Just two months after Don Blankenship dropped about $650,000 opposing the plan to bond out public pension debts, the Massey Energy CEO has pledged to spend $500,000 on advertisements promoting the elimination of the sales tax on food.

As Gov. Joe Manchin and his staff refine the agenda for a September special session -- an agenda that could include the beginning of a food tax phase-out -- Blankenship has decided to provide some motivation on the airwaves.

He has been telling media outlets that West Virginia has a surplus, and it's time for tax relief, particularly by removing assessment of the state's 6 percent sales tax from food purchases. That portion of sales tax revenue generates about $150 million per year.

Taking it down to 5 percent, as Manchin has suggested, would cost about $25 million.

Blankenship has said he also favors lowering gasoline taxes.