Gov. Mike Parson has signed into law the border war bill, legislation aimed at ending the flow of wasteful economic incentive dollars between Kansas and Missouri.
Gov. Parson signed Senate Bill 182 during a ceremony at Kansas City’s Union Station. The bill is an effort to curb the practice of shuffling jobs across the Missouri/Kansas state line in order to maximize state incentives. The legislation was sponsored by Sen. Mike Cierpiot and carried in the House by Rep. Jonathan Patterson, both Republicans from Lee’s Summit.
The Hall Family Foundation estimates that more than 10,000 jobs have moved between the two states in Kansas City region in the last decade, with an incentive cost of roughly $330 million. The practice often nets little true economic expansion for either state.
“We want to work together with our peers in Kansas to support the growth of the entire Kansas City region,” Gov. Parson said. “Incentivizing companies to move a few miles doesn’t result in new jobs for the citizens of Kansas or Missouri, and it takes state resources away from other priorities that would result in true growth for the state.”
To take effect, Kansas will need to approve a similar agreement.
The Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry advocated for the passage of Senate Bill 182 during the legislative session and applauds Gov. Parson for signing the legislation into law.
