Turning Missouri's Economy Around
All across the state, Missouri families are feeling squeezed. Gas has skyrocketed to nearly $4 a gallon. Health care premiums are up hundreds of dollars a year. Middle-class families can't afford the cost of college education. And Missouri's unemployment rate is the highest it's been in more than a decade.
While his opponent has promised more of the same economic failed policies, Jay Nixon has the experience and ideas it will take to bring about the change we need. Jay believes we need both a short-term approach to help families with their immediate needs and a long-term plan to build a stronger Missouri economy for years to come.
Most immediately, Jay believes we must hold the line on taxes – and provide additional, immediate relief to the Missourians who need it most. That's why Jay has put forward a series of common-sense economic policies. For example, Jay wants to extend property tax credits to 65,000 Missouri seniors to help them stay in their homes. He also has called for legislation to crack down on payday lenders, by capping interest rates, ending loan renewals and empowering the Attorney General to investigate and prosecute violations of the law.
Jay will also realign our economic-development priorities to attract good-paying jobs to Missouri. To do so, Jay believes we must invest in Missouri’s greatest resource -- our hardworking people. As Governor, Jay will make a serious commitment to technical and job-training programs for the 21st century. Jay also believes every Missouri family must have access to a college education. To accomplish this goal, he has put forward a plan, called the Missouri Promise, to provide a pathway for middle-class Missourians to get a four-year degree and graduate debt free. In addition, Jay will use tax credits and incentives strategically and efficiently to bring new jobs to Missouri.
Over the long term, Jay believes we need an economic policy that tackles the challenges we face and creates the jobs of the future. Missouri is ideally suited to attract next-generation industries, such as renewable energy and life-sciences research. Missouri already has a head start in renewable energy with its early development of ethanol and bio-diesel facilities. In the future, Missouri will provide incentives for the development of new sources of celluosic biofuels, wind and solar energy.
Similarly, Jay supports the development of life-science research because of the potential it has to save and improve lives – and because of the major role life-sciences and biomedical research play in our state's economy.
To turn Missouri's economy around, we need new-fresh ideas and bold, experienced leadership.
