If Kansans had their way, former Westar CEO David Wittig wouldnâÂÂt receive a dime of his multimillion-dollar payout.

It remains to be seen whether David Wittig, former CEO of Westar Energy, will be found guilty of federal bank fraud charges. In the eyes of many Kansas consumers, however, there is no question that the corporate buyout that could pay Wittig up to $42.5 million is a crime.

The payout is part of WittigâÂÂs employment contract with Westar, which operated the former KPL, the electricity supplier for Lawrence and much of northeast Kansas. No money has been paid yet, but company officials say Wittig could receive up to $43 million in salary, life insurance, health benefits and stock options from Westar if he lives to age 75. Even at the low end of the scale, Wittig would be in line to receive $13 million in salary and benefits.

It isnâÂÂt exactly a reward for a job well-done. The company has suffered $2 billion in losses under WittigâÂÂs leadership, including $693 million in the first nine months of this year. The Kansas Corporation Commission has been asked not to allow Westar to use electric rates to cover the compensation packages, but itâÂÂs hard to see how the company can survive the payments and its other losses without passing some of the burden on to consumers.

The magnitude of the Wittig case is stunning. Last Saturday, the Journal-World reported on the massive renovation Wittig and his wife undertook on the former home of Alf Landon in Topeka. The opulence of the homeâÂÂs interior was something one would expect to find in the White House. Where the money came from is part of what the fraud trial will determine. But the extravagance of the project is disgusting to many Kansans, especially those who worry that part of the money may have come out of their own pockets when they paid their electric bills and how much they have lost in the value of their Westar stock since Wittig took over direction of the company.

State regulators have ordered Westar to restructure its business so that nonutility business debts will be separated from its utility operations. WestarâÂÂs board of directors also met Wednesday to elect an independent chairman. Hopefully these actions will help get the company back on track, but the road to recovery is likely to be a long one.

Wittig and WestarâÂÂs board of directors should be ashamed of the mess this company is in and the price Kansas consumers have paid and may continue to pay to allow Westar to recover from WittigâÂÂs tenure. Rest assured that if Kansans had any say in the matter, there would be no multimillion-dollar windfall for the former Westar chief or any of his cronies.