State Rep. Tila Hubrecht, R-Dexter, made this Facebook post about jobs situation in New Madrid and Sen. Doug Libla's role in it.
"A bit more information on the jobs....
Please contact Senator Libla and let him know how much these jobs are needed...ask him to support the people of his district, the people who elected him to stand up for them.
Senator Libla will try to claim that he opposed language in amendments presented by Rep. Don Rone. He will claim he would have worked to find a solution if that hadn't been presented at the last minute.
FACT: Senator Libla attended a meeting on Dec. 6 that Mr McGill coordinated, held at New Madrid City Hall, where state and local leaders met with the owner and staff of Magnitude 7 Metals, the former Norand Aluminum smelter.
Senator Libla was the first to speak privately with the group. Rather than listening to their needs, M7M got a lesson on nails and how the senator made his fortune.
Claiming to know nothing about the needs of either industry is only the fault of one person.
FACT: Missouri DED has been involved in every step of the way with this, working with the City, the Missouri Partnership, M7M and others to find solutions for both M7M and the steel mill. We can't speak highly enough of Director Downing and his staff.
FACT: Rep. Rone has gone above and beyond in doing anything and everything he can to bring jobs to our area and our state. He has stayed in constant contact with stakeholders during the entire session, and it's been all hours of the day and night.
His passion was on display last week, and business leaders noticed. They definitely took notice.
FACT: Business leaders have also contacted stakeholders about other legislators are doing nothing to help bring jobs to their own district. If these legislators want to blame anyone for not being included on every conversation, again, they only have themselves to blame.
The governor's office has been very active. People such as Mr Richard McGill communicated with them every single day this week and at various times through the session.
Speaker of the House Richardson hosted community leaders and M7M leaders in early March to look for ways to deliver power to the two industries. Representatives Holly Thompson Rehder and Tila Hubrecht have both been tremendous in support and available at every turn. And we all know Rep. Rone is championing this cause.
FACT: Power was an issue with Noranda. Every person remotely familiar with their situation knew a new owner and every heavy industrial power customer would have the same issues. That's why just about every legislator and state official has been all over both projects from the beginning.
Almost everyone.
FACT: Senator Libla called Mr McGill the evening of April 18th to show how much he opposed Ameren. The only thing he offered was that their top 3 officials made too much money. His position of opposition on SB190 was understood, mostly because Ameren didn't have to go through the PSC for a slight increase. People expressed over and over that we needed to find a different way to be more competitive with electric rates for both the steel mill and M7M. Senator Libla was asked a minimum of three times what the state could do to be more competitive. "I don't know." "I. Don't. Know." He did tell people to network more, whatever that was supposed to mean.
FACT: The governor is calling a special session that will begin Monday. Jobs will come to New Madrid and Southeast Missouri, but only if the legislators can do what they failed to do during the regular session. Don't like what's presented? Offer a solution or vote no.
Too many people have invested too much to help those who lost their jobs last year. Talks about making millions in the nail industry or private jets or Vegas homes will fall on deaf ears.
Many of these people have lost everything. They're clinging to hope. They don't care about your success. They just want a job.