In Our View: Jobs for Missouri

May 16, 2009 08:57 am

— Both Democratic Gov. Jay Nixon and Republican Speaker of the House Ron Richard, of Joplin, promised during the January inauguration and swearing-in ceremonies that jobs would be their No. 1 priority.
It appears four months and several compromises later, that economic-development legislation has passed and the top priority of the session has been fulfilled.
Ten minutes before Friday’s legislative session ended, Missouri lawmakers sent Gov. Jay Nixon a compromise bill that provides incentives to certain businesses that add new jobs paying at least average wages and providing health benefits.
The legislation also raised the tax credits available for development projects located in areas with significant poverty rates or low to medium incomes.
The legislation, according to The Associated Press, will exempt thousands of businesses from paying Missouri’s corporate franchise tax, and it would increase eligibility for state job-training incentives.
Lawmakers, seeking to offer those without jobs some relief, passed a bill that will extend unemployment benefits.
The bill, which now must be signed by the governor, should go some distance in creating more jobs.
Now with the session over, we urge legislators to continue to work to help win back lost jobs and find solutions to creating new ones.
For some, victory is still many, many paychecks away.

Whiz kid
Missouri Southern State University’s youngest graduate on Friday told the Globe he doesn’t think that much about his accomplishments.
But 19-year-old Aaron McGinn deserves the recognition he’s earned.
When high school failed to offer him enough of a challenge, he moved to Northwest Missouri State University in Maryville and joined the Missouri Academy of Science, Math and Computing. That stint earned him college credits, which helped him enter college early.
McGinn plans to spend his summer studying in France and Spain and then will attend graduate school at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, Ark.
Good luck, Aaron. We can’t wait to see what you accomplish next.