Two bills that would each try to end the so-called “border war” among business interests in the Kansas City area were heard Wednesday by two Missouri legislative committees. The identical bills would bar incentives designed to poach businesses from Kansas to Missouri.
Backers of the two bills say the proposal would take effect only if Kansas enacts a similar law to discourage its businesses from luring companies on the Missouri side of the Kansas City area.
“Because of our regional situation, when you move across the state line, most times, it’s not creating a new job…it’s a job that already existed in the community,” says Republican Ryan Silvey of Clay County, who is sponsoring the measure in the Senate.
Hallmark executive Bill Hall told lawmakers that the ongoing job poaching makes it harder for officials from both states to cooperate on other issues, such as transportation and water sharing.
Committee votes on the two bills will be held later.
