It took a while, but finally at least one head has rolled as a result of the Mamtek disaster that left the city of Moberly out $39 million in bonds.
The man in charge of boosting Missouri's economy is stepping down.
David Kerr, director of the Missouri Department of Economic Development, will leave at the end of the year, Gov. Jay Nixon's office said Tuesday.
A Nixon appointee, Kerr was tasked with oversight of Missouri’s economic engine… and didn’t he do a damn fine job of it.
He's been Missouri's top economic development official for about two years, having been hired away from a similar post in Kansas by Nixon in Nov. 2009. […]
He has also, though, been the top job-creation official in an administration that has struggled to push some of its top economic development priorities through the General Assembly - most recently tax credit reform and Compete Missouri, in the special session that ended last month. […]
And when it comes to jobs, progress has been slow. In September, Missouri had about 6,700 fewer jobs than it did when Kerr started in Nov. 2009, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
In two years, though his entire purpose was to stimulate job creation, Missouri managed to lose 6,700 jobs.
Naturally, Jay Nixon thinks he did a great job.
In his statement, Nixon praised Kerr's efforts.
"David Kerr and I have worked closely together to create jobs and move our economy forward, and he has been a trusted and valuable member of my team," he said. "Because of David's leadership, Missouri now has a comprehensive strategic plan to guide our economic growth for the next five years…”
So, is he Nixon’s scapegoat? Is he being thrown under the bus? Well, actually, he’s staying on as an unsalaried consultant. (A conveniently face-saving move for both.)
Dejected and demoted, he is relinquished to the status of unpaid volunteer. Oh, how the mighty have fallen.
And Jay Nixon gets to find another hack to elevate to the rank of loser.
- B.H.
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