Nixon says House jobs bill only widens differences

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) -- Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon says a business incentive bill passed by the House has widened the differences with the Senate in a special legislative session.

Nixon said Tuesday that he prefers the Senate version of the legislation but hopes lawmakers can still settle their differences and send him a bill.

Republican senators were to meet privately later Tuesday to discuss the legislation passed last week by the House.

The House bill would cut Missouri's corporate income tax -- a proposal that was not on Nixon's agenda for the special session and was not part of a deal struck before the session began by House and Senate leaders. The House version also makes smaller reductions than the Senate bill to current tax breaks for housing developers.