Spring 2006 issue of Horizons

facility will create 2,000 permanent jobs, 1,000 construction jobs, $14 million in annual tax revenue for the county and $6 million in annual tax revenue for local schools and other taxing jurisdictions. We recently reached an unprecedented agreement with the U.S. Air Force and the U.S. General Services Administration for transfer of the deserted site of the National Imagery and Mapping Agency (NIMA) in Lemay, enabling envi- ronmental remediation of that site and the ability for Pinnacle to construct the road required by the Missouri Gaming Commission. Another major victory was the $1 billion investment Chrysler will make at its Fenton location. Chrysler will create a top-qual- ity automotive facility in southwest St. Louis County - one that could have been located anywhere, but Chrysler chose us. In addition, we've kicked off the new Regional Automotive Partnership to retain and grow the automotive industry across the St. Louis region. When it comes to creating or preserving jobs – like it did when dealing with the possible move of a Fortune 500 company from St. Louis County – state and regional officials are working as one team to create economic incentive pack- ages that keep Missouri firms in the state. That teamwork was exemplified in the concerted effort to keep Express Scripts in the St. Louis region. St. Louis County Executive Charlie A. Dooley joined forces with Governor Matt Blunt and the Missouri Legislature to craft the Missouri Quality Jobs Program. The bill was designed to ensure that when area firms are considering a move to another region or state, those firms will receive tax incentives comparable to those offered to firms being wooed into Missouri. The joint effort began two years ago when Express Scripts, then located in Maryland Heights in St. Louis County, began weighing offers from other states and regions for a new headquarters location. The stakes were high for the firm that manages pharmacy benefit plans: a new 320,000-square-foot headquar- ters building was needed to house 1,100 Express Scripts employees. The Missouri Quality Jobs bill meant that eligible companies could retain 50 percent of their state withholding taxes for five years to invest in facilities and business. This plan enabled Missouri firms to grow and create new jobs for the state - and St. Louis County. Express Scripts qualified for the incentive plan because its employees are paid more than the county average wage, which is approximately $42,000 per year. To date, more than two dozen firms across the state have used the incentive to expand or update facilities.

These successes are built on our retention/attraction efforts, our business-friendly culture, and our strong economic base. That base includes the U.S. Census Bureau naming St. Louis County as one of the top 10 suburban counties in the nation in employment and payroll, the number one county in the state for business starts, and the regional leader in private, interna- tional, public, life sciences and high-tech companies. These are just the major highlights of our economic develop- ment efforts and successes. Keeping our community strong and growing always will be top priorities of the St. Louis County Economic Council, and you can expect to hear more from us as we move forward in 2006.

Denny Coleman

is

president

and

chief

executive

officer of the St. Louis County Economic Council.

County, State Officials Work Together to Create Economic Retention Package for Express Scripts

The county also put together its own package of incentives for Express Scripts, including a 50 percent tax break on real and personal property, 100 percent tax relief on construction materials, and a streamlined construction permit process designed to keep work on the headquarters building on schedule.

Ground was broken in late 2005 for the firm's new location on the campus of University of Missouri-St. Louis. Occupancy is expected next year.

For Dooley, the economic incentive package developed by state and county leaders was needed to retain Express Scripts, “a crown jewel among St. Louis County's Fortune 500 companies.” Dooley pointed to a recent U.S. Census Bureau report naming St. Louis County as fifth in the nation in number of jobs and ninth in the nation in total annual payroll, among counties located near major cities. “We're extremely proud that a company of Express Scripts' stature has decid- ed to remain and grow in St. Louis County, confirming our position as a lead- ing suburban County in the United States,” Dooley said. “You don't get to be a leader, or stay a leader, without a lot of effort.”

10 • spring 2006 issue