Lee's Summit is about to embark on an economic development scheme that has no demonstrated benefit and is likely aimed at solving a problem that no longer exists.

The dirty little secret that nobody seems to want to recognize, or even attempt to uncover, is that Enhanced Enterprise Zone (EEZ), Tax Increment Financing (TIF), and other subsidies do not work. They do not succeed in growing the local economy. The panoply of subsidies that come into play when a large area is declared blighted can have a number of adverse side effects. They shrink the local tax base, encourage more government planning of the economy, and increase the chances of eminent domain abuse. As a famous Swedish economist once said,...

“Isn’t that just a voucher?” I often hear that question when I discuss enabling students to use public dollars to attend private schools. This question is an attempt to do two things: (1) lump all forms of state-supported private school choice programs into one group and (2) dismiss these programs with a word that to some has a negative connotation. Labeling all programs that give students the ability to attend a private school with state money a “voucher” may be an effective rhetorical device, but it obfuscates the important distinctions...

There are a substantial number of government programs to stimulate economic investment in Missouri. There are 36 different state economic development tax credit programs, each with their own requirements and rules.

They range from large programs, such as the historic preservation tax credit and the Quality Jobs program, to the small, such as the state’s film tax credit. There are at least half a dozen more state-authorized local tax incentive programs, such as Tax Increment Financing (TIF). Missouri, like many states, aggressively uses these...

Missouri and around the country, elected officials, taxpayers, and financial markets have expressed concerns about the financial health of defined...

Have you ever wished your local school would be a little more responsive to your family’s needs? Or have you been searching for a high-quality free school in your area? Those were the concerns of several families in Saint Louis, but instead of hoping and wishing, they are trying to make this dream a reality. Through a true homegrown effort, a new school will be opening in the downtown Saint Louis area next fall: Lafayette Preparatory Academy. I had the opportunity to sit down with Susan...