State Sen. Mike Cierpiot Archives

Parson and Kelly to sign joint commitment in Kansas City aimed at ending “border war” (AUDIO)

August 13, 2019 By Brian Hauswirth

The governors of Missouri and Kansas will travel to Kansas City on Tuesday morning to sign a joint commitment aimed at ending the “border war” between the two states, which involves tax incentives.

State Sen. Mike Cierpiot, R-Lee’s Summit, speaks on the Missouri Senate floor on April 16, 2019 (file photo courtesy of
Harrison Sweazea of Senate Communications)

Missouri Governor Mike Parson (R) and Kansas Governor Laura Kelly (D) will headline the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce Governor summit, which is taking place at Memorial Hall in Kansas City, Kansas.

Governor Parson has signed legislation into law from State Sen. Mike Cierpiot, R-Lee’s Summit, which restricts incentives to companies moving from Kansas to Missouri’s Cass, Clay, Jackson and Platte counties. Senator Cierpiot, who will be attending the summit, tells Missourinet the border war has been “a gigantic waste of money” for both states.

“Companies move from one side of the state line to the other and the economic development that is supposed to occur when a company arrives does not happen, because nobody’s moving here, they’re already living here, all the employees are here,” Cierpiot says.

The Kansas City-based Hall Family Foundation says more than 10,000 jobs moved between Missouri and Kansas in the past decade, with an incentive cost of $330 million.

It looks like the war will end, when the two governors sign the joint commitment at about 9:30 a.m. Parson, a conservative Republican, and Kelly, a progressive Democrat, both say the border war has been costly.

Senator Cierpiot agrees, telling Missourinet this is and has been a bipartisan issue in the Missouri Legislature.

“We passed this a few years ago, Kansas at the time with Governor (Sam) Brownback did not agree to join,” says Cierpiot. “But that effort was bipartisan with (State Sens.) Ryan Silvey and Jason Holsman, two Kansas City senators, one Democrat and one Republican.”

Parson says both states have spent “well over $100 million on this.” State Rep. Greg Razer, D-Kansas City, the ranking Democrat on the House Higher Education Committee, agrees, saying it has drained resources from critical programs for both states.

Governors Parson and Kelly also plan a 10:40 a.m. press conference at Memorial Hall.

Click here to listen to Brian Hauswirth’s full interview with State Sen. Mike Cierpiot, R-Lee’s Summit, which was recorded on August 9, 2019:

Governor Parson says Missouri and Kansas have both spent more than $100 million on border war

June 13, 2019 By Brian Hauswirth

Legislation aimed at ending the economic “border war” between Missouri and Kansas has been signed into law this week by Governor Mike Parson (R) in Kansas City.

Missouri Governor Mike Parson signs SB 182 into law on June 11, 2019 at Kansas City’s Union Station (photo courtesy of Governor Parson’s office)

The Bolivar Republican notes the legislation, which is Senate bill 182, will only take effect if the Sunflower State passes a reciprocal agreement.

“I’m very positive, very optimistic right now that we’re going to come to some sort of an agreement between Missouri and Kansas on this,” Parson says.

Governor Parson signed the bill this week at Kansas City’s historic Union Station, telling reporters he has a good working relationship with Kansas Governor Laura Kelly (D) and that additional meetings will take place. He says he’s met with Kelly and has also spoken to her on the phone.

Parson tells reporters that incentivizing companies to move a few miles does not result in new jobs for Missouri or Kansas.

“We’re spending a lot of taxpayer money to do initiatives for businesses on the border of Kansas and Missouri and sometimes we’re not getting very much gain for that,” says Parson.

The legislation, which is sponsored by State Sen. Mike Cierpiot, R-Lee’s Summit, impacts companies moving between Johnson, Miami and Wyandotte counties in eastern Kansas and Missouri’s Cass, Clay, Jackson and Platte counties.

The Kansas City-based Hall Family Foundation says more than 10,000 jobs moved between Missouri and Kansas during the past decade, with an incentive cost of $330 million. The jobs all moved in the Kansas City region.

“I think Missouri has spent well over $100 million on this, Kansas has spent well over $100 million,” Parson says. “There’s no reason we can’t be using that money for a lot better purposes than just jumping from one side of the state (line) to the other.”

Governor Parson tells reporters he’s optimistic he’ll reach an agreement with Kansas Governor Laura Kelly on this.

As for Governor Kelly, she’s issued a statement echoing Governor Parson’s comments about the irresponsible spending by both states, “with little actual job growth for either state.”

Kelly also emphasizes that the two states must work together to attract business and jobs.

“We’re encouraged by the renewed spirit of cooperation and collaboration between the two states. The recent joint proposal to attract United States Department of Agriculture operations to the Kansas City metro area is a prime example of progress on that front,” Kelly’s statement reads, in part.

This issue has been debated for years in the Missouri Legislature, with former House Speaker Tim Jones, R-Eureka, and former State Rep. Kevin McManus, D-Kansas City, leading an unsuccessful effort in 2014.