Chamber hears Mo. 2030 details

Missouri Chamber of Commerce & Industry officials visited Springfield on Jan. 15 to present the framework of a long-range economic development plan and gather input to improve the state’s business climate.

Dubbed Missouri 2030, the 15-year plan calls on business leaders to step in to bolster the state’s economic status by brainstorming for ideas and leading the solutions. Among the problems the chamber identified is a loss of over 17,000 Missouri jobs between 2002 and 2012, ranking the state 39th in job growth. During the decade, Missouri’s economy grew at the 47th slowest rate among the 50 states, the chamber reports.

During a presentation to roughly 40 people at the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce, Missouri chamber President and CEO Dan Mehan highlighted results of a Gallup survey commissioned to find shortcomings the 2030 plan could address.

The survey polled 1,000 businesspeople statewide. The findings, according to the chamber, rank Missouri as a midrange state “at best,” a belief the chamber is working to correct with input from stakeholders.

Gallup identified nine key areas: education, talent, infrastructure, business input, tax environment, health care, labor relations, regulatory environment and political leadership.

“Hopefully this rising tide’s going to raise a lot of ships,” Mehan said of the plan’s expected outcomes. “We need to position Missouri as a much larger player in a global environment.”

Among key findings, the Gallup survey found 20 percent believe politicians are committed to improving the state business climate.

“Policy needs to trump politics as opposed to the other way around,” Mehan said.

Following the meeting with Springfield chamber members, Missouri chamber spokeswoman Karen Buschmann said the organization, which represents more than 3,000 members, plans to publicly unveil the 2030 plan Feb. 25.

Springfield was the midpoint of five stops on a statewide tour last week for Mehan and crew, who are seeking input on increasing investments in the key areas identified.

Chamber officials expect a second phase would roll out by midyear centered on funding the economic development goals.

“It is a work in progress,” Buschmann said. “It is a 15-year plan, and we will be continuing to add things and pull things out that may not be working. All that said, we do believe it’s going to require increased state investment or, at least, a reprioritizing of state funds.”

The chamber is working with consultant Ted Abernathy, who also addressed the group in Springfield and is interviewing CEOs around the state to determine the best way forward. Abernathy, who runs economic consultancy Economic Leadership LLC, for five years directed the Southern Growth Policies Board, a public-policy think tank devoted to economic development.

“We are at the end of a 12-month process where we are gathering information from CEOs, so we can understand what their needs are and what ideas are out there for addressing those needs,” Buschmann said.

One need is transportation funding, which was exacerbated by the August failure of a 3/4-cent sales tax proposal.

“We lost the game on Amendment 7. I don’t think we can walk away just because we lost. We’ve got to get that one right,” Mehan said.

Last week, state Transportation Department officials released the Missouri 325 System plan saying with limited funds – about $325 million for construction in 2017 – only a quarter of Missouri’s roads, the major highways, will be maintained. Buschmann said transportation falls into the big picture of 21st century infrastructure.

“It also includes broadband, energy and even higher education. That’s infrastructure, as well,” Buschmann said, adding the chamber is likely to establish an infrastructure consortium to further explore needs and funding options.