Missouri Governor Jay Nixon (D) has called lawmakers back to Jefferson City for a special session in an attempt to win a contract from Boeing to build the company 's 777X passenger jet.
Missouri's regular session for 2014 begins in just over a month, but in a press release issued today, Nixon says holding a special session is necessary because Boeing's deadline for proposals is December 10th.
"Building this next-generation commercial aircraft in Missouri would create thousands of jobs across our state and secure our position as a hub for advanced aerospace manufacturing – and that's why I am committed to competing for and winning this project," Nixon said.
Missouri's Republican-led General Assembly has been divided in recent years on the use of tax credits. In 2009 they approved $240 million in incentives in a failed attempt to lure Bombardier Aerospace to Kansas City to build aircraft there. Then in 2011, disagreements between House and Senate Republicans contributed to the failure to pass a $360 million incentives package to turn Lambert Airport in St. Louis into an international air cargo hub. A scaled-back version of the so-called"Aerotropolis" proposal failed during the Show-Me State's last special session later that year.
Governor Nixon has been invited to present his proposal at the Republicans' annual Winter Caucus meeting on Monday, according to a statement from House Speaker Pro-tem Denny Hoskins (R, Warrensburg).
Missouri's 2013 special session begins Monday, December 2nd, at 4:00 p.m.
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