Gov. Blunt Lauds Dedication of Hardworking Missourians to Enhance State Economy

ST. JOSEPH - Addressing the St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce Small Business Summit, Gov. Matt Blunt today praised the hard work of Missouri's working men and women and their employers for their role in helping to grow Missouri's economy. "Missouri's economy is prospering because of the hard work and dedication of all Missouri workers and their employers," Gov. Blunt said. "In addition to cutting taxes for hard-working Missourians we have built the foundation for future economic growth and prosperity by enacting pro-jobs, pro growth initiatives. Our workers and employers are utilizing these economic tools and the result is reflected in the fact that since January 2005 Missouri has created nearly 97,000 new jobs." Gov. Blunt has made growing Missouri's economy and expanding opportunities to Missouri's working families a top priority in his administration after inheriting a broken state economy and $1.1 billion deficit in 2005. Since January 2005 Missouri's employers have added an impressive 96,800 jobs and recent budgets now show a surplus. After taking office the governor immediately went to work championing successful legislation like workers' compensation and lawsuit reforms that helped level the playing field for job creators. Additionally, he created the Missouri Quality Jobs Act to address two challenges faced by Missouri and other states, creating jobs that pay good wages and that provide health care benefits for employees. This initiative has helped add 17,000 new jobs for working families. Missouri's economic growth under the governor's leadership has allowed lawmakers to cut taxes for Missourians including cutting the tax on Social Security benefits and providing tax relief by allowing Missourians to deduct the cost of their health insurance premiums. In 2006 Gov. Blunt launched the Downtown Revitalization and Economic Assistance for Missouri or DREAM initiative to encourage growth in our local economies. The DREAM initiative has already delivered $30 million to ten Missouri communities to help revitalize their downtown areas to help spur job growth and economic development. In the 2007 legislative session Blunt enacted a new law that will provide assistance to Missouri's manufacturing industry helping them to become more competitive with businesses in other states and around the world. The governor also successfully championed legislation that provides tax relief to tens of thousands of Missouri seniors by phasing in a state income tax exemption on Social Security benefits over six years, and provides relief for teachers, firefighters, police officers, military personnel, federal employees and railroad workers. -- http://www.bransonedge.com http://www.bransonmissouri.blogspot.com