The tax breaks that might lure a major airplane-maker to the Kansas City area has cleared the state senate.

It’s 240-million dollars worth of tax credits spread through eight years, with safeguards to make sure the state does not come out a big loser if the deal falls through.

Only a few minutes before the senate approved the plan, members learned how to properly pronounce the name of the Canadian aerospace company that could benefit. Sponsor Charlie Shields of St. Joseph says he has learned from company executives that Bombardier is pronounced "Bomb-bar-j." It’s a French-Canadian Company with headquarters in Quebec.

Bombardier Aerospace is interested in building a factory at Kansas City International Airport to make its next generation of jetliners. Shields thinks this package of tax credits could make it happen. He’s hoping to hear an announcement sometime this summer. Missouri is competing with Canada for the location.

The package approved by the Senate today is significantly smaller than Shields’ original proposal which would have totaled $880 million in tax credits spread through 22 years. But he ran into resistance in the Senate and shelved his plan. The House passed a version of the tax package. The Senate has approved a re-write of it and is sending it back to the House, hoping for approval of the senate changes.

 

Download Bob Priddy’s story (:60 mp3]