January 20, 2006
Governor’s Column
Missouri’s Improving Job Climate
Missouri’s economy is on the move. A report issued by the Missouri Department of Economic Development showed that Missouri’s employers and entrepreneurs created 38,300 new jobs in 2005 and our state’s unemployment rate fell to 5.1 percent, down from 6.0 percent when I took office in January 2005.
While government does not create private sector jobs, it can help foster an environment that helps growth and does not hinder progress. During the last legislative session we enacted real litigation reform, brought balance to our workers’ compensation laws, and implemented our Quality Jobs Act.
Employers such as General Motors, Express Scripts, T-Mobil and other businesses both large and small have mentioned these accomplishments when announcing their decisions to invest or reinvest in Missouri’s working families.
Missouri’s workers and entrepreneurs continue to build this economy despite critics who want to dismiss their efforts. The fact is more Missourians are working today than were working a year ago and that is good news for Missouri families and our state economy.
My administration understands that Missouri is in direct competition with every other state in the union and every other country in the world for every single job that is created. That is why I instructed the Department of Economic Development to reorganize and refocus on two simple priorities: attracting and retaining good, family-supporting jobs.
I am pleased with the things we have accomplished in just one year. More Missourians are going to work now and the increased revenue these employment gains have delivered to your government have empowered us to propose a funding increase for schools for the second year in a row and a proposed $17.1 million funding increase for our colleges and universities who are working to prepare our young people for life in a world economy.
We have made dramatic improvements over the previous four years when jobs were leaving our state in droves. There are those who believe we should return to the old way when employers and entrepreneurs were thought of as enemies instead of allies. I reject this notion wholeheartedly. I believe very strongly in Missouri’s workforce, the best in the world, and will continue to be a strong, vocal advocate for them and our innovative job creators.