Missouri Legislature opens special session in bid to get the Boeing 777X

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- The Missouri Legislature opened a special session Monday with only one item on the agenda -- to enact up to $150 million a year in tax breaks to try to get Boeing to build its planned 777X in the state.

Gov. Jay Nixon last week called the Legislature into a special session that began late Monday.

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch said Nixon met with Republican House members beforehand who wanted to hear details about the costs and expected return for taxpayers if Boeing is offered the incentives package.

A Senate committee hearing on the bill is scheduled Tuesday, it said.

Boeing sent requests for proposals to a reported 12 to 15 states about building its newest commercial jet near Seattle. Many of those states are likely to offer lucrative incentive packages.  According to the Post-Dispatch, Nixon said that states’ responses are due Dec. 10.