An incentive program to lure more manufacturing jobs to Missouri and to help the state keep the jobs it has passed the House Thursday on a 134-to-17 vote. The bill now moves to the Senate.
Rep. Jerry Nolte (R-Gladstone) says Missouri must compete with other states which are trying to lure manufacturing jobs. A qualifying factory would be allowed to retain half of its withholding taxes from retained jobs for 10 years. The manufacturing facility could also qualify for other state incentives, such as the Quality Jobs Program, Missouri’s premiere business incentive program. The jobs created would have to be high-paying with benefits.
Though the bill, HCS HB 1675, is broadly written, it does have one large factory in mind: the Ford Claycomo plant in Kansas City. Ford will soon end production of the Ford Escape at the plant. Missouri hopes to attract the product line that will replace it and keep 4,000 jobs at the plant. Several other states have offered Ford tens of millions of dollars to shift production.
Ford makes the popular F-150 line of pick-ups at Claycomo and plans to maintain that production at the plant.
AUDIO: Rep. Jerry Nolte brings HCS HB 1675 to House floor for debate (1 min)
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