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Governor Jay Nixon has been traveling the state to promote a new set of incentives in his comprehensive strategy to create jobs in Missouri. The proposal is called “Missouri Works.” KSMU’s Jennifer Moore has details.
At the Custom Powder Systems manufacturing plant in Springfield, Nixon said his top priorities as governor once again this year are to get more Missourians working and to keep the economy moving forward. There are many parts to his Missouri Works proposal, which would need to get lawmakers’ approval:
First, Nixon wants to expand Missouri exports by providing state assistance and resources to Missouri businesses hoping to sell their goods outside of the US.
“Now, we’re also working to make sure small business have the opportunity to explore export operations. As we see that 35 percent increase in 2010, a 14 percent increase in 2011 in exports, we clearly know that selling Missouri around the world is a responsibility that we have, and we’re gonna make sure we have the resources to do just that,” Nixon said.
The Missouri Works proposal would also provide incentives for auto-suppliers like Ford and GM to invest in Missouri. It would invest $4 million to help high-tech businesses create science and technology jobs. It would offer performance-based incentives for businesses to hire in rural parts of the state. The strategy would expand the mission of “Show-Me Heroes,” which is an initiative to encourage employers to recruit and interview military veterans. And the proposal would put money toward training workers in high-tech careers.
Nixon did not give a price tag on the entire Missouri Works proposal, but said he will talk money on Tuesday when he delivers his State of the State address, and his budget recommendation.
Some Missouri Republicans criticized Nixon Monday, saying some of his job-creation tax breaks have been a failure. During a House committee hearing Monday, figures showed a wide gap between the number of jobs anticipated and those actually created by businesses who were approved for aid under Missouri’s Quality Jobs Program. Two representatives suggested that projects that have not created any jobs should be seen as failures.
I asked the governor about that. He began by saying the vast majority of the incentives under the Quality Jobs Act are only paid after the jobs are created.
“Does every business deal work out like everyone hoped it would? No. This is America. I mean, does everything we step at come out perfect? No. But I’ll tell you one thing, I’m not going to stand still. The people who want to spend their time standing still and have a critique on what have been problems in the past, instead of joining together and coming forward with where we have to lead this economy, I really don’t have a lot of time for them,” Nixon said.
And as for how likely it is that a Republican-controlled House and Senate will be willing to support the Democratic governor’s plan, especially in an election year, Nixon says he’s optimistic that when the dust settles from the opening of a new session, lawmakers will join hands for the sake of the state’s economy.
According to the Department of Economic Development, Missouri added nearly 11,000 new manufacturing jobs in the first 11 months of 2011. The unemployment rate in Missouri is now at its lowest point in 34 months.
For KSMU News, I’m Jennifer Moore.
