The New Missouri Government Banks on New Technologies to Revamp the State Auto-Industry.

Intro: With the Missouri auto-industry in trouble, the new administration says its working to make new technologies bring new jobs to the state.

Joshua Skurnik (SCUR-nic) has more from Jefferson City.

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Darin Gilley made car seats for Integram St.Louis Seating for sixteen years.

When the Chrysler plant in Fulton closed, the ripple-effect of auto-industry job loss got him too.

Gilley and his co-workers are going to school to learn new trades, but being a student doesn't support a family.

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Description: There's one family, I've already helped them move out of their house. They've lost their truck, their house was foreclosed upon. They're both in the training program to find new occupations.

Gilley says he's an optimist at heart, but isn't sure what the state can do.

Newly appointed Republican Speaker of the House Ron Richard is trying to get workers like Gilley back in the industry.

Richard says he's been talking with the auto-companies.

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Description: We still have a proposal for the Chrysler Fenton plant. We're in discussion with GM and Ford for possible help on the state side.

Richard says discussion doesn't mean there's a plan.

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Description: We just need to find out what the need is, and I hope we have that in another three to four weeks.

But spokesperson for Governor-Elect Jay Nixon Oren Shur says Nixon has a vision.

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Description: He'd like to make Missouri a hub for those new cars of the future. We have the resources, we have the work force.

Shur says Nixon has a team of budget experts analyzing the state's resources.

Shur says it all hinges on making Missouri an attractive location for car manufacturers to locate factories.

He says an existing infrastructure and a skilled workforce are some of Missouri's selling points for an alternative-energy auto-manufacturing industry.

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Description: We have the plant in Fenton which is a working and modern plant, we have a workforce in that region of the best auto workers in America who are trained and skilled and able to build these cars.

Shur says Nixon is willing to make construction costs of new factories more affordable.

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Description: Tax incentives for companies to create jobs, and that's something that governor elect Nixon has always supported, incentives for small businesses and large businesses.

Shur says Nixon won't have to raise taxes to finance his plans.

Meanwhile, Darin Gilley thinks the world and national economy just isn't helpful to the American auto-industry.

He says low manufacturing costs and unbalanced world import/export taxes make foreign-made cars too good of a deal.

Gilley says if the Missouri government's plans do work out, he's willing to learn to make new parts.

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Description: People are open to retraining, if it allows you to resume your way of life and support you family I don't think anybody has an issue with it.

Gilly says he does think in the end countries must produce their way to greatness.

Reporting from the state capital, I'm Joshua Skurnik.