【時報訊】聖路易地區兩位最高行政機關領導，市長Francis Slay,郡長Charlie Dooley,10月4日(週一)上午十時，聯合在聖路易城區Sigma-Aldrich一樓會議室簽署在聖路易成立「對外貿易區」(Foreign-Trade Zone)之申請信，聯同其他資料將在本週一併送到華府商務部對外貿易區委員會，展開申請手續，美商務部部長駱家輝甫於上週訪問聖路易，預計商務部將會批準這項申請，為推動聖路易林白國際機場成為中國空港之計劃再下一城。
「對外貿易區」如果能在聖路易成立，將是密蘇里州第一個對外貿易區，也是全美13個已獲批準之總數274個申請對外貿易區個案之一，成立對外貿易區後將會便捷本地區工商企業對外貿易之機會，如果公司設在對外貿易區內，將可享有減免或延後美國關稅之優惠，同時外銷之貨物可免州稅、市稅和郡稅，這對成立林白國際機場中國空港有極大之助益。
聖路易郡經濟委員會主席Denny Coleman表示，他有信心聖路易會獲得聯邦的批准，成立對外貿易區，這是對中國空港之一大利多因素。
雖然聯邦批準可能需要8個月的時間，但是聖路易市、郡可在一個月內協助企業開始申請減免關稅等各項福利優惠。
聖路易市市長Francis Slay指出，在聖路易設立對外貿易區，可以吸引其他擔任地區的企業在聖路易設立公司以減低營運成本，將可增加聖路易就業機會。聖路易郡郡長Charlie Dooley強調，如果中國空港在林白國際機場設立，聖路易地區經貿將大為改觀，讓聖路易立足於全球化不敗之地。
Slay and Dooley apply for Foreign-Trade Zone restructuring - next step in quest for China hub
The region's two top executives -- St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay and St. Louis County Executive Charlie Dooley -- this Monday (10/04/2010) morning co-signed a letter that they hope is the next step in their quest to persuade China to locate a Midwest cargo hub at Lambert Field.
The letter will accompany the region's formal application to the U.S. Department of Commerce in Washington to restructure the region's "foreign-trade zone'' (one of 274 nationwide) to make it easier and quicker for local companies to get approval to trade overseas. Companies situated within foreign trade zones avoid U.S. customs duties on "foreign products admitted into zones for storage, exhibition, assembly, manufacturing and processing."The region's two top executives -- St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay and St. Louis County Executive Charlie Dooley -- this morning co-signed a letter that they hope is the next step in their quest to persuade China to locate a Midwest cargo hub at Lambert Field.
The letter will accompany the region's formal application to the U.S. Department of Commerce to restructure the region's "foreign-trade zone'' (one of 274 nationwide) to make it easier and quicker for local companies to get approval to trade overseas. Companies situated within foreign trade zones avoid U.S. customs duties on "foreign products admitted into zones for storage, exhibition, assembly, manufacturing and processing." In a Foreign-Trade Zone, goods held for export aren't taxed by state or local governments. Customs duties and federal excise taxes are deferred on imports.
The special designation for the St. Louis area foreign trade zone would be the first in Missouri.
Denny Coleman, head of the St. Louis County Economic Council, said he's confident that the St. Louis area will obtain federal approval for the special zone status, seen as a plus in the bid for the China Hub.
Although federal approval may take eight months, the region is likely to be able within a month to help businesses apply for the foreign-trade tax breaks.
Slay said at today's news conference that the special trade zone status would likely attract other businesses who might locate to the region for the express purpose of trading overseas at less cost.
Dooley asserted that if the region snags a China hub for Lambert, the economic effect "could be a real game changer."
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