Kansas Governor Sam Brownback just gave the Koch brothers exactly what they wanted. On Monday, Brownback announced a “compromise” on the state’s renewable energy standards, changing a mandate into a voluntary goal — another win for the elected officials protecting the Kochs’ bottom line.
The renewable portfolio standard (RPS) requires utilities to get at least 20 percent of their energy from renewable sources like wind and solar. Since January 2014, the Koch brothers have been attacking the standards through Americans for Prosperity, calling for an end to the mandate. Brownback gave the Kochs just that and then went above and beyond for Koch Industries, changing the property tax exemption for wind power producers to a 10-year exemption.
The Kochs bankrolled the governor’s campaign and many of his policies come straight out of their playbook, including the cuts to taxes, state spending, and public jobs that have devastated the Kansas educational system. As long as he remains in office, Brownback will be quick to give the Kochs a home state advantage, even if it means leaving the rest of the state “totally screwed.”