<strong><span class="subhead">Kansas coal-plant politics</span></strong></p><p>Many of our Johnson County legislators, including Rep. Pat Colloton and Sen. David Wysong, have been quoted in the media as saying that their constituents made the difference in why they voted against new coal plants in Kansas. This is the way it should be. Lobbyists and big business should not make all the laws just because they have the money and power.</p><p>Regardless of your beliefs on the need for clean energy solutions to curb climate change, we should all feel good that many of our lawmakers are doing exactly what we ask them to do: Listen to their constituents and stand up for what is right.</p><p>Everyday citizens can make a dramatic difference in their world when they educate themselves on issues and develop a dialogue with their elected leaders.</p><p>Government works for you when you work at it, too.</p><p><p align="right"><strong>Kim Hanson</strong></p> <p align="right"><em>Leawood</em></p> After seeing the picture of Rep. Melvin Neufeld on <em>The Star&#8217;s </em>editorial page (5/8, &#8220;Dawdling at Kansas taxpayers&#8217; expense&#8221;), I was moved to reflect on <em>The Star&#8217;s </em>consistent, even-handed reporting of the Holcomb coal plant matter.</p><p>Rep. Neufeld, in his manipulating and &#8220;bundling&#8221; has shown the essence of the matter for me. Rep. Neufeld sadly sees this issue as a political win-lose matter when it is, in fact, a matter of morality and ethics.</p><p>Thank you for your reporting of this matter. It is not only a state but a national and world concern and perhaps a matter of the sustainability of the planet.</p><p><p align="right"><strong>George Wolf</strong></p> <p align="right"><em>Overland Park</em></p> Does anyone else wonder why, when a veto- override attempt passes it is final, and in this case the coal plants would have prevailed. However, when a veto-override attempt fails, the battle never ends and the legislators will try again as soon as the next day.</p><p>I believe there should be a time limit of at least two years before an issue can be brought up again. It would certainly save a lot of the legislators&#8217; time, and they could be working on more productive issues for the state.</p><p><p align="right"><strong>Vera M. Taylor</strong></p> <p align="right"><em>Olathe</em></p> <strong><span class="subhead">Where&#8217;s the outrage?</span></strong></p><p>I was really bothered by a story (5/7, Sports) stating that a former player for the Minnesota Vikings was charged with assault and accused of holding a plastic dry-cleaning bag over the head of his 2-year-old son.</p><p>Michael Vick had some dog fights, and he dominated the news. Meanwhile, this little-known football player&#8217;s actions received only a sentence on the bottom of the sports page. I wonder how all the readers who wanted to see Michael Vick hanged feel about this.</p><p>We will never know because it&#8217;s not about dogs, but instead about the 2-year-old child of a little-known player.</p><p>We all need God.</p><p><p align="right"><strong>Carl Heggie</strong></p> <p align="right"><em>Kansas City, Kan.</em></p> <strong><span class="subhead">Crime and trash in east KC</span></strong></p><p>If Mayor Funkhouser wants to spur investment in east Kansas City, here are a couple of top priorities to address:</p><p>&#8226;Crime: Drugs, prostitution, burglary, and armed robbery are out of control in east Kansas City. In 23 years of investing in single-family homes on the east side, crime is the worst I&#8217;ve ever seen.</p><p>One of my best tenants, a couple buying a house on contract from our company, came into my office recently and said that the husband was robbed at gunpoint and had his car stolen in broad daylight while working on the car in his driveway. They are planning to move out of Kansas City.</p><p>If we continue to lose our best families, there won&#8217;t be any KC left.</p><p>&#8226;Trash: Tons and tons of it on the streets, curbs, sidewalks and vacant lots. Who wants to live in a trash dump?