”

“I believe they are wobbling on the issue in hopes that states will spend their own money on that,” Farley added. “We need to reform immigration law.”

Farely called it a constitutional issue, pointing out the federal government’s responsibility to protect states from invasion outlined in Section IV, Article 4.

And he offered a solution.

“Reform is more important than beating this dead horse we have been beating for 30 years,” Farley said. “We need to work at naturalizing people and making them taxpayers, have them help generate revenue.”

McGinn said during the last legislative session, the state legislature worked on the issue, and a bill she liked was discussed in committee — a bill that never made it to the floor of the senate.

“We came up with a good bill, but sadly, it died in committee,” McGinn said. “It went after some of the bad actors, those people who repeatedly and knowingly hired illegal immigrants, people who duplicate driver’s licenses and those kinds of things.”