The St. Louis County Council voted in favor last week of a $155 million tax break for Boeing’s expansion project near St. Louis Lambert International Airport.

The bill was passed 4-1 at the council’s Sept. 21 meeting, with 1st District Councilwoman Rita Heard Days, D-Bel-Nor; 5th District Councilwoman Lisa Clancy, D-Maplewood; 6th District Councilman Ernie Trakas, R-Oakville; and 7th District Councilman Mark Harder, R-Ballwin, voting in favor, while the lone no vote was from 2nd District Councilwoman Kelli Dunaway, D-Chesterfield. Council Chairwoman Shalonda Webb abstained from voting, since she is a Boeing employee, while 3rd District Councilman Dennis Hancock, R-Fenton, was absent.

The legislation cuts real estate and personal property taxes for the company by 50% over the next 10 years. The aerospace company is investing roughly $1.8 billion into the expansion project, which it says will create about 500 new jobs.

St. Louis County Executive Sam Page, who was not at the meeting, signed the bill Wednesday. Boeing still needs final approval from the St. Louis City Board of Aldermen since the airport is owned by the city. 

One member of the public spoke against the proposal before the council’s vote. Government watchdog Tom Sullivan said the council should not approve the incentives for Boeing “for the obvious reason.”

“It doesn’t need it. They’re one of the biggest and wealthiest corporations on Earth,” Sullivan said. “Let the $155 million go toward the many unmet needs in St. Louis County.”

Clancy said that it was because of the region’s needs that the incentives should be approved.

“This project, if our region is to get it, means good-paying union jobs and that means a lot to me and that’s going to have a ripple effect for the economic development of our whole region,” Clancy said. “When I think about the challenges our region faces, so much of it goes back to economic development or lack thereof.”

Harder said that he had been on the fence with the proposal “since the beginning” and that he hoped council members would show the same level of support next week when he reintroduces a senior property tax freeze bill.

“I see the pros and cons of this and … what it will be going forward for the next generation of defense of our country,” Harder said. “But I also see the generation currently that is in need of a tax freeze, and that is our seniors. … I hope the members of this board are as generous with their votes for Boeing as they will be tonight compared to what the votes … will be for the tax freeze for our seniors.”