ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. — The St. Louis County Council voted Tuesday to approve a tax incentive proposal for the $1.8 billion expansion project by the aerospace giant Boeing Co.
The vote was 4-1 with Councilwoman Kelli Dunaway as the lone dissenter. Councilwoman Shalonda Webb, who is an engineer at Boeing, abstained and Councilman Dennis Hancock was absent.
The Boeing expansion would create 500 new jobs over several years and consist of new buildings in Berkeley and in unincorporated St. Louis county next to St. Louis Lambert International Airport.
"We thank the St. Louis County Council members for their decision, leadership and partnership in expanding the St. Louis region’s aerospace manufacturing industry footprint," a Boeing spokesperson said. "This vote will help us offer cost-competitive proposals, marking the first step toward bringing more high-paying jobs to the greater St. Louis area. We look forward to continuing to work with our collaborating partners on the next steps of this project."
Jason Hall, CEO of economic development agency Greater St. Louis Inc., thanked the county council for advancing the project, calling it "another big win for St. Louis that will pay dividends for years to come."
The ordinance goes next to St. Louis County Executive Sam Page for his approval. He said Tuesday night that he would sign the bill into law on Wednesday morning.
"Tonight’s vote shows St. Louis County’s commitment to growing our economy, expanding career opportunities, and building on our priorities to invest in North County," Page said. "Landing this deal will bolster St. Louis County’s brand as a national leader in the defense industry."
At the council meeting, resident Tom Sullivan asked council members to vote against it.
"The county keeps handing out subsidies when they're not needed and then you wonder why there's a budget deficit … Can you go to a car dealer and demand a $40,000 car for $20,000, telling the dealer that $20,000 is better than nothing? Are Ameren and the other utilities giving Boeing 50% discounts? I don't think so."
Dunaway listened.
"I hear Boeing when they're like, 'We're invested in the community. We gave $13 million last year to charity.' But that's not even 10% of what they're asking us to give them, and it's just not enough for me," she said.
"I've been on the fence on this bill from the beginning," Councilman Mark Harder added. He said he saw the benefits in an investment like this. "But I also see the generation currently that is in need of a tax freeze and that is our seniors, whom many are being taxed out of their homes."
"This project, if our region is to get it, means good paying, union jobs. That means a lot to me and that's going to have a ripple effect for the economic development of our whole region and when I think of the challenges our region faces, so much of it goes back to economic development or the lack thereof," Councilwoman Lisa Clancy said.
The airport signed an official ground lease and development agreement with Boeing on Aug. 8. The agreement allows Boeing to lease and redevelop certain areas of the airport grounds adjacent to the airfield for a multiphase aeronautical manufacturing project for up to 47 years.