Gov. Jay Nixon came to Hannibal Thursday to sign a new jobs bill into law. But will it have an impact in Northeast Missouri?
“I think what we’ve seen is that so many folks who have lost their jobs through some of our plant closings have been using the services provided by the local Career Centers and our unemployment offices. There’s been tremendous demand on those offices,” said State Rep. Rachel Bringer, D-Palmyra. “The governor has recognized that and has continued to try and find new tools for those centers to use to help those families. The job training portion of this bill is just another tool, once it becomes effective, that these offices will be able to use to help.”
State Sen. Wes Shoemyer, D-Clarence, who was cited by Nixon for his input in the bill, strongly believes the jobs bill will be of help locally.
“It will absolutely have a tremendous amount of impact here, especially in Marion County where we’ve seen more than our share of job losses,” he said. “The job retraining not only sends a clear message and clear help to those who have lost their job, but it sends a very clear message to business and industry that we are willing to prepare workers for you and Missouri will be open for business. That’s the number one thing they look for, a prepared work force.”
Local businessman Steve Ayers is taking a wait-and-see attitude regarding the bill’s impact. However, he’s pleased that the bill represents a bipartisan effort.
“I’ll have to wait and see how it effects me personally in my business, but it’s really good to see the governor trying to work with both sides of the aisle. There’s been so much division down there in the past that if they can figure out a way of working together, particularly to work on economic development and providing help to small businesses, I can’t think of a better thing that could happen to our state,” he said.
