Gov. Nixon signs Manufacturing Jobs Act

Gov. Jay Nixon today signed the Missouri Manufacturing Jobs Act into law after it was passed by the Senate yesterday.

The Missouri House passed the legislation 125-19 on June 29.

The governor was joined by auto workers as he signed the bill at the United Auto Workers Local near the Ford Motor Co. plant in Claycomo, one of the prime focuses of the bill.

In a Senate news release yesterday, Republican Sen. LuAnn Ridgeway of Smithville, who handled the bill in the Senate, said the program could save 3,700 jobs at the Ford Claycomo Plant.

The act will allow auto manufacturing companies and their suppliers that create or retain Missouri jobs to keep all or part of their employee withholding taxes that are typically remitted to the state, according to the governor's news release.

Nixon said in the release that though the legislation would benefit Claycomo, it would not be the only beneficiary.

"While much of the attention has been on the jobs here in Claycomo, the benefits of this bill will be felt far beyond the Kansas City area in all parts of Missouri," he said.

In order to qualify, manufacturers would be required to make a substantial capital investment in production capacity, allowing for people to be put back to work, the release said.

The total amount of incentives is capped at $15 million a year, according to the release.

Nixon called a special session of the General Assembly on June 24 in an attempt to reinforce Missouri's auto manufacturing and supplier industry, the release said.

"I am pleased that legislators on both side of the aisle and in both chambers of the legislature worked together to put this bill on my desk," he said in the release. "This legislation will help us keep thousands of Missourians living and working right here in our state."

SBJ reported this morning that the bill had been passed to the governor's desk. (will link)[[In-content Ad]]