“font-family: Verdana; line-height: 13px;”>We have just seen two very different attempts to radically reset the stage for economic development in the “font-family: Verdana; line-height: 13px;”>region. Both attempts failed, but they merit discussion, because these failures have much to teach us, and the potential to salvage progress from both attempts is well within our grasp.
“font-size: 9.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: Verdana;”>First – and, by now, famously – the Missouri Legislature again failed to pass an economic development bill that this year included dramatic new tax incentives to build out the St. Louis airport into an international air cargo hub. We believe several painful lessons already have been learned from this failure. Most importantly, the Republican-leaning business sector in the St. Louis region – even in blood-red St. Charles County – has realized that it has been throwing money away on political candidates that cater to the narrow perspective of the largely rural right wing of their party. We believe the Missouri Republican Party’s flirtation with its right-wing government-hating fringe will see at least a pause, now that the business leadership whose support is critical to Republican political campaigns has learned the hard way that these rigid ideologues don’t know how to pass an economic development bill. We strongly encourage pro-business Missouri Republican leaders, who have appreciation for a deal-making center, to redirect their party for the benefit of us all. Simply hating government – particularly, as symbolized by President Barack Obama, who has drawn a new degree of virulence from some quarters – clearly is getting us nowhere.
“font-size: 9.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: Verdana;”>More recently, Mayor Francis G. Slay stunned the region’s business leadership by musing on his campaign website that the St. Louis city and county government economic development agencies should be merged together – along with the St. Louis Regional Chamber & Growth Association. His trial balloon marked another political failure of Slay’s mayoral tenure rivaling his handling of Fire Chief Sherman George’s assertion of his authority to approve promotions in the fire department. The current RCGA board chair and his elected successor co-authored a stinging statement that did not mention the mayor by name, nor his internet posting, but sternly reminded everyone that the region’s business leadership funds the RCGA and will decide its future role, which emphatically will not include being folded into whatever government economic development agency might emerge from the city and county’s negotiations toward streamlining government services.
“font-size: 9.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: Verdana;”>Again, we think a painful lesson has been learned. The region’s business leadership learned what Chief George could have told them – that Slay and his advisors enjoy using the media as a tool to put on the defensive their colleagues who are willing to work with them when approached with the proper degree of respect and cooperation. We trust that the lesson Slay failed to learn from the Chief George debacle will now be learned at the hands of the region’s business leadership. However, the mayor is right that city and county governments could and should move to merge their resources to achieve an overall better cost benefit. The global economy means we must compete for economic development as a region. The now chastened mayor, who is a member of the RCGA board, needs to approach his colleagues in the spirit of respect and cooperation that is essential to advancing the region’s growth and prosperity.
