DMB Writer Takes the Payola

Full disclosure: I will benefit from something in Matt Blunt's jobs bill, as explained by the St. Louis Post-Dispatch's Martin Van Der Werf:

The language is buried deep in Gov. Matt Blunt's "jobs bill." It extends a 40 percent tax break on the purchase of new equipment to "computer programming and telecommunications" firms, including those that specialize in Web hosting, wireless applications and other information technology. The tax credit is capped at $75,000. To qualify, a company cannot exceed 100 employees.

The bill also applies to other "distressed" communities, including Kansas City and some rural towns.

It also makes employees eligible for a 1.5 percent break on income taxes, designed specifically to offset city earnings taxes.

Robert Guller, managing member of the Bandwidth Exchange Buildings LLC, says the incentives will help fill his buildings downtown. "It's huge for our little clients," he says. "For our area to thrive, companies have to put their roots down here."

I will work in the city for an IT company that qualifies for these tax breaks; ergo, gentle reader, if you're cynical, please do mischaracterize my support for Matt Blunt and my desire to draft him as the Republican nominee for president as the work of a special interest group taking its snoutful at the state government trough.

Now, if only Matt Blunt would extend tax breaks to all businesses....