Missouri’s governor is praising Schneider Electric’s planned $73-million expansion at their plant on Columbia’s Route B.
Governor Mike Kehoe spoke at Tuesday morning’s bipartisan groundbreaking ceremony. He tells 939 the Eagle that the 241 new jobs will pay a great wage:
“The number of jobs they’re going to create and the opportunity for Missourians is really what we’re all about. It’s a nonpartisan issue that when communities can come together, in this case the city, the county, REDI, the regional economic development group as well as the (Columbia) chamber, the state, you see great projects like this happening. The win is for the community, the win is for the employees who have great-paying jobs here,” Governor Kehoe says.
The 241 new jobs will be higher than Boone County’s average wage, which means the jobs will pay more than $48,000. Governor Kehoe and Columbia Mayor Barbara Buffaloe are grateful for the planned $73-million expansion. The Missouri Department of Economic Development (DED) describes Schneider Electric as the global leader in electrification, automation, and digitization. Mayor Buffaloe praises the company, telling 939 the Eagle that Schneider Electric invests in training for their employees:
“It’s all about partnership for us and collaboration so this is a success from when we’re talking about our (Columbia) Regional Economic Development Incorporated (REDI), which focuses on the mid-Missouri region and how we can grow that. And it’s through working with our county, working with the city, working with the state and others to really invest in here. And to see Schneider expand just shows that they’ve invested in Columbia because this is a great place to be,” Mayor Buffaloe says.
Columbia/Boone County taxing agencies have approved Chapter 100 for the expansion project. Boone County Presiding Commissioner Kip Kendrick explains Chapter 100 for the Schneider Electric expansion:
“They will receive a 50 percent abatement on their personal property tax and the real property on the new investments that they have in this facility. And so they’re will still be new tax revenue generated from this for property taxes, but a portion of that will be abated for I believe a ten-year period on these,” Commissioner Kendrick says.
Boone County’s other two commissioners, Justin Aldred and Janet Thompson, also participated in Tuesday’s groundbreaking ceremony.
