Brownback speaking to reporters during a news conference Tuesday. (Photo by Stephen Koranda) Governor Sam Brownback is continuing his push for an extension of a wind energy tax credit. The credit helps make wind power more affordable – but it's set to expire at the end of the year. The governor says the credit has driven the development of wind power in the state. Brownback also says the credit has helped create wind energy jobs.
Some critics of the tax credit have called it wasteful spending. They say it should be phased out and the wind energy industry should have to stand up on its own. In September, the company Siemens announced layoffs at its wind turbine plant in Hutchinson. One of the reasons they cited was uncertainty about the tax credit.