Use Taxes on the Ballot in Missouri This November
There are several cities seeking to impose use taxes during special elections on November 4. These cities include Ladue and...
The Four-Day School Week and Finances
Missouri’s continuous decline in public school enrollment and the drying up of federal COVID funds have left school districts across...
Ameren to Shut Down Rush Island
The coal-powered Rush Island Energy Center in Jefferson County will be shut down on October 15. The 1,178-megawatt energy center...
Show-Me Energy: Decommissioning Power Plants Part 2
The decommissioning of coal plants is happening across the nation. Senate Bill (SB) 757 would mandate that prior to closing...
Good Ideas Done Poorly in Jefferson and Perry Counties
A version of this commentary appeared in the St. Louis Business Journal. As systems evolve and become more complex over...
An Airing of Grievances about Sewer Sales in Festus
I have a lot of problems with how the sewer system sale is being handled in Festus, and you people...
St. Louis Should Privatize Its Water System
A version of this commentary appeared in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. You have probably heard about all of the large...
Everyone Should Be Welcomed to the Party
The Jefferson County Public Water Supply District (JCPWS) has offered to purchase the shared municipal sewer system of Crystal City...
Special Taxing District Don’t Stop Coming
Thanks to the Walt Disney Company and the State of Florida, special taxing districts are in the news. Florida is...
Who’s Afraid of Charter Schools?
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch editorial board wrote a fearmongering editorial about charter schools becoming a potential option for suburban parents....
Agency Fees in Government Aren’t Allowed in Missouri, But That Didn’t Stop Some Local Governments
When?Janus vs. AFSCME?was decided earlier this summer, its immediate effect was on the 22 states that allowed government unions to...
Is This How Trust Is Regained?
After voters rejected implementing a local use tax in November, the Columbia City Council made it their mission to win...
Cost of Compliance to Rise for Missouri Wastewater Treatment
Recently, the EPA released a decision letter approving most of the changes to the Missouri Department of Natural Resources’ (MDNR)...
Pevely Should Disincorporate
In the past year (plus a little more), three Missouri towns — St. George, Mack’s Creek, and Quitman — have disincorporated....
Privatization Possibilitites Abound as Festus Sells Its Airport
The City of Festus has decided to sell the only airport in Jefferson County. The Suburban Journals story serves as...
Counties, Not Cities, Should Determine TIFs
A 2007 change to state law granting more authority to county tax increment financing (TIF) commissions within the Saint Louis-area,...
Homer Tourkakis: Victim of Eminent Domain Abuse
In January of 2004, the city of Arnold unveiled a plan to re-develop a large chunk of Arnold commonly...
