Lt. Gov. Mark Parkinson Speaks to Topeka Rotary Club

Energy production, aviation manufacturing (and other manufacturing) and agriculture remain the big three economic engines in Kansas and all three are firing on all cylinders right now. That was a key message from Lieutenant Governor Mark Parkinson at the November 15, 2007 meeting of the Topeka Rotary Club. Parkinson said the Kansas economy is doing about as well as it ever has due to continuing high demand for energy, airplanes and agricultural foodstuffs worldwide. Boeing is one of only two manufacturers of big commercial airplanes in the world (the other is France based Airbus), and the Wichita air nexus is a huge driver of the entire state economy. As demand for ethanol increases more farmers shift to the higher paying corn crop and the decline in wheat then increases wheat prices so farmers in western Kansas are doing well right now he said. All these remarks led to a discussion about renewable energy. “Every state talks about doing renewable energy but few states has the natural resources to really do renewable energy. Kansas is rated number three in the nation for renewable energy potential,” Parkinson. That includes ethanol production. Currently Kansas produces 100 million gallons a year from corn and plant stalks. When all ethanol plants under construction (18 right now) come on line that number will jump to 1 billion gallons a year. Also Kansas is the third best state for wind energy potential. “We now have everyone on the same page and we are going to have wind farm development. By 2010 we will have 10% of our electrical needs met by wind. This also helps the western part of the state where the wind potential is the best.” Workforce is the cloud on the horizon of this otherwise sunny Kansas day. “WE lack key workers in key industries to do the work we already have right now,” Parkinson said. This includes high-skilled careers in engineering and broadly throughout the medical field, as well as skilled labor. “We hear from the business community over and over that what we really need are more workers.” Several Topeka news media representatives attended the meeting and grilled the Lieutenant Governor after his remarks. A news story appeared on Page 1 of the Friday Topeka Capital Journal.