Missouri Legislature passes incentives bill to try to win Boeing 777X production



JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- The Missouri Legislature on Friday passed and sent the governor a bill offering Boeing incentives of up to $1.7 billion over 23 years to produce its planned 777X commercial airliner in the state, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported.

The newspaper added that St. Louis County Executive Charlie Dooley had called a special meeting of the County Council on Monday night to approve a resolution of support for a local Boeing incentives package. No amount has been set for that possible package yet.

Gov. Jay Nixon called the Legislature into special session last Monday to consider the state package. Boeing asked about a dozen states to submit bids for the plant by next Tuesday.

Nixon is expected to sign the bill quickly, the Post-Dispatch said.

In a statement issued after the vote, Nixon said: "I greatly appreciate the General Assembly’s work to send a bill to my desk in a timely manner so that we may submit a competitive proposal to Boeing on the aggressive timetable the company has set.

"Just as we worked together in a special session in 2010 to revitalize our auto industry and attract historic investments from Ford and GM, Missouri has once again demonstrated to the world that when it comes to creating good jobs for Missouri families, we compete and we compete to win," the governor said.

It's estimated that up to 8,700 jobs would be created if St. Louis were to win the full assembly line.