State Rep: Aerotropolis "Dying A Slow Death"

State Senate to decide Monday on conference committee fate for economic development bill.

Members of the Missouri State Senate will be back at work Monday, with the clock ticking down on time left in the special session called by Governor Nixon. Lawmakers have until November 6 before the session expires, by statute. Monday afternoon, the State Senate will gavel into session to consider the fate of Missouri's Presidential primary. As the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported, once a House bill to move the primary to March stalled in the Senate, the state GOP decided to move to a caucus system to protect Missouri's number of delegates. Senators will also vote on wether to send economic development legislation, which includes the so-called "Aerotropolis" China Hub bill to a conference committee to resolve differences with the House …

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Special Session Stalled: Aerotropolis, MOSIRA Still Up In The Air

Governor Nixon calls on lawmakers to pass an economic development package or go home.

Politics often gets described in metaphorical strategy akin to sporting events. If someone were to take a look at the status of the Special Session of the Missouri Legislature, they might describe parties involved as "getting chippy". Three weeks after the session started, one piece of legislation, a fix to the so-called "Facebook" law regarding teacher and student communication has been passed, even though some might argue the actual bill itself is outside the scope of what Governor Jay Nixon added to his call for the session. Another bill, which could boost the high tech sector in Creve Coeur, has also been passed, but is now tied to the fate of legislation seen as the main foundation for the session itself, an economic development bill …

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Gregg Palermo

3:42 pm on Thursday, September 29, 2011

The Associated Press is reporting that there is apparently new life for the session, next week in the House. http://www.semissourian.com/story/1768454.html What do you think?   more ›

Missouri Watchdog: On The Shelf For Special Session

Surgery will keep Brian Hook in mending mode when the state legislative special session starts next week in Jefferson City.

No special session coverage due to surgery I am bummed. I have been following and reporting about tax credits and other economic development incentives since last year when Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon formed a commission to look for ways to reform the state’s 61 tax credit programs. Tax credit reform, however, did not pass before the end of the legislative session in May. Since then, I have been told I need surgery on my arm to repair nerve damage. While on vacation, earlier this month, the surgery was scheduled for Friday. Being an optimist, apparently, I heard the surgeon say I would be out for at least two weeks following the surgery. My wife heard it could be a month. We both heard it may take six months before my left hand is fully …

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The Virtual Life

Gateway to China: Local Hub Talk Coincides with Travel from St. Louis to Chengdu

Patch Regional Editor Holly Edgell reflects on a recent trip to China and how the society is evolving in the digital age.

There has been a good deal of talk about China in metro St. Louis lately. Our lawmakers, business groups, and corporate leaders hope to make the region a hub for trade with China. That hope has a name: Aerotropolis. Right about now there is a bit of turbulence around the idea, though, as reported by the Missouri Watchdog here on Clayton-Richmond Heights Patch. Maryland Heights Patch and Hazelwood Patch also reported on the Aerotropolis, which would involve providing tax credits for developers to build cargo warehouses and related infrastructure in the communities near Lambert-St. Louis International Airport. Where do I come in? While China has been causing some buzz in our area, I actually had the opportunity to travel to that country on …

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Turbulence Possible As China Hub Discussion Gets Underway

While many Missouri leaders lined up in St. Louis this week to voice their support for the proposal, groups such as the Show-Me Institute argue that the government should avoid involvement in the issue.

Patch is pleased to partner with Brian R. Hook, editor and investigative reporter for Missouri Watchdog, a news website dedicated to investigative journalism about local, state and federal government across Missouri. We've invited Hook to contribute a weekly column that describes what he's watching and why it's important for Missouri taxpayers. Fasten your seat belts. Prepare for landing. Aerotropolis is on approach to St. Louis. Aerotropolis is a plan that is designed to turn St. Louis into a global cargo hub. According to an economic-impact study by the St. Louis Regional Chamber of Commerce and Growth Association, the missing piece of a multi-model infrastructure system for the St. Louis region is air cargo. The $300 million in tax …

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Governor To Speak About China Hub and Special Session In Creve Coeur Speech Thursday

The Donald Danforth Plant Science Center will be the stage for address.

On Monday, when Missouri Governor Jay Nixon first announced his plans to be in Creve Coeur Thursday to deliver a major address on related to business development and jobs, speculation was ripe that he would use the speech to announce a call for a special legislative session. He ended up doing so a day before his trip to the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, after lawmakers announced they had come to an agreement on a $360 million economic development package. According to Clayton-Richmond Heights Patch the deal, among other things, would pave the way for Lambert-St. Louis International Airport to become a hub for China cargo traffic. The St. Louis Business Journal reports the Governor will use the Creve Coeur visit to lay out what he …

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Governor Nixon Making Major Address In Creve Coeur Thursday

The speech at the Danforth Plant Science Center is expected to focus on job creation, high-tech growth.

Governor Jay Nixon will be at the Danforth Plant Science Center Thursday morning to make what his office is calling a major address regarding "business development strategies and initiatives to help create jobs, promote growth in the high-tech sector, and leverage Missouri’s competitive advantages in a global economy." That broad statement comes amid continuing speculation over a special legislative session to handle the so-called "Aerotropolis" bill to make Lambert-St. Louis International Airport a Chinese cargo hub, according to a report by KMOX Radio Tuesday. Creve Coeur area state legislators told Creve Coeur Patch said they had no advance notice of Thursday's event. State Senator John Lamping has previously said he expected a veto …

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Draw For Jobs Or Just A Hail Mary? Chamber Group Hopes For China Hub

Creve Coeur's mayor has prayed for the proposed "Aerotropolis" bill.

The 2011 National Day of Prayer fell during the waning days of the Missouri General Assembly's 2011 session.  Community members from a variety of faith leaders gathered outside the Creve Coeur Government Center, and in the course of praying for all matter of subjects, Mayor Harold Dielmann prayed that a deal to bring a so-called China Hub to Lambert-St. Louis International Airport, would come together. The legislative session ended without action, and now leaders of the Northwest Chamber of Commerce are lobbying state lawmakers to act on a bill that could have an impact on the entire St. Louis region. The chamber, which serves members across St. Louis County, wrote a letter to lawmakers, urging them to jump-start the proposed China hub …

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Legislative Roundup: One Week To Go In Jefferson City

With one week left in Missouri’s legislative session, here’s an update on some hot topics facing the state and how Creve Coeur’s delegation is weighing in during the final days.

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