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ST. LOUIS NEWS TODAY - Monday, July 25, 2005
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Missouri Recognized As Economic Leader
JEFFERSON CITY, (SLFP.com), July 25, 2005 - A national business magazine has ranked Missouri as one of the leading states in the nation for having a business-friendly climate that attracts industry and new jobs.
Expansion Management, a monthly business magazine for company executives who make decisions on facility expansions and relocations, ranked the business climates of the nation's 362 metro areas in its third annual Mayor's Challenge competition. Only 70 of those metropolitan statistical areas, or the nation's top 20 percent, earned the distinction of "5-Star Business Opportunity Metro."
In the 2005 rankings, Texas led all states with seven top-honored metros. Missouri, Ohio and Virginia each had five metros earning top honors and Pennsylvania had four. The Missouri cities recognized by the magazine are Columbia, Jefferson City, Kansas City, Springfield and St. Louis.
"Missouri has always had a great business climate and this kind of national recognition demonstrates our state's commitment to creating better jobs and greater opportunities for our citizens," Gov. Matt Blunt said. "With the passage of worker's compensation and tort reform, as well as the new Quality Jobs Act, Missouri is showing the nation and the world that we are a job friendly state for employers and entrepreneurs at home and abroad."
The magazine competition was based on seven major studies and surveys the magazine's research department conducted over the past year that ranked communities in several characteristics important to corporate site selectors. The areas looked at were public education, health care cost and availability, quality of life, transportation and logistics infrastructure, critical mass of knowledge workers, legislative influences on the business climate, and the metro's reputation among prominent corporate site consultants.
Furthermore, three Missouri metros received top five rankings in three of the criteria. Columbia was ranked 2nd best metro quality of life in a March 2005 study; St. Louis was ranked 2nd for best logistics infrastructure in a September 2004 study, and Kansas City was ranked 3rd among site consultants as one of "America's Hottest Cities" in January 2005.
Nixon Ready to Take Action Against Base Closing
ST. LOUIS, (SLFP.com), July 25, 2005 - In a letter to Gov. Matt Blunt, Attorney General Jay Nixon has announced his intention to file a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Defense on behalf of the state of Missouri to prevent the transfer of 15 F-15 Eagle fighter jets from their current base in St. Louis.
Nixon said he is prepared to file a lawsuit if the transfer of the 131st out of Missouri is not removed from the Department of Defense's recommended base closure list by Sept. 8. "September 8 is the deadline for Missouri to demonstrate to the Base Realignment and Closure Commission that Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld 'substantially deviated' from the statutory criteria set forth by the Base Closing Act," Nixon said in his letter delivered to Blunt last Thursday.
As part of the Pentagon's most recent action under the Base Realignment and Closure Commission, 28 of 88 National Guard flying units around the country are scheduled to lose their planes - including the 131st F-15 Fighter Wing at Lambert Field - with the aircraft being moved to installations in other states. Nixon contends that "the mere redistribution of military assets" is not authorized under the Base Closure Act, and that furthermore, the federal government shutting down a state National Guard installation is a violation of federal law.
"The cooperative relationship between the federal and state governments with respect to state National Guards requires a delicate balance - a balance so important that it was written into the United States Constitution," Nixon said.
Nixon also cites federal statutes, which require approval by a governor before a National Guard unit can be relocated or withdrawn.
"I am prepared to defend your authority as Commander in Chief of the Missouri National Guard to adequately and appropriately protect the essential forces you command," Nixon told Blunt. "The 131st Fighter Wing of the National Guard is strategically located to protect Missouri, and is an integral part of the overall effectiveness of our outstanding Missouri National Guard in fulfilling their military and peace time missions."
Governors of Pennsylvania and Illinois have already directed their respective attorneys general to take similar actions. Lawsuits have been filed in both states to prevent National Guard base closings there.
Gasoline and Diesel Prices Set New Records
ST. LOUIS, (SLFP.com), July 25, 2005 - Missouri retail gasoline and diesel prices rose again this past week setting new all-time record highs as of July 18. U.S. crude oil settled at $56.72 on July 20, down $1.37 from last month and $5.38 from the trading-day record high of $62.10 set two weeks ago, according to a survey conducted by the Missouri Department of Natural Resources' Energy Center.
The Energy Center's July 21 Missouri Energy Bulletin reports the average Missouri retail price for regular gasoline set a new record at $2.18 per gallon, an increase of about twelve cents from last month, and over $0.37 higher than the price paid at this time last year. The previous record average retail price for gasoline in Missouri was $2.17 per gallon set on April 4. The record retail price paid for regular unleaded gasoline in the United States is $2.328 per gallon set on July 11.
The average retail gasoline price paid throughout the United States decreased $0.01 per gallon to $2.317 for the week ending July 15 due to lower crude oil prices, improving oil imports and weaker gasoline demand. Implied gasoline demand was 9.4 million barrels per day, down 0.3 million barrels per day since July 1. U.S. gasoline supplies fell 1.1 million barrels but remain 2.9 million barrels higher compared to last year. Crude oil supplies stand 20.8 million barrels higher compared to last year. Crude oil supplies fell 0.9 million barrels during the week ending July 15, following lower domestic oil production due to Hurricane Dennis in the Gulf Coast area.
Missouri's average diesel fuel price set a new record at $2.31 per gallon, 64 cents or 39 percent higher than this time last year. The U.S. average retail diesel price was $2.39 per gallon on July 18, falling two cents from its retail record price of $2.41 set on July 11.
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