The Suburban Journals have an interesting story today about Wentzville’s contemplation of a proposal that would reduce the regulatory burden on home businesses. The city currently requires those working out of their homes to submit to a frustrating permitting process and intrusive home inspections. Kudos to the city’s economic development director, Bob Swank, who realized that the city would be better served to make it easier for home-based businesses to start up, and to focus on policing business owners only when their practices generate complaints, rather than constantly attempting to oversee all people with a business license. This is a truly inspired approach to economic development, and one that more cities should consider.
Fingers Crossed
Economy
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About the Author
Susan Pendergrass
Before joining the Show-Me Institute, Susan Pendergrass was Vice President of Research and Evaluation for the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools, where she oversaw data collection and analysis and carried out a rigorous research program. Susan earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business, with a concentration in Finance, at the University of Colorado in 1983. She earned her Masters in Business Administration at George Washington University, with a concentration in Finance (1992) and a doctorate in public policy from George Mason University, with a concentration in social policy (2002). Susan began researching charter schools with her dissertation on the competitive effects of Massachusetts charter schools. Since then, she has conducted numerous studies on the fiscal impact of school choice legislation. Susan has also taught quantitative methods courses at the Paul H. Nitze School for Advanced International Studies, at Johns Hopkins University, and at the School of Public Policy at George Mason University. Prior to coming to the National Alliance, Susan was a senior policy advisor at the U.S. Department of Education during the Bush administration and a senior research scientist at the National Center for Education Statistics during the Obama administration.
