This article first appeared in the St. Louis Beacon, July 8, 2011 - While not yet promising a special session on jobs, Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon has announced that he "will invite legislative leaders to meet with top members of his economic development team and senior staff next week to finalize a strategy for developing and passing legislation to create jobs, to make Missouri more competitive, and to ensure a positive return on investment for taxpayers."
The governor said the specifics had yet to be set. The aim of the session, his staff said in a statement, will be to "focus on both the additional tools that are necessary to create jobs and the changes to existing tax credit programs that will be necessary to pay for those new tools."
The meeting is to be led by Nixon's chief of staff John Watson, state Budget Director Linda Luebbering and David Kerr, director of the Missouri Department of Economic Development.
"My top priority is to help Missouri businesses create jobs and compete around the world," Nixon said. "Over the past several weeks, we have been engaged in discussions with legislative and business leaders about how to sharpen state tools to create jobs and make Missouri more competitive, and how to pay for those tools."
"We are now ready to take the next step by inviting legislative leaders to join senior members of my team for a high-level meeting about how to move this process forward," the governor added. "We must continue to analyze both the additional tools that are necessary to create jobs, and the changes to existing tax credit programs needed to pay for those new tools. In addition, as we move forward with disaster recovery in Joplin and across Missouri, we must determine the most efficient and effective method to pay for those costs while not impeding economic growth and other critical priorities."
Nkxon may be ready, but Republican legislative leaders are not.
State House Speaker Steve Tilley, R-Perryville, and Senate President Pro Tem Rob Mayer, R-Dexter, issued joint statements late Thursday declining the governor's invitation.
Said Tilley: "Since the end of the legislative session in May, House and Senate leaders have continued negotiations in an effort to reach an agreement on a comprehensive economic development package. We remain committed to reaching a compromise that will help bring much-needed jobs to our state and continue to ensure our state's fiscal stability.
"Immediately following session, the governor stated he would not consider a special session until the House and Senate reached a compromise. We certainly appreciate the governor's invitation to meet with his staff, however until we have a final agreement between the House and Senate on possible jobs legislation, both Senator Mayer and myself agree this meeting is premature."
As for Mayer: "We will continue working closely together and look forward to announcing an agreement on these important job creation measures in the near future. We are committed to work with the governor to determine the best course of action moving forward. First, we reach a final agreement and consult with legislative members of both parties, then both Speaker Tilley and I will ask for a meeting with the governor to share with him our bi-partisan jobs bill and ask Gov. Nixon to call us into special session or to support the legislature in calling themselves in to special session."
Those close to the governor have said for weeks that the most likely time for a special session, should he agree to call one, would be in September when the General Assembly already will be in Jefferson City for the annual veto session.
Nixon's latest focus on jobs may have political as well as policy aims, as the governor and fellow Democrats seek to highlight their job-creation efforts.
Earlier this week, more than a dozen St. Louis-area legislators in the state House met with area business and government officials trying to persuade China to locate a cargo hub at Lambert St. Louis International Airport.
According to a statement, House Democrats heard from supporters and opponents of the project, including: tax credit expert Eric Friedman, China Hub Commission President Mike Jones, Steven Johnson with the Regional Chamber and Growth Association, Audrey Spalding of The Show Me Institute; and Amy Blouin of the Missouri Budget Project.
"We have joined together to further explore the issue and see whether we can influence the debate in a way that protects our vulnerable citizens while helping develop jobs and move the economy forward," said state Rep. Bert Atkins, D-Florissant and chair of the House Labor Caucus.
Officials in St. Louis and St. Louis County lobbied hard during the last legislative session to win approval for more than $300 million in state tax credits to encourage hub-related development around Lambert. The proposal died after it got caught in a broader legislative battle over the cost of state tax credit programs.
