Mo. House speaker calls for 'family recovery plan'

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Incoming House Speaker Ron Richard outlined a "family recovery plan" for 2009 on Wednesday that focuses on pocketbook issues such as job creation, property taxes and raising Missourians' standard of living.

Richard said the nation is facing an economic crisis and that he wants to focus on legislation that is going to have tangible benefits for Missourians.

"Everything revolves around a good-paying job," he said.

Richard, a House leader in economic development issues for the last several years, said job creation is fundamental because it keeps the state's economy growing, which is what determines Missouri's budget and the state programs that can be funded.

"We've got to dwell on what's apparent: that it's a tough time for families. And I'm going to do what it takes to get parents, teachers and kids through this time and ready for the future," said Richard, who expressed frustration with bills filed this month dealing with less weighty topics.

House Republicans last fall picked Richard, of Joplin, Mo., to replace departing Speaker Rod Jetton, who was term-limited from the chamber and could not seek re-election in November. The speaker must be elected in a vote of the entire body, so Richard can't officially take that position until the session starts Jan. 7.

Republicans and Democrats often have been able to agree on economic development and job creation efforts, even during partisan times in the Capitol.

Democratic governor-elect Jay Nixon, who takes office Jan. 12, also has been working on a jobs plan, which could be announced as soon as next week.

An apparent summary of Nixon's plan that was provided to legislators includes a new loan program for small businesses; business tax credits to offset pre-employment training costs; an automotive manufacturing task force; and the ability for the state economic development director to waive a requirement that companies solicit proposals from other states before becoming eligible for a particular Missouri tax credit program.

Nixon spokesman Oren Shur declined Wednesday to confirm specific elements of the plan.

"The governor-elect is working on a jobs proposal, and we've been in contact with legislative leaders, but it continues to be a work in progress," Shur said.

Richard's job plan focuses heavily on putting Missouri in position to compete for companies willing to move operations to a new state and finding ways to help existing Missouri small businesses that haven't been aided as much by past economic development efforts. The House proposal also includes efforts to attract corporate headquarters because of the high-salary positions and the insurance and banking industries that can follow.

One of the ways Richard wants to recruit new businesses is by training potential future workers for the arriving companies. The worker training idea, modeled after a Georgia program, would be used to recruit companies by adding another element to Missouri's incentives packages.

For example, Missouri lawmakers earlier this year proposed $240 million worth of tax credits in a failed bid to land a Canadian-based airplane maker in Kansas City. Richard said that with the training program, Missouri also could have pledged machinists already specially trained for the jobs that the company would bring.

Besides recruiting businesses and training workers, Richard also wants to expand Missouri's energy production in hydroelectric, coal and nuclear; evaluate the effectiveness of existing state tax breaks; and review the tax structure, particularly to determine if last year's efforts to rein in local property tax increases have worked.

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Associated Press Writer David A. Lieb contributed to this report.