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| Writing my column last week on the spectacular success of the B-2 bombing of Iran originating from Whiteman Airforce Base just 60 miles east of the Kansas Missouri border, I remembered that for years Chinook helicopters, based at New Century AirCenter, have flown back and forth between New Century and Whiteman. That fact along with Cnano, a Chinese company buying a 333,000 sq ft. building in New Century AirCenter in 2023 which has set empty for over 2 years, sounded alarm bells in my head. A series of “what ifs” suddenly erupted, heightened by an article that a friend sent me from Just the News
I have written several columns on the debacle of Cnano, a Chinese nano technology company which not only bought the 333,000 sq ft building from the county’s Master Developer, Van Trust, in Johnson County’s New Century AirCenter near Gardner, Kansas (the old Naval Air Base), but also was showered with subsidies. The JoCo BOCC awarded this Chinese company a $34 million Industrial Revenue Bond which exempted them from paying sales tax on all construction materials, and also reduced their annual real estate taxes (payment in lieu of taxes) to a mere 30 cents per sq ft. On a 2,000 sq ft home that would be $600.00 total annual property taxes. I was the only commissioner who voted no. As a sitting county commissioner on June 1, 2023 I asked staff if any financial background checks had been done on this company, since it was formed in Delaware in 2022 and had no other business activity in the states. The answer: No……There is no County liability for repayment. Therefore, we are not aware of any jurisdiction that does an advance, in-depth financial screening of IRB beneficiaries. When I read the article from Just the News in the June 29, 2025 edition concerning a Chinese Company which is apparently in charge of hiring for the Ford Motor Company Battery Plant, I was shocked to learn that Johnson County may not only be guilty of slip shod financial screening but also possibly in violation of our national security and intelligence agencies directives on due diligence for China based companies. This quote is from Joseph Cell, Director of the Michigan-China Economic Security Review Group who told Just the News, “In their haste, unconscionably, parties to this ‘deal’ performed no strict scrutiny or due diligence, defying the directives given by our national security and intelligence agencies to state and local governments and American corporations when dealing with China-based companies, jeopardizing our national security and taxpayer dollars.” The entire article is available at this link: https://justthenews.com/government/security/chinese-military-tied-company-appears-be-hiring-ford-battery-plant-company-says I have forwarded this information to Kris Kobach, our Attorney General, who has for years been fighting for legislation to stop Chinese and other foreign adversaries from buying land in Kansas. Hopefully this information will get to the Trump Administration and a thorough investigation will be undertaken. Until then, I will keep fighting to bring the light of truth to Kansans. I was at the Kansas State Rifle Association meeting on Saturday. The other candidates ignored or were unaware of issues such as Cnano and the implosion of the Panasonic Battery Plant which now does not know when battery production will begin. Panasonic was showered with $829 million of your tax dollars to come to Kansas, corporate welfare does not work. I need your help in my campaign for governor. Without your monetary support I will be unable to let the voters know what is happening in our state. Charlotte O’Hara |
CNANO, A National Security Risk?
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Charlotte…the continued conservative leadership that Johnson County, KS needs now, more than ever!
I am honored to be running for re-election as Johnson County District 3 Commissioner, and I am committed to continuing to serve our entire community with integrity, dedication, passion and faith. I have consistently advocated for the interests of “We The People.”
Thank you for the honor you have given me to serve and I look forward to visiting with you during my re-election campaign!
