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Blunt to meet Ford, GM officials in Detroit

Ford plant in Hazelwood, MO.
(KWMU photo)
Ford plant in Hazelwood, MO.

By Tom Weber, KWMU

Detroit, MI – More than 1 in 10 manufacturing jobs in Missouri is in the auto industry.

Blunt's trip is a way to tell two of the big three that the state is business-friendly.

He'll tell them Missouri is a great place for the jobs because of recently-changed laws regarding workers compensation and lawsuits.

Paul Sloca with the Department of Economic Development says another plus is the state's willingness to offer tax breaks to lure business:

"The governor's confident going to Detroit, bringing this message, saying 'This is what we can offer," Sloca says. "We're going above and beyond what other states are doing and let us continue to work and let us grow on what we've done in the past.'"

Sloca says it's just lucky timing that Blunt's trip comes so close to GM's announcement last week that it'll cut 25,000 jobs.

But Sloca adds there's no indication Missouri will be affected.

GM workers make vans at a plant in Wentzville.

Ford has plants in Hazelwood and Claycomo.

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