Most states have their focus on growing jobs and stimulating the economy. Missouri’s new governor, Eric Greitens, said that is among his highest goals when he gave his first State of the State address this past week.When he was campaigning, he questioned the granting of incentives to businesses to lure them to Missouri, or to help those industries already here to expand. He questioned the accountability in giving incentives to produce new jobs.The governor soon will learn that to compete in economic development in today’s environment, it’s usually necessary to provide incentives to obtain new industries because other states make offers that are attractive due to what they offer in incentives, such as tax credits and grants. To be competitive, incentives are necessary. Missouri already has incentives based on the number of new jobs that a company creates.Missouri also has in place accountability. If a company does not create a certain number of jobs in a defined period, if tax credits are the incentive, the taxes must be paid.Gov. Greitens is expected to sign right to work legislation that is making its way through the General Assembly. Seven of the eight states that surround Missouri are right to work states, which means workers don’t have to pay union dues for the right to work at a company. Missouri is expected to be the 28th right to work state.Actually, the best incentive today for a company that is seeking to locate in a city, or county, is the availability of a skilled workforce, or workers who are trainable. There is a shortage of workers, especially those with skills, throughout the country. We have a labor shortage here.Education can be a great force in helping to create a skilled workforce. It is a fact that immigration solved labor shortages in this country since its very beginning.Gov. Greitens also called for restrictions to liability lawsuits, eliminating prebid union labor agreements on public works projects, and the elimination of what the governor says are “burdensome regulations.”We wish Gov. Greitens the best in his economic development goals. If he’s successful, citizens of Missouri will be better off.