The state is competing for a reported $1 billion expansion possible at the General Motors plant in Wentzville. Governor Mike Parson says the Legislature must pass an incentives package in the next two weeks to help win the project other states are also competing for.
Missouri Governor Mike Parson speaks to the Capitol Press Corps after being sworn-in as governor on June 1, 2018 in Jefferson City (file photo by Tim Bommel/UPI)
“I think it’s the goals we’ve been talking about all along – we know where that infrastructure piece of legislation is, we know where the workforce development pieces are. It will take some new legislation to meet this, but I think we’re well prepared for that. I think there’s plenty of time to get this done,” says Parson during a press conference today in at the Missouri Capitol.
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports more than 3,500 people work at the factory with an average salary of $81,000. Parson would not say if the state fails to win the project means losing the eastern Missouri factory.
“You always have concerns about that. We don’t know that we are at that point to be able to say that, but I think right now General Motors has given us an opportunity to be at the table. We want to try to figure out a way to bring them to Missouri to expand that business,” says Parson.
Missouri Senate leadership says the legislature can pass an incentives package in the next two weeks. Senate President Dave Schatz, R-Sullivan, was asked what was promises were made to GM officials.
“The only thing that was promised was we are going to do everything we can to make Missouri an attractive place for them to do business, from the governor, from the leadership of the House and the Senate, is to do that – is to make sure we’re putting our best foot forward so that we can try to make sure that they stay here, they invest here, and they continue to build on the operation they have,” says Schatz during a Senate press briefing today.
The Missouri Legislature’s regular session ends on May 17.
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