General Assembly

Lamping unlikely to filibuster as Boeing package moves forward

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JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – State Sen. John Lamping, R-St. Louis, all but ruled filibustering a bill that would provide Boeing tax incentives to stay in Missouri, despite his general opposition to expanding state tax credit programs.

In an interview Tuesday evening following a Senate hearing in which lawmakers moved forward a tax credit package, Lamping said he and like-minded conservative stalwarts are working to find some possible savings to offset the $150 million in expanded tax credits Gov. Jay Nixon is seeking, but said he would likely not filibuster.

“I think we’re all dead set on going home on Thursday or Friday, so that precludes the idea we’d filibuster until the deadline,” he said.

After passing the bill which would expand four existing tax credit programs exclusively for aerospace development out of committee, the upper chamber is set to begin debate on Wednesday morning. Lamping said he and others are attempting to find some savings before the bill is voted out of the Senate, but noted that they are limited in scope by Nixon’s call.

“There is a deadline and we’re rushed by time, so I’m not sure if we can get it or not,” Lamping said, noting Boeing’s December 10 deadline for states to present their proposals.

Lamping did praise Nixon for speaking to and working with the legislature, and said he was at least comforted by the fact that Nixon chose to expand existing programs and not create an entirely new program in his attempt to lure Boeing’s new 777x production line.

“I have never seen his office more engaged on a legislative package than this,” he said.

Nixon’s administration released numbers on Tuesday showing it would cost the state as much as $1.7 billion over 23 years if Missouri were to receive the entire Boeing project. Under that scenario, Boeing’s presence would produce an additional $2.9 billion in revenue for the state. And even if Missouri were to just get part of the project – say, the all new composite wing – Nixon’s administration said they could create 2,000 jobs at a cost of $435 million in tax incentives from the state.