Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon, in town to celebrate one economic-development victory, didn't offer much hope for reversing what some St. Louis officials see as a defeat in the Missouri Legislature. After speaking at a celebration for Gallus Biopharmaceuticals, which recently bought the old Centocor plant in Berkeley, Mo., Nixon was asked whether he intends to call a special legislative session to focus on economic development. The Legislature adjourned last week without acting on several economic-development proposals, including the Aerotropolis tax credit and a reform of other tax-credit programs, before it adjourned last Friday.

Nixon's response was noncommital:

You want to have everyting put together before you bring the folks back, and we're clearly not there yet. ... If we were going to have a special session, on anything, there would have to be significant consensus all around. We will give it a few weeks here ... and see if something might gel.

Nixon also said he must complete a budget review and look at about 120 bills that await his signature. But the heavy workload didn't dull his enthusiasm for celebrating the Gallus deal, which saves 160 jobs and is expected to create 160 more. He said it's an important boost to efforts to build a life-sciences industry in Missouri:

We have a lot of assets, and turning those assets into real jobs is what is happening right in front of our eyes today. ... This is a cutting-edge facility with high-tech products that would be a big win for any state. 

At the ceremony, Gallus Chief Executive Mark Bamforth announced a $25,000 donation to the United Way's tornado-relief efforts. The plant sits near Lambert Airport and other areas that were hit by an April 22 tornado.