Showing the bi-partisan love, St. Louis Democrat Senator Jeff Smith today announced the Senate approval of Gov. Matt Blunt’s appointment of Republican and former St. Louis School Board member James Buford to the state Human Rights Commission.

Jefferson City — Sen. Jeff Smith, D-St. Louis, today announced that the Senate Gubernatorial Appointments Committee and the full Senate have approved the nomination of James H. Buford of St. Louis to the Missouri Commission on Human Rights.

Buford, the president and chief executive officer of the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis since 1985, joins the seven-member commission, which develops, recommends and implements ways to prevent and eliminate discrimination in employment, public accommodations and housing.

“I cannot think of a better candidate than James Buford for the Missouri Commission on Human Rights,” Sen. Smith said. “He is a longtime advocate for social and economic parity and has demonstrated remarkable skill as a force for racial unity in the St. Louis metropolitan region.”

Buford currently chairs the St. Louis Connectcare Board and serves on the executive board of the St. Louis Council of the Boy Scouts of America, the board of Downtown St. Louis Partnership, Fair St. Louis, and the St. Louis Science Center.

On the state level, Buford was appointed to the St. Louis Public School Board in 2005. He also was previously appointed as secretary of the St. Louis County Board of Elections by the late Governor Mel Carnahan. His numerous awards and honors include the 2005 Mentor St. Louis Award, the Whitney M. Young Award from the Boy Scouts, the St. Louis Community College Distinguished Alumni Award and the Brotherhood-Sisterhood Award presented by the National Conference of Christians and Jews.

A graduate of Elizabeth College in Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania, with a degree in human services administration, Buford also holds honorary doctorate of humane letters degrees from the University of Missouri-St. Louis and Webster University and Harris-Stowe State University, both in St. Louis.

“James Buford works tirelessly to promote the St. Louis community, to provide hope and opportunities for young people and is a wonderful public servant whom I greatly admire,” Sen. Smith said. “I look forward to his service on the commission and know the citizens of Missouri will benefit from his knowledge and experience.”

BREAKING NEWS - READ IT HERE FIRST @ 10:51 AM

The controversial $800 million tax credit for a Canadian airplane manufacturer has been killed this morning in the Senate Governmental Accountability and Fiscal Oversight Committee.

The so-called “Bombardier” deal, named after the Canadian airplane manufacturer who would benefit from this tax credit, the largest in state history, was killed in committee this morning by a vote of 5-2, with Senators Jeff Smith (D-4), Rita Days (D-14), Wes Shoemeyer (D-18), Brad Lager (R-12), and Rob Mayer (R-25) voting against it.

UPDATE #2 ON MAY 1ST:  A slimmed down version of the deal passed the senate today. In this audio, from Jason Rosenbaum from the Columbia Tribune, Senator Charlie Shields explains the differences:

UPDATE #3: The Senate press release:

Jefferson City — Missouri senators advanced a mega project tax credit plan today allowing the state to work to bring an airplane assembly plant to the Kansas City Region. The measure, House Bill 2393, handled by Senate Majority Floor Leader Charlie Shields, R-St. Joseph, and co-handled by Sen. Luann Ridgeway, R-Clay Co., could trigger a Montreal-based company to invest $400 million into building a passenger jet assembly plant at the Kansas City International Airport.

“We want Missouri to be open for business that brings great paying jobs to our residents,” Shields said. “This is a phenomenal deal for taxpayers, because we have safeguards in place to make sure the company creates jobs before any tax dollars are issued through tax credits.”

The company, Bombardier, has confirmed it is considering a site at Kansas City International Airport to invest $400 million to build a passenger jet assembly plant that, when at full capacity, would employ approximately 2,100 workers paying an average wage of $63,000 annually. These jobs could spur thousands more indirect jobs in the region and state.

The company, which also owns Learjet, would invest a total of $3.2 billion in research, development and structure for the project, but is seeking assistance from Kansas City and the state.

The bill clarifies what the Missouri Department of Economic Development can offer in state assistance through existing programs including the Enhanced Enterprise Zone and Quality Jobs Act programs, capping tax credit investments to $240 million dollars over an 8 year period. The state programs would be coupled with local resources in Kansas City to help bring this aerospace economic development and investment to Missouri.

Ridgeway said Missouri’s plan requires Bombardier to repay tax credits issued by the state.
“We protect taxpayers by not allowing any tax credits to be issued until the company has created jobs. Plus, we would collect royalties on the company’s product, meaning taxpayers recoup the money issued through the tax credits. Ultimately, between the company’s repayment and the new revenue generated from thousands of new jobs, that state and taxpayers would get a net increase of more than $200 million dollars.”

The assembly plant would produce a new, fuel efficient, less costly, 110-plus seat commercial aircraft. It will be the first new commercial aircraft assembly facility in America since 1968.
The bill now returns to the House for final approval to become law. To track the legislation visit www.senate.mo.gov and do a “keyword” search for HB2393.