By BRENT MARTIN
St. Joseph Post
Missouri Economic Development Director Rob Dixon says he hopes state legislators will continue to work on the building blocks of economic development this legislative session.
Dixon says the administration of Gov. Mike Parson and the legislature has worked together to make Missouri an attractive place for business.
“We have attracted companies from across the world. We’ve helped our existing businesses grow. There have been 35,000 jobs added in our economy over the last year alone. Our unemployment rate continues to be lower than the national average. Our state’s economy is doing really well right now,” Dixon tells reporters. “Why that matters is it provides opportunities for citizens to earn for their families and to get good paying jobs and frankly we have the tools available to help those folks get into those opportunities.”
Dixon says Missouri is moving in the right direction and he hopes this year’s legislative session will keep it going. And Dixon says local Chambers of Commerce play a role as well.
“I think right now things are looking really well. Things are in the right direction. We’re moving forward. We’re investing in the right things and we’re safeguarding the taxpayers’ dollars. I’m really proud of it,” Dixon says. “A lot of the work we do in Jefferson City is done hand-in-hand with the community partners here in St. Joe. We work very closely with the Chamber here and proud to do that.”
A huge win for the Parson Administration last legislative session was passage of a $50 million incentive plan for General Motors seen as vital to the expansion of the GM Wentzville plant just outside St. Louis.