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April 29, 2009
Metro's Emergency One-time Funding Request Is Critical To Maintain A Healthy Regional Infrastructure
Metro's one-time funding request to the Missouri Legislature of $20 million from the federal budget stabilization fund has been omitted from the most recent budget bill under review by the House of Representatives. However, efforts continue to place an emergency, one-time appropriation for Metro funding into other budget bills. Emergency funding for our region's transit system is critical to restoring the service cuts to employment centers in the St. Louis region. On
March 30th, due to funding shortfalls, Metro was forced to reduce bus
and van access to 30% of the employment centers in St. Louis County and
significantly reduce the frequency of MetroLink trains. The cuts came at a time when Metro's performance and ridership were at all-time highs.
A healthy transit system is a necessary component of the region's quality
of life, economic development, and for connecting businesses with their
workforce and customers. The RCGA strongly supports the infusion of critical funding to Metro and encourages its members to contact their legislators to stress the importance of a strong transit system to the growth of the St. Louis region. With the passage of the Missouri Budget due on May 8, now is the time to contact your legislator! To find your legislators click here.
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Missouri Economic Development Bill Needs Final Push
With the Missouri legislative session coming into its last two weeks, the economic development bill needs a strong push toward final passage. The House of Representatives has forwarded several legislative vehicles to expand programs to attract and recruit businesses to Missouri, but the Senate has not been able to reach agreement on passage. Especially in these tough economic times, it is vital for Missouri to send a strong message to businesses across the country that the State has the tools for businesses to expand and succeed.
The economic development bill has several essential provisions for economic growth, including:
- Increasing the Missouri Quality Jobs tax credit cap from $60 million to $100 million and expanding the program to companies engaged in new energy efficiency technology and manufacturing of energy efficiency components.
- Creating a $5 million Angel Tax Credit to stimulate venture capital investment in fast-growing advanced technology companies. This provision is one of the elements of the RCGA's "Grow Me State" Initiative.
- Raising the cap on the State's New Markets Tax Credit Program to $27.5 million.
- Restoring the $10 million Research & Development Tax Credit to support research in agricultural biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, aerospace, defense, wind turbines, and other advanced manufacturing products.
Unfortunately, these strong actions for economic growth have run into opposition by a small handful of anti-incentive Senators. These Senators continue to place very damaging provisions onto the economic development bill, including:
- Requirements that all tax credits be annually authorized by the Legislature and subject to the appropriations process,
- Sunsets on all tax credit programs, and
- Dramatic reductions in the Historic Preservation Tax Credit program
These provisions would have an immediate "chilling effect" on the State's economic development efforts. Annual authorizations would give legislators the power to "instantly sunset" a program by zeroing-out the next fiscal year's authorization. Missouri's Historic Preservation Tax Credit program -- the most successful such program in the country -- has leveraged billions of dollars in private investment in St. Louis' center city and older neighborhoods and downtowns throughout the region and State. Drastic reductions to this program would leave buildings vacant in urban areas and main streets throughout the region.
In these challenging economic times, the RCGA urges the Missouri Senate to pass a comprehensive economic development bill as soon as possible. The level of competition between states for jobs is hotter than ever, and Missouri cannot "unilaterally disarm". Please make sure our legislators know how important this bill is for ensuring economic growth. Contact your Senator today to make your voice known. To find your Senator please click here and type in your zip code in the Legislator Look up section. |
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Focus On Illinois: Legislation Would Help Build State's Energy Infrastructure
The Illinois Energy to Jobs Initiative, sponsored by Rep. Dan Reitz (D-Steeleville) and Sen. James Clayborne (D-Belleville) provides a comprehensive strategy to build Illinois's energy infrastructure and to leverage Illinois' energy resources in creating jobs. Illinois sits on one of the largest coal reserves in the world, hosts the convergence of national gas and crude oil pipelines, five oil refineries (including the ConocoPhillips Wood River Refinery), nuclear generating plants, and a strong supply of wind for electrical generation.
The Initiative would create a strong foundation for energy infrastructure development by:
- Providing incentives such as tax credits and tax exemptions to build and improve energy production and manufacturing facilities ranging from wind farms, biomass production, and enhanced oil and natural gas refining capacity.
- Providing tax credits and tax exemptions to promote investment in transmission efficiency and smart grid technologies.
- Broadening the scope of the Illinois Power Authority to facility carbon dioxide transportation.
- Creating a commission to address technical issues associated with carbon sequestration in Illinois.
These provisions will assist in the development of two key projects in the Southwestern Illinois region: the FutureGen carbon sequestration pilot project in Mattoon and the Prairie State Energy Campus under construction in Washington County. FutureGen will be a first-of-its-kind coal-fueled, near-zero emissions power plant. The $1.5 billion plant will use cutting-edge technologies to generate electricity while capturing and permanently storing carbon dioxide deep beneath the earth. By generating 275 megawatts of electricity, FutureGen will be capable of powering about 150,000 homes. It will create 600-700 jobs during the construction phase and require 100 jobs during operations.
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Rendering of the FutureGen plant to be built in Mattoon, Illinois.
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The Prairie State Energy Campus will generate 1600 megawatts of power to be distributed to eight Midwestern-based public power utilities. The Campus will generate enough electricity to serve approximately 1.7 million homes covering nine states. Expected to employ 2,300 workers during peak construction and 500 permanent jobs, the plan would inject more than $2.8 billion in to the local economy over three decades.
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Rendering of Prairie State Energy Campus in Washington County, scheduled to go on-line in summer 2011
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House Bill 3854
contains the provisions of the Illinois to Energy Job Initiative. The bill overwhelmingly passed the House of Representatives earlier this
month and the Senate Energy Committee will hold a hearing on the bill on April 30th. The RCGA supports the Illinois Energy to Jobs Initiative and the creation of new energy facilities in Southwestern Illinois.
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| Ford Hosts Legislators at RCGA Breakfast in Jefferson City
Tony Reinhart, Regional Government Affairs Director for Ford Motor Company, hosted Missouri legislators for breakfast on April 22nd in Jefferson City. Their event was one of the RCGA Legislative Breakfasts held throughout the legislative session which provide an informal and pleasant setting to discuss issues.
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(from left) Lieutenant Governor Peter Kinder, Rep. Walt Bivins (R-Mehlville) and Tony Reinhart, meet for the RCGA Legislative Breakfast at the Doubletree Hotel.
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(seated from left) Rep. Pat Yaeger (D-Lemay), Adella Jones of Metro, Rep. Sue Allen (R-Town & Country), Rep. Rachel Storch (D-St. Louis); and (standing from left) Rep. Gina Walsh (D-Spanish Lake), John Sondag, of AT&T and the RCGA Public Policy Council Chairman, Tony Reinhart and Rep. Jerry Nolte (R-Gladstone) get ready to start their day at the Capitol.
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| (from left) Rep. Gina Walsh (D-Spanish Lake) and Ann Brand of St. Louis Community College share a laugh at the RCGA Legislative Breakfast. |
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UPCOMING EVENT
May 6: RCGA Legislative Breakfast sponsored by the RCGA Government Affairs Presidential sponsors (see company logos below) at the Doubletee Hotel in Jefferson City from 7:00 to 8:30 a.m. For reservations contact Sherri Bailey at PPadmin@stlrcga.org or (314) 444-1134 by Friday, May 1st.
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The RCGAdvocate is published periodically to inform RCGA members and government officials about important public policy matters at the state, federal and local levels. It seeks to provide timely, in-depth coverage on regional issues, and, at times, to call RCGA members to action. We welcome your comments and suggestions.
Richard C.D. Fleming ~ President & CEO ~ (314) 444-1100 ~ dfleming@stlrcga.org
Chip Casteel ~ Senior V.P. of Public Policy ~ (314) 444-1107 ~ ccasteel@stlrcga.org
Susan Stauder ~ V.P. of Infrastructure & Public Policy ~ (314) 444-1155 ~ sstauder@stlrcga.org
Eric Schneider ~ Senior Director of Public Policy Research ~ (314) 444-1148 ~ eschneider@stlrcga.org
Kevin Riggs ~ Director of Illinois Government Affairs ~ (314) 444-1108 ~ kriggs@stlrcga.org
Christine Snively ~ Project Manager ~ (314) 444-1144 ~ csnively@stlrcga.org
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