As we enter the holiday season, the legislature and the governor have come together to push forward a legislative proposal that will potentially give Missouri the gift of thousands of new good-paying, family-supporting jobs. News first broke just a little more than a week ago about the opportunity to bring Boeing’s production line for the 777X airliner to Missouri. Within a matter of days it was decided that the legislature would convene for an unprecedented December extraordinary session to try to turn these ideas into a legislative package the governor could sign into law.
If Boeing were to pick Missouri as the site to manufacture the 777X airliner, it would lead to the creation of more than 8,000 jobs paying an average annual salary in the range of $75,000. We also learned that even if Boeing chose not to manufacture the entire plane here we could still be selected to produce the wings, which could generate between 2,000 and 3,000 new jobs.
In addition, the project would generate thousands of additional jobs throughout the states for the many suppliers who provide parts to Boeing. Boeing already has nearly 700 suppliers and vendors in 24 counties across Missouri.
In total, the company supports as many as 30,000 direct and indirect jobs here in our state. According to one economic analysis as many as three jobs could be created outside the Boeing plant for every one created in it. This is important to keep in mind when talking about the statewide economic impact this Boeing project could have.
The four programs used to offer these incentives—Missouri Works, Missouri Works Training, Missouri BUILD, and the Real Property Tax Increment Allocation Redevelopment Act—are fiscally responsible and proven to work in attracting companies that will create good-paying, family-supporting jobs
.What is even more important is that these incentives will only kick in if Boeing creates at least 2,000 additional jobs in Missouri over the next 10 years. With this we have no risk of wasting taxpayer dollars or making a bad investment. Quite simply, this incentive package will only go into effect if Boeing decides to come here and does in fact create the kinds of jobs it has promised. That to me is a great deal for Missouri taxpayers.
In regard to a specific timeline, Boeing has said it would start building its facilities in November 2014 with the goal of beginning production of the 777X in July 2016. If Missouri were to land the full plant, it would start with 3,250 employees in 2018 and eventually employ as many as 8,500 Missourians by 2024. If Missouri were instead to land only the wing production plant, it would employ 1,075 workers to start and eventually move up to as many as 2,760. Boeing will reportedly announce their decision in January 2014
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