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Joseph Haslag, economics professor at the University of Missouri–Columbia and executive vice president of the Show-Me Institute, explains in this radio commentary for KBIA 91.3 FM in Columbia that real economic stimulus comes from thousands of little things, a wide array of market actions and decisions that can't be anticipated or controlled by a centralized plan. "It will take some time for balance sheets to heal," Haslag concludes, "but it will happen. Citizens should refrain from idly waiting for the illusory salvation of the stimulus package."

What if vacant lots in Saint Louis were used as farms?

It may seem like a dream, but many people have tried to buy vacant city property to turn it into a garden or an urban farm. The City of Saint Louis owns more than 10,000 vacant properties. It costs more than a million dollars a year to maintain them, and no taxes are collected on properties owned by the government. When it comes to revitalizing the city, no project is too small. Urban farming isn't small potatoes. It can provide employment, new tax revenues, and even fresh vegetables.

Unfortunately, City government has had a poor track record of maintaining its property. But instead of placing blame, let's view this as an opportunity. Let's sell property to people who want to build something better.

Did you know that Saint Louis taxpayers will wind up paying more than seven million dollars to move a Walmart just two miles? It happened in Bridgeton.

The culprit is called Tax Increment Financing, or TIF. TIF sounds harmless enough, but it's resulted in businesses throughout the Saint Louis area moving short distances to get a lot of our tax dollars. You might think a new business opening is good, especially in this economy, but a study by the East-West Gateway Council of Governments shows that TIFs have cost the Saint Louis region more than two billion dollars in tax transfers — mostly from school districts to developers — with few new jobs to show for it.

Let's focus on real economic growth, instead of paying big-box stores to move down the road a little.

Everyone loves a beautiful sunset — it means the end of a day. In the Missouri Legislature there are sunsets too, a date on which a law phases out. But all too often our lawmakers act as if the sun should never set on tax credits. They happily pass them out instead of letting the free market work, and imposing no sunsets.

Ronald Reagan once said "A government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth." And the same thing could be said about Missouri's tax credits. Our lawmakers must reduce and reform economic development tax credit programs that have cost each one of us nearly $400 since 1999. If you've got a family of four that's almost $1,600.

We need to see more sunsets in the Missouri Legislature. After all, only after a sunset can a new day dawn.

When MODOT re-opened Highway 40 in Saint Louis after two years of repairs, the first reaction some people had was "Wait, how come there are still traffic jams?"

The fact is, you can't build your way out of traffic jams. Construct a bigger and better road and all you get is — more traffic. But highway planners can reduce congestion by pricing. They've learned that variable rate tolls can eliminate congestion, improve gas mileage and reduce pollution.

Did you know that commuters make up only half of the rush hour traffic in America? Tolls can help shift non-essential traffic off of our highways and out of your way. You may hate the idea of paying a toll for your evening drive home, but when you get there in less time, using less gas, with a lot less frustration, you might learn to like it.