Jason Hall, CEO of Greater St. Louis, Inc., recently explained GSL’s support for Mike Kehoe in an opinion column published in the St. Louis Business Journal. Please take a moment to read why GSL is supporting this candidate, and please make sure to vote this Aug. 6 and in this November’s general election.
Greater St. Louis Inc. makes pick for Missouri's next governor
By Jason Hall, CEO of Greater St. Louis, Inc.
If Missouri’s economy is a car, then the St. Louis metro area is its engine. The Missouri counties of the St. Louis metro generate more than 44% of all goods and services produced in Missouri. Quite simply, as goes St. Louis, so too, goes Missouri.
After decades of population loss and economic stagnation, business and civic leaders in St. Louis have joined together to champion economic growth. We are undertaking this vital work as Greater St. Louis Inc., a civic organization that unites business leaders from throughout the 15 counties of the metro area. We speak with a unified voice and drive a bold agenda to help St. Louis, and Missouri, grow. Encouragingly, the most recent federal data identifies the St. Louis metro as the 16th fastest-growing economy in the United States. We need to make that data point a new trend.
For our work to be successful, we must have strong partnerships with elected officials who agree that growth is the top priority. On Aug. 6, Missourians will vote in a primary election for key state and federal offices. Because of the current political environment in Missouri, several of these primary races almost certainly will decide the outcome of the general election.
In our first four years as an organization, Greater St. Louis Inc. has not formally endorsed a candidate for office. For most business groups, the conventional wisdom is to stay out of primary elections altogether. However, when the stakes are this high and the differences between candidates this clear, the conventional approach will not cut it.
Given the impact the Aug. 6 primaries will have on the trajectory of Missouri and St. Louis, Greater St. Louis Inc. is making two endorsements. The first of those endorsements is for Missouri governor. To be clear, the outcome of the gubernatorial primary will impact the growth of Missouri and the St. Louis metro for the next decade and beyond. These endorsements do not reflect the views of every member company or institution, but they are the opinion of Greater St. Louis Inc. as an organization and its leadership.
In this extraordinarily important primary contest for Missouri governor, we are putting a stake in the ground and publicly supporting a candidate who understands the critical importance of economic growth for St. Louis and Missouri. That candidate is Mike Kehoe.
We are not taking a stand on every issue about which Kehoe has expressed an opinion. Our focus is exclusively on economic issues. When it comes to the economy, Kehoe has made it clear that creating jobs, helping businesses and industries grow, and making communities stronger are among his top priorities.
Kehoe understands that infrastructure, public safety, and downtown revitalization are critical to growing St. Louis and Missouri. Major infrastructure projects in St. Louis, including the transformation of St. Louis Lambert International Airport and construction of the Brickline Greenway, are vital to Missouri’s economic future. State funding will be necessary for projects to be successful.
State resources could also help support law enforcement and our regional elected officials in their effort to reduce St. Louis’ unacceptably high homicide rate. In downtown, state investment will be critical to tackle long-vacant buildings, enhance public safety and tackle issues around homelessness.
These issues are not partisan. Nor should they be. Growth is an issue that should bring people together, across party lines, to get things done. We believe that Kehoe has the understanding, drive, and ability to do that. He is a pragmatic, pro-growth leader who can help put St. Louis and Missouri on the right track. We know we won’t agree on everything, but we are confident that we will have a strong partnership on the issues that truly matter.
This is a make-it-or-break-it decade for St. Louis. Greater St. Louis Inc. will work with leaders from any party and any community to strengthen the economy of our metro area, Missouri and Illinois. We urge members of the business community and the general public to elect candidates who will prioritize growth as well. For that reason, we encourage primary voters to support Mike Kehoe for governor on Aug. 6.