(6.23.11) Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon sounded a tad more receptive today about calling a special legislative session to deal with economic issues. But he continued to emphasize that the political players need to reach an agreement ahead of time on the various stumbling blocks that prevented a deal during the last legislative session.
Nixon's audience was made up largely of state and local business leaders at today's Regional Chamber and Growth Association luncheon, as part of its 2011 Public Policy Speaker Series.
"We were very close to getting those measures done,'' Nixon said, referring to a package of related measures that dealt with economic development and state tax credits. The deal died over disagreements between Senate Republicans who wanted to limit the state's increasingly expensive tax-credit programs -- particularly those dealing with historic structures and low-income housing -- and House Republicans who disagreed.
Nixon told reporters later that the tax credits for low-income housing were actually a more complicated matter to resolve than historic tax credits -- which he has sought to curb for years. But he declined to get specific.
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