Gov. Nixon touts jobs package at Cape Girardeau stop

Calling exports a "sweet spot" for Missouri's economic growth, Gov. Jay Nixon on Thursday visited BioKyowa in Cape Girardeau, a company that attributes 75 percent of its sales to exports.

Nixon is touring businesses across the state to urge the legislature to pass the proposed Made in Missouri jobs package during the special session that starts next week.

The state's international exports were up by 13 percent, or $1 billion, in the first two quarters of this year after growing 35 percent in 2010, he said.

BioKyowa is an example of how Missouri exports continue to grow, Nixon said.

"Selling more products abroad equals more jobs at home," he said.

The company has increased its workforce by 15 percent to 130 employees this year and is constructing a multimillion-dollar building to increase its amino acid production.

He was joined by Rep. Billy Pat Wright, R-Dexter, and Rep. Steve Hodges, D-East Prairie, both of whom said they support the bipartisan economic development package of business incentives and tax credit reforms.

It includes the Missouri Science and Innovation Reinvestment Act, Aerotropolis tax credits for a foreign trade hub in St. Louis, incentives for data centers and upfront financing for new businesses known as Compete Missouri.

In addition to providing new economic development tools in Missouri, it would revamp the state's tax credit programs, saving more than $1.5 billion annually.

Sen. Jason Crowell, R-Cape Girardeau, has spoken out against the proposal since it was announced last month and Thursday issued a statement asking the governor to rethink his approach to "giving new tax credits to special interests in the name of job creation."

Wayne Wallingford, R-Cape Girardeau, has also said he opposed the package because it leaves open the possibility that funds could be used for embryonic stem-cell research, which he opposes.

Nixon said he wouldn't have called the legislature back to Jefferson City if he didn't think they could get the job done.

Crowell has called the economic development package a "backroom deal" that is short on economic development and tax credit reform, but long on government handouts to special interests.

Nixon strongly disagreed.

"I think the parameters were very clear. Every one of these measures are things that have been worked on in one form or another and came very close to passing in substantive ways this year," Nixon said. "The legislature meets in public, the committees are in public, the bill's debated in public, every vote they take is on the record."

At this time, when economic recovery is beginning, Nixon said, it is important for Missouri to take an aggressive approach.

"The choice I had was whether my state is going to sit still or we're going to use all the tools we have to move forward," he said. "I have talked to legislative leaders. I think we're prepared to move forward."

Earlier this week, the Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry called for the Made in Missouri jobs package to be approved in its entirety.

Nixon wouldn't say he agreed with the all-or-nothing approach but that it is important that the legislature look at how to fund new business incentive programs.

"You can't just pass the incentive side without the pay-for side. We have a AAA credit rating, we have a very tight state budget ... the one linchpin that's vital is to make sure these economic incentives that are passed are paid for so we are not in a situation where we're having to make more difficult choices about what our expenses should be," Nixon said.

Hodges said he's pleased Nixon called the special session to give the legislature the opportunity to pass a jobs bill this year.

"The whole legislative job development was the keynote thing," he said. "We didn't get it done. Gov. Nixon, instead of saying 'they didn't get it done and I'm going to walk away from it,' he has been persistent about working with both party leaderships to develop a strategy to get it done."

Wright said tax credits, when spent wisely, bring the state much more than it invests. He said he feels confident with the tax credit checks and balances included in this proposal.

"They are a great incentive for companies to grow and continue to grow. We do not want to do away with them, we just want a little more scrutiny," he said.

The legislature's special session begins Tuesday. In addition to debating the jobs package, lawmakers will also take up a measure that would move the date of Missouri's presidential primary from February to March, and legislation that would place the control of the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department to the city of St. Louis.

mmiller@semissourian.com

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Nash Road, Cape Girardeau, MO