urbanSTL

Has any other city been able to do what St. Louis and the State of Missouri is proposing? If not then go for it. Things can't get much worse and waiting for everyone else will leave us behind.

The hoosiers see tax and think it's coming out of the general fund or their fish and wildlife budget but it isn't. I don't think the state is putting up its credit either.

Here are some examples why we shouldn't fall for the Show-Me-Institute's claim that they're an "independent free market think tank":

First read this guest commentary in the Post-Dispatch by R. Crosby Kemper III, a co-founder of SMI:
The free market loses if 'aerotropolis' wins

Then read Ray Hartmann's spot-on observation in St. Louis Magazine:
MEET THE TEA PARTY INSTITUTE: A "SHOW-ME" FOUNDER EXPOSES THE TRUE COLORS OF HIS IN-THE-TANK THINK TANK

If you're not convinced yet, this will [from St. Louis Tea Party website]:
Welcome Show-Me Institute

Love this line: "Their conclusions, always based on unimpeachable research and analysis, almost always align to ours." [from Tea Party website.]

Of course they're free to affiliate themselves with whomever they want. But don't claim to be conducting "independent research". If there was ever an organization driven by special interests it's the Show-Me-Institute.

The Show-Me-Institute attacked Ray hartmann of St. Louis Magazine for his support of the China hub with this:

Show-Me-Institute's open letter

Ray Hartmann responded:

Ray Hartmann's open letter.

Thank you Ray. It's good to see some common sense around here. The Show-Me-Institute has brought no new ideas for Missouri. It has tried to block any efforts initiated by people outside their circle, while conveniently leaving their friends' corporate welfare benefits unchallenged.

Hard to see this as anything other than a simple (and childish) rivalry.

^ ^^ That's exactly it. Missouri is fighting Missourah, KC is fighting STL. In the meantime cities like Chicago are competing on a global scale.

pat wrote:^But they also don't have to compete with a matching "Chicago" on opposite side of the state.

But that's the whole point. We shouldn't be competing with KC either and really we aren't. We are competing nationally and globally. Forget regionalism.

Missouri's Business Community to the State Government:
Just pass the damn thing already!
Source: http://www.stltoday.com/business/local/ ... 0f31a.html

At this hour, it seems that most everyone is in favor of the China Hub tax credits package (and assorted other tax credit programs). The remaining opposition appears centered on three groups:
1. The Far Right, the fringe elements who are adamant against taxpayer monies going anywhere they don't have to, even into the business community, and even when those monies come only after the intended purpose is built & entering profitability. This includes the Show-Me Institute and the hardcore out-state Tea Partiers (who I bet have no idea who Rick Santelli is).
2. The Far Left, the fringe elements who are against the use of tax credits for purposes other than for redistribution of wealth to the impoverished, who don't like monies going to private sector employment, and who are scared of "the boogeyman" Paul McKee. This also includes some power brokers scared of losing influence (see: Stogel, Steve).
3. A vocal Kansas City minority, who don't realize that it's good to see your brother succeed. Are they jealous of STL getting something they aren't? Is it that our local economy's more robust than theirs? Is it that Pappy's was named #1 BBQ by Zagat's while Arthur Bryant's was only ranked 4th? Wow. While infighting amongst STL interests is fierce, KC is on a whole different level.

By contrast, who supports it?
- Missouri's business community, across industries & sectors
- Non-MO companies that'll move to STL if this passes
- Organized Labor
- STL City
- STL County
- MO House, with overwhelming bipartisan support
- MO Senate, with overwhelming bipartisan support
- MO Governor
- The overwhelming majority of STL and MO taxpayers & voters
- People seeking jobs
- The People's Republic of China and its robust economy & business community

Pretty cut and dry at this point. Excited to see how this'll pull through.

^This is another beneficial side-effect of the China hub. When was the last time an economic development in St. Louis made (inter)national headlines? The nation's and, to some extent, the world's airports are paying attention. If we can pull this off we will shed our fly-over, backwater image rapidly.
("Missouri is trading directly through a joint-venture with the Chinese!? Why didn't we think of that first?")

It's this kind of forward thinking that could, and probably will, land us more (international) business in the future. Any globally trading business would have to take us seriously if we become an important trade hub to China, especially because we work with Chinese carriers, flush with cash.

Who do you think the Chinese will prefer when it comes to flying products back and forth to China? That's why there's so much backlash. They're afraid.

ttricamo wrote:What is the likelihood the Chinese establish several of these hubs over the coming years?

I don't own a crystal ball but I'd say the likelihood is very small. It's very expensive to start up an airline operation and build a logistics network, which is what the Chinese want to accomplish at Lambert. Best case (and long-term) scenario: the project will be so successful that they will need to open a second hub at Mid-America.