China Hub Tax Incentives, Local Control Of City Police May Be Dead
ST. LOUIS, MO (KTVI - FOX2now.com) Local control of the St. Louis city police and tax breaks for the China hub at Lambert may both be dead. The Missouri senate has returned for the last gasp of a special session and barring a miracle both local control and China hub tax incentives may be finished.
It took months of negotiations for the city and city police union to finally agree on the outlines of returning control of city police to city hall for the first time since 1861. All that was needed was the state legislature's okay. But now it appears all that work may have been for nothing.
It took years of negotiations among city and state officials, private business, and the Chinese government to land cargo flights between Shanghai and St. Louis. All that was needed was the state legislature to okay tax incentives to establish international freight warehouses at Lambert. Now it appears that incentive package is dead. Meanwhile, competitors for the China hub are waiting.
Leaders of the state senate have asked for a last minute negotiating session to try and hammer out differences. But observers say a deal's unlikely.
A member of the Police Officer's Association blames the inside baseball gridlock on term limits. That's because experienced lawmakers are forced to retire and replaced with amateurs.
The only thing that seems likely to pass is a bill eliminating Missouri's presidential primary.
Both supporters of local control and supporters of the China hub tax breaks are waiting to see if a last-minute deal can salvage both, which may be sort of like waiting for the Easter bunny.
