Quality Jobs Bill not dead yet

The Quality Jobs Bill is not dead yet, despite a Friday veto from Gov. Matt Blunt, according to state lawmakers.??

State Rep. Ron Richard, R-Joplin, Chairman of the House Special Committee on Job Creation and Economic Development, said he'll be working with his Senate counterpart, Sen. John Griesheimer, R-Washington, to craft a compromise that will include the expansion of the Quality Jobs and other economic development tax credits, without some of the excess baggage that Blunt said forced him to veto the bill.??

"The plan is for myself and John Griesheimer to work out what we think should remain in the bill, then take it to the House and Senate leadership and get their blessing," Richard said. "Then the leadership will ask the governor for a special session to approve a new version of the bill. That way we can take care of this before we start talking about a veto override."

Richard said on Monday he was on his way to St. Louis, then would be spending a couple of days in Jefferson City in talks to create a new bill that could be considered in a special session.??

Blunt vetoed the bill on Friday, saying the Quality Jobs was an important incentive program, but the bill approved this year by the legislature to expand that incentive, "became loaded with excessive spending that simply does not benefit the average Missouri taxpayer."??

"There are important initiatives in the bill," Blunt said. "The Quality Jobs Act we created in 2005 has helped Missourians create more than 94,000 new jobs since 2005. I am committed to signing a fiscally responsible expansion of Quality Jobs, Enhanced Enterprise Zones and the New Market Tax Credits. The savings from a sounder bill will benefit the state for decades to come."

The governor said the bill, as passed this year, would have spent an estimated $200 million in excess of the Quality Jobs reauthorization, and there were unknown expenses associated with the legislation that could cost Missourians even more.??Blunt cited a laundry list of projects added to the bill, including extending eminent domain powers, tax breaks for what he called "phantom flights" from Missouri to Europe, and tax provisions that could put Missouri employers at a competitive disadvantage.??

Carthage Chamber of Commerce President John Bode said he hopes the legislators work out the problems with the bill because Quality Jobs, along with the Enhanced Enterprise Zones, have been valuable economic development tools for communities.