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HOPE Program Kicks Off $15 Million Initiative
KANSAS CITY, MO, (kansascityfrontpage.com), January 15, 2010 - Gov. Jay Nixon and State Treasurer Clint Zweifel joined skilled craftsmen in St. Louis and Kansas City, January 13, to kick off the Home Ownership Purchase Enhancement (HOPE) Program, a $15 million initiative designed to jumpstart the state's housing-construction industry.

Under the HOPE program, the Missouri Housing Development Commission will provide incentives of up to $1,750 to encourage Missourians to purchase homes. The incentive will equal the cost of the homebuyer's first year's property taxes, up to $1,250.

In addition, Missourians also would be eligible for an enhanced incentive if they purchase an energy-efficient home, purchase and remodel an existing home, or purchase an item, such as an Energy Star appliance, to make the home more energy efficient. If the homebuyer's estimated property tax would be $1,250, the energy efficiency enhancement would be $500. If the homebuyer's property tax would be less than $1,250, the individual would be eligible for a larger energy-efficiency incentive, up to a total incentive of $1,750.

Application forms for the program were finalized today and now are available online by visiting www.mo.gov and clicking on the Homebuyer Incentive tab.

Income eligibility is based on previously adopted MHDC guidelines. Depending on the county of the home sale, household income limit guidelines for low to moderate income persons or families approved by MHDC last spring range from $58,300 to $98,560. These grants are for owner-occupied purchases only.

"Putting Missouri highly skilled tradesmen and women back to work is a vital step toward jumpstarting our economy," Gov. Nixon said. "Missouri is home to highly skilled, highly professional workers from all types of trades, but too many of these men and women are currently out of work. By sparking growth in our housing industry, we'll get these men and women back on the job and help more Missouri families realize the American dream."

"This property tax relief program gets MHDC off the sidelines by committing to put hardworking Missourians to work right now," said Treasurer Zweifel, chair of MHDC. "We are making sure MHDC makes strategic long-term investments that move the economy forward and create and retain Missouri jobs."

COLUMBIA, MO - The $62 million construction project will upgrade existing treatment facilities, increase biosolids-handling capabilities, improve the liquid treatment process, and provide better odor control. Photo courtesy U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 7

$62 Million 'Energy Efficient' Project to Be Built in Columbia
COLUMBIA, MO, (SLFP.com), January 12, 2010 - Ground will be broken on Thursday, January 14, for a $62 million construction project that will improve the Columbia Regional Wastewater Treatment Facility.

Federal, state and local officials will participate in a formal ceremony to announce the project funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. As part of the Act, Missouri received $146 million for drinking water and wastewater projects.

The project is expected to create 58 new jobs when construction starts later this month. Completion of the project is projected for the summer of 2012.

The construction project will upgrade existing treatment facilities, increase biosolids-handling capabilities, improve the liquid treatment process, and provide better odor control.

Included in the treatment plant improvements are measures to increase energy efficiency and reduce energy consumption. High-efficiency single-stage blowers, for example, will reduce annual energy consumption by 26 percent. A new combined heat and power system will be 26 percent more efficient than the existing system.

Missouri Revenue Calls for Leaner State Budget
KANSAS CITY, MO, (kansascityfrontpage.com), January 7, 2010 - Gov. Jay Nixon was joined, January 4, by Senate Appropriations Chairman Rob Mayer and House Budget Chairman Allen Icet in announcing the state's Consensus Revenue Estimate (CRE) for Fiscal Year 2011, which begins July 1, 2010. The leaders also announced an adjusted CRE for the current fiscal year.

The annual CRE is a bipartisan figure established by state budget experts and outside consultants that provides one of the basic assumptions the Governor and legislative leaders use to build Missouri's budget.

The key figure in today's CRE is the projected general revenue collection for FY 2011. Net general revenue collections in FY 2011 are expected to be $7.223 billion. Although this figure represents moderate revenue growth from the estimated revenue for FY 2010, it would still result in revenue collections about $780 million below actual collections in FY 2008.

Budget planners believe modest revenue growth is possible in FY 2011 as the national economy begins to recover from the worst recession since the 1930s. Although the current economy remains fragile, industrial production is beginning to increase. As a result, employment declines are expected to begin reversing next year, and consumer spending will increase accordingly. However, the national recovery may be slower than those of the past because of the damage done to the global financial sector, which has limited access to capital.

"By continuing to work in a bipartisan fashion, we will ensure Missouri's budget makes the right investment to preserve vital services and move our economy forward," Gov. Nixon said. "I appreciate the hard work of Senator Mayer and Representative Icet that has made this agreement possible."

Important points in the FY 2011 CRE include:

* General Revenue collections in FY 2011, net of any refunds to taxpayers, are estimated to be $7.223 billion.

* The adjusted CRE for FY 2010 is $6.971 billion, $480 million less than actual collections for FY 2009. FY 2009 is the only year in modern history where revenues have fallen at a faster pace.

"Revenue forecasts call for a leaner State budget, and difficult decisions will need to be made this session," Sen. Mayer said. "However, Governor Nixon, House Budget Chairman Allen Icet and I will continue to work diligently toward a fiscally responsible Missouri budget."

"Even with a positive CRE for the 2011 budget, the State still faces financial challenges to meet our constitutional responsibility of a balanced budget," Rep. Icet said. "I look forward to working with the Governor and the Senate to achieve that end."

Gov. Nixon will detail his proposed budget for FY 2011 during his State of the State address in late January.

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