Sen. Koering laments lost investment
Sen. Paul Koering, R-Fort Ripley, feels both a sense of pleasure and regret as he drives past the ethanol plant in Little Falls.
Koering, speaking today (Feb. 19) in a Senate committee, explained that he likes seeing the steam come out of the plant — thinking of the jobs created — but recalls back when he was farming how he bought 10,000 shares of ethanol stock at a buck and a half a share.
Later, elected to the Senate and not knowing it’s possible for a lawmaker to not vote on bills that may directly benefit them, in the spirit of good government Koering sold his ethanol stock at the price he bought it.
Now, looking at the success of the Little Falls plant, he wishes he still had some of that stock.
“I can tell you that,” said Koering.
It became evident during discussions about the plant that Koering’s investment, had he kept it, would have made a tidy dollar.
But that’s the price of government service, Koering laughed.
