It’s not just outstate politicians though...StL’s own Sen. Andrew Koenig seemed to play a role in stopping Medicaid expansion as well.
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Here, here!gone corporate wrote: ↑May 19, 2021So I'm a former political consultant who now works in the private sector (hence my avatar name). I worked for political campaigns that were for Republicans (although I'm personally more a center-right independent with a core Libertarian streak). I've always maintained friendships with my counterparts on the Democrat side of the aisle, especially in local politics.chriss752 wrote: ↑May 19, 2021So in this case, I do blame the State Government, in particular the Party I'm registered with, the Republicans, but I also blame the St. Louis Region for failing to at least make an attempt to address the previous issues highlighted by Neidorff.
A couple months back, when things were really looking grim for Centene remaining in STL, I reached out to certain DEMs I know to check in on things. I was given assurances that multiple conversations have been regularly held between the C-Suite at Centene and leadership at both STL City Hall & STL County Government, that they have been considerably engaged, cooperatively, to retain the business here. However, the actions of the State are beyond what the City/County/Region can muster.
While typing this reply right now, I just received a text from one of these people. Maybe the writing's on the wall?
As a pro-business conservative, I lay the blame on this with the MO General Assembly and the Governor, whose deliberate, dubious, and likely unconstitutional actions are actively chasing away the largest company in the State of Missouri. I'm livid and pretty enraged right now. Never thought I'd say it, but it looks like the GOP in MO is no longer the party of big business. The potential blowback is immense.
^ An an absolutely valid point as well, SCJr.
Centene CEO again threatens to leave Missouri, this time over Medicaid expansion
https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/gov ... c6f76.html
https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/gov ... c6f76.html
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How bad is this going to end up hurting Downtown StL in the long run? Centered might have arguably the best office space in the entire metro market. With that potentially opening up I could see some Downtown firms eager to fill that Clayton space.
Missouri Republicans have adopted the worst of conservative values as their core principles. They are not like the Sunbelt Republicans in states like Texas, Carolinas, Georgia, Arizona, Florida, and Tennessee that atleast are smart enough to understand that you need strong metropolitan economies to survive, so they will compromise on infrastructure, education, and general quality of life. They have taken the West Virginia, Mississippi, Arkansas route of conservatism and are more ideologically based with their approach to economic development and the general well being of their constituents. Too much Bible thumping and culture war nonsense and not enough business and growth for me. Maybe they are concerned that Missouri would flip blue if there was more growth in the urban areas.
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We’ve taken our lumps in St. Louis. If we lose our biggest company, again….sigh.
I feel right now for all my friends who work there. This has to be unsettling.
And as a property owner in a Clayton, and a Realtor, I can foresee a lot of properties changing hands if the threats turn to reality.
From what I’ve heard the IT department is for sure relocating. That’s one of their, if not their biggest departments. The marketing department has already been dismantled and outsourced.
I feel right now for all my friends who work there. This has to be unsettling.
And as a property owner in a Clayton, and a Realtor, I can foresee a lot of properties changing hands if the threats turn to reality.
From what I’ve heard the IT department is for sure relocating. That’s one of their, if not their biggest departments. The marketing department has already been dismantled and outsourced.
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bingo. their goal is to punish the blue cities out if existence. and they're happy to shoot themselves in the feet until they're walking around on bloody stumps in order to win the culture war.
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Wouldn’t it be great if we could organize a group “LOVE IN” to go show some love for Centene. Similar to what the all you die Hards did in the effort to save the “San Luis”
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Report: Centene CEO Neidorff threatens to leave St. Louis headquarters
Centene CEO Michael Neidorff is threatening to move the company's headquarters out of Missouri over the state's failure to expand the Medicaid eligibility that voters approved in a ballot initiative.
“As the largest provider of Medicaid in the United States and a Fortune 42 company, I have to ask myself 'Why am I in this state?,'" Niedorff told the publication Health Payer Specialist in a story published Wednesday. "This is a state that frowns on this business – what am I doing here?”
[...]
Asked whether he has spoken with Gov. Parson, Neidorff said he’s waiting for Parson to call him. “I think the governor is doing what he can,” Neidorff said. “Wait till he hears we’re moving out, he’ll probably call me then.”
Even before the Medicaid vote, Neidorff said its expansion in Missouri is needed. "There are studies that show that the state saves money with better outcomes" for beneficiaries, Neidorff said. "That's part of why we've been so successful."
In a statement issued Wednesday, Centene reiterated Neidorff's disappointment in Missouri's failure to expand Medicaid. "We believe that now, more than ever, Americans must have access to high-quality health care as we navigate these uncertain times," spokeswoman Marcela Hawn said in the prepared statement. "We are committed to our employees, our members and the communities we serve here in our home state, and we believe that increasing access to health care is an important step forward for Missouri.”
[...]
Centene is constructing a $1.3 billion East Coast headquarters and tech center in Charlotte, North Carolina, and has a West Coast headquarters in Sacramento. Last summer, Neidorff told the Business Journal that the health care giant chose to expand in Charlotte — and not expand further here — in part because of St. Louis' crime and other problems. "I think individuals in St. Louis recognize, I hope they do, that there's a lot of things that need to change and improve," Neidorff said then, stressing that he meant for his comments to be "constructive."
He told the Business Journal that recruiting in St. Louis is more difficult. "If we're trying to recruit somebody, and they're staying at their hotel, hearing that the 13th child was killed, it makes it very hard," he said. "They may love the job and the company," but then say their family doesn't want to move here.
Whether Clayton remains Centene's headquarters is "not up to us," Neidorff said then. "It's up to the people that create an environment that a Fortune 25 company wants to be in."
Just as troubling for the region, Clayton Mayor Michelle Harris in December said Centene — which employs more than 5,500 people in the region — had paused work on the second phase of its massive headquarters expansion, including another new office tower, hotel, residential units, a civic auditorium and parking.
People tell you that the City and County tried and I really hope they did. But anything they tried to muster up behind the scenes wasn't visible to the public. There's been no reduction in homicides here and only now are we collaborating as a City and County a little bit more than before but nothing significant. I still lay blame to the State level, but I feel like the writing was on the wall for a while now. Centene wants out. Their actions prove it.gone corporate wrote: ↑May 19, 2021So I'm a former political consultant who now works in the private sector (hence my avatar name). I worked for political campaigns that were for Republicans (although I'm personally more a center-right independent with a core Libertarian streak). I've always maintained friendships with my counterparts on the Democrat side of the aisle, especially in local politics.chriss752 wrote: ↑May 19, 2021So in this case, I do blame the State Government, in particular the Party I'm registered with, the Republicans, but I also blame the St. Louis Region for failing to at least make an attempt to address the previous issues highlighted by Neidorff.
A couple months back, when things were really looking grim for Centene remaining in STL, I reached out to certain DEMs I know to check in on things. I was given assurances that multiple conversations have been regularly held between the C-Suite at Centene and leadership at both STL City Hall & STL County Government, that they have been considerably engaged, cooperatively, to retain the business here. However, the actions of the State are beyond what the City/County/Region can muster.
While typing this reply right now, I just received a text from one of these people. Maybe the writing's on the wall?
As a pro-business conservative, I lay the blame on this with the MO General Assembly and the Governor, whose deliberate, dubious, and likely unconstitutional actions are actively chasing away the largest company in the State of Missouri. I'm livid and pretty enraged right now. Never thought I'd say it, but it looks like the GOP in MO is no longer the party of big business. The potential blowback is immense.
Am I upset by this news of them leaving? A little, but not on the level that many are. We'll see what happens in the future. If every single employee was yanked out of Clayton and the St. Louis area, then I'd be angry.
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^Chris, I don' know how to say this politely. I feel like you're defecating on some things some of us care about a great deal, and it hurts. There are real people on this board that work there and they are genuinely scared. I get that you're a conservative and you're tired of your people getting blamed for this, but if you're not a party to the conversations between our various local governments and Centene's C-suite over this then I don't think you can really claim to know what's going on there. You're not really privy to the internal conversations about where to move or what incentives to offer. And it feels more than a touch hurtful to the people whose jobs are on the line. Not everyone working there can just pick up and move to North Carolina. And Neiodrff, whether one likes him or not, makes some valid points. So . . . Just drop this one. Just this once. Sit back and watch this time. I value your opinion on local development. I love your photography. I cherish your enthusiasm and the hard work you're putting in. But let this one lie my friend.
Or better yet, if you want to do something constructive lobby your reps, friends, family, and readers to do the right thing on this one. Anne Wagner is a lot more likely to care about your opinion than mine. I can't vote for her anyway.
Or better yet, if you want to do something constructive lobby your reps, friends, family, and readers to do the right thing on this one. Anne Wagner is a lot more likely to care about your opinion than mine. I can't vote for her anyway.
I guess downtown Saint Louis dodged a bullet after all...BellaVilla wrote: ↑May 19, 2021Finally, Nierdorff speaks! His silence has been deafening. At this point, my concern is that Centene won't just move their HQ but will gut their ops in StL just to make a point.
That's a little late in the game to start getting upset don't you think? Even A-B, Express Scripts, McDonnell-Douglas, Purina, etc.... haven't pulled every single employee out of the metro. Waiting for some scorched earth scenario to get upset will result in no accountability for the folks that implement the failed policies that achieve that result. At the end of the day, politicians ignoring voter mandates and inhibiting Missouri job growth seems like the right time to get angry.
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A lot of St Louisans own Centene stock. Guess they aren’t concerned about us dumping them. And at least Missouri citizens voted for Expanded Medicaid. North Carolina has not expanded either. Something about this smells. Does his wife just want to live closer to relatives or something? In the 70s General Dynamics moved their HQ to Clayton because the CEO’s wife wanted it.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
^ NC is moving to a managed Medicaid program this year with Centene in line for billions in contracts from that. NC's governor signed that legislation into law literally the day after Centene made their Charlotte announcement. Add in the $450 million in incentives and the government in their current home state taking a sh*t on their business model and I'd say it makes perfect sense.
That smell is coming from Jefferson City.
That smell is coming from Jefferson City.
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I'm starting to think Centene wants to take a bigger payout from another state, and they're just trying to use politics to deflect blame away from their greed.
MarkHaversham wrote: ↑May 20, 2021I'm starting to think Centene wants to take a bigger payout from another state, and they're just trying to use politics to deflect blame away from their greed.
Indeed, that would not be a consideration as stock sales by politically motivated St. Louis-based individual shareholders wouldn't really move the market. The concern is with a legislature that goes out of its way to stonewall voter-passed initiatives that would help grow your business and a governor that can't be bothered to express any concern to you about it.gary kreie wrote: ↑May 20, 2021A lot of St Louisans own Centene stock. Guess they aren’t concerned about us dumping them.
Any further mention by the Missouri GOP of supporting "jobs, jobs, jobs" is laughable.
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The corruption in this is so maddening to me.
Republicans claim to be the party that respects and honors the constitution. They’re the party of morals and integrity, and the party of the big business, or so they’ve always said.
But I don’t see where any of that is true here. Or anywhere else in anything they’re doing in Missouri or anywhere else across the nation.
They spent the last six months harping on election lies and what it has done to undo our faith in our democracy and our elections.
Well, I’ve got news, Republicans: Your failure to follow the constitution and do what’s right concerning Medicaid in Missouri does far more to undo my faith in our democracy and elections than cowardly pandering to an orange buffoon. You lost case after case defending Trump, and you’ll lose this case, too – just probably not before you usher our state’s biggest company out the door.
Republicans claim to be the party that respects and honors the constitution. They’re the party of morals and integrity, and the party of the big business, or so they’ve always said.
But I don’t see where any of that is true here. Or anywhere else in anything they’re doing in Missouri or anywhere else across the nation.
They spent the last six months harping on election lies and what it has done to undo our faith in our democracy and our elections.
Well, I’ve got news, Republicans: Your failure to follow the constitution and do what’s right concerning Medicaid in Missouri does far more to undo my faith in our democracy and elections than cowardly pandering to an orange buffoon. You lost case after case defending Trump, and you’ll lose this case, too – just probably not before you usher our state’s biggest company out the door.
Lol anyone who thinks it's anything besides this is just being obtuse.MarkHaversham wrote: ↑May 20, 2021I'm starting to think Centene wants to take a bigger payout from another state, and they're just trying to use politics to deflect blame away from their greed.
This has nothing to do with 'crime' or MO not plugging Medicaid into the budget. It's all about the incentives that NC gave out.
Also, Neidorff (sp?) is like 80 years old. The guy who is set up up to be the next CEO is from N Georgia and he wants to be closer to home.
So people on here can blame 'republicans' or 'crime' all they want but this was move was happening once the ink dried on the NC incentives.
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^Dude, I've lost my faith in the party for whom I spent years working. What it is now is a far cry from what has been espoused philosophically. I'm not sure I'll say "corruption" here because I don't see correlative profit-making. However, it's certainly unethical, likely unconstitutional, and highly contrary to what they've historically stated about supporting the business communities.
**I'm not looking to get on a personal philosophical derailment here, or anything of that sort. Not the thread for that. Cheers.
^Chris: I get it. FYI, I have a very high degree in confidence towards my sources for what I've stated, as well as further details that I haven't written about here. I'd gladly tell you face-to-face, but I'm not gonna write anything of a private nature in public. Long story short, the City and the County have been fighting to keep this corporation going - while furthering the CEO's proactivity towards crime fighting cooperation - while the State has been dismissive to the point of being full-on contrarian to their business. That this business is the largest corporation in the State, and easily one of the largest AND fastest growing in the country, has me quite apoplectic about a lot of things this week.
^Gary: I doubt the majority of Saint Louisans would just start dumping their CNC shares should they relocate, for the simple reason of spite. There are plenty of reasons to invest with them - as well as to already have reallocated one's clients out of CNC a couple quarters ago.
Seriously... Who knew that the biggest argument for "better together" was that rural reps in Jeff City have it out for STL? They're actively targeting our economic prosperity and our business community, and they don't care that they're breaking the law to do so. More than ever before, we need the City and County working together. We also need better relations with Kansas City and Columbia (Springfield may be a bridge too far).
As for blowback? My sincere hope is that these actions in Jefferson City will lead to a diametric shift in the way the MO GOP is considered where it comes to what's best for MO's business communities - most especially when it comes to funding. I bet even Rex is furious and won't be supporting outstate so long as they're gunning for STL.
**I'm not looking to get on a personal philosophical derailment here, or anything of that sort. Not the thread for that. Cheers.
^Chris: I get it. FYI, I have a very high degree in confidence towards my sources for what I've stated, as well as further details that I haven't written about here. I'd gladly tell you face-to-face, but I'm not gonna write anything of a private nature in public. Long story short, the City and the County have been fighting to keep this corporation going - while furthering the CEO's proactivity towards crime fighting cooperation - while the State has been dismissive to the point of being full-on contrarian to their business. That this business is the largest corporation in the State, and easily one of the largest AND fastest growing in the country, has me quite apoplectic about a lot of things this week.
^Gary: I doubt the majority of Saint Louisans would just start dumping their CNC shares should they relocate, for the simple reason of spite. There are plenty of reasons to invest with them - as well as to already have reallocated one's clients out of CNC a couple quarters ago.
Seriously... Who knew that the biggest argument for "better together" was that rural reps in Jeff City have it out for STL? They're actively targeting our economic prosperity and our business community, and they don't care that they're breaking the law to do so. More than ever before, we need the City and County working together. We also need better relations with Kansas City and Columbia (Springfield may be a bridge too far).
As for blowback? My sincere hope is that these actions in Jefferson City will lead to a diametric shift in the way the MO GOP is considered where it comes to what's best for MO's business communities - most especially when it comes to funding. I bet even Rex is furious and won't be supporting outstate so long as they're gunning for STL.
A little from Column A, a little from Column B... No one runs a for-profit business out of blind altruism.MarkHaversham wrote: ↑May 20, 2021I'm starting to think Centene wants to take a bigger payout from another state, and they're just trying to use politics to deflect blame away from their greed.
Sadly, I've gotten more and more cynical and think this is everything in Missouri politics distilled.goat314 wrote: ↑May 19, 2021Maybe they are concerned that Missouri would flip blue if there was more growth in the urban areas.
Growth in STL and KC means less power for rural Mo Republicans. Quite simply, rural Republicans in Missouri do NOT give one rip about STL and actively root for its decline. Consider this issue, consider gun laws, consider the double-speak on "local" control. Fantasy land and all, but metro STL and KC would be much much better as stand-alone states.
One of the most infuriating parts of it all The deification of some idealized, antiquated, gun-toting rugged individual and complete opposition to letting local counties and cities tax their own gas, cigarettes, liquor, ammunition, plastic bags, etc...soulardx wrote: ↑May 20, 2021consider the double-speak on "local" control.
"Local control" is only good so long as it means implicit support for guys like Joe Arpaio and Cliven Bundy. As soon as it empowers urban centers government intervention is suddenly the answer.