Hiding Budget Numbers in Kansas

Paul Chesser, Climate Strategies Watch

One of the proud proclamations the Center for Climate Strategies makes whenever they start managing a new climate commission for a state is that their "process is fully transparent." That can be challenged on a few different points, and none more so than the issue of how much they get paid to do their work (that is, advance their agenda) for each state and how much the alarmist foundations (like Rockefeller Brothers Fund and the Energy Foundation) are paying them.

Exhibit A is with the Kansas Energy and Environmental Policy Advisory Group (KEEP), created and populated by Gov. Kathleen Sebelius (pictured). If you read the "Process Memo" (PDF) posted at the KEEP site (which lays out the ground rules for the group and its process) you will notice that under the "Project Budget" section there is only this statement: "The estimated CCS budget for completion of startup and completion of the KEEP process covers the core facilitation process and quantification of approximately 50 policy recommendations. Changes in the number of meetings, number of policy options, or type of analysis may reduce or expand the level of budget support needed."

As you can see, no budget numbers there for the public to easily access (as is the case in all states where CCS works).

But take a look at this version (PDF) of the document that I obtained via a public records request from the governor's office. Voila — budget numbers (PDF single page) appear! And CCS will get nearly $554,000 out of the deal, thanks to their global warming alarmist sugar daddies.

So, will a curious Topeka press corps inquire about why there's such secrecy? Will they ask how much the enviro-foundations are each pitching in? Will KEEP leaders demand that CCS (who runs the KEEP Web site) live up to their promise of transparency? Stay tuned.