Too Many Hotels in KC, According to Hotel Developer Seeking Subsidies
In a blog post earlier this year I wondered about Kansas City, “If previous subsidies successfully created a vibrant economic...
How Can Missouri Support Students with Special Needs? Find Out.
In November, the Show-Me Institute will host two events on Bryce’s Law. Haven’t heard of it? Don’t worry, few have—and...
The Tax Burden in Kansas City Is High
On Ruckus the other day, panelist Woody Cozad mentioned that taxes in Kansas City are high. He’s right. My colleague...
Food Deserts and Demand
The Kansas City Star published a 2,500 word front page story on Sunday that asked, “Why do so many stores...
Kansas City’s Unrelenting and Unaddressed Homicide Problem
Four years ago, when Kansas City’s homicide rate was down, City leaders were eager to let people know. “There is...
How Do Rental Scooters Fit into the Transit Paradigm?
Late last month I made the fateful choice to join the gig economy (after hours, naturally) by collecting and charging...
Kansas City Star Editorial Board Gets It Half Right
In a recent column, The Kansas City Star editorial board bemoaned the instinct of Mayor Sly James to be opaque...
Missouri Tax Credit Program Halted for Now
On Monday, Gov. Mike Parson made two appointments to the Missouri Housing Development Commission, the body in charge of awarding...
The Risk of City-issued Bonds
Kansas City leaders tell us that the bonds issued by the Kansas City Industrial Development Authority to fund the construction...
How Bad was the CDFA Study of Incentives in Kansas City?
It was with great anticipation that I received the long-overdue study of economic incentives in Kansas City conducted by the...
Higher Taxes = Less Innovation
When researchers at the Show-Me Institute argue that high tax burdens encourage people to leave Kansas City and St. Louis,...
Kansas City Incentive Study Misses Opportunity
Kansas City recently released a study of its economic development incentive programs. Unfortunately, rather than a rigorous examination of the...
More of the Same for the New KCI Project
For years, Kansas City Mayor Sly James asserted that revenue generated at the airport cannot be redirected to the city....
Video: An Ode to the “Ditch Diggers” Building Missouri
The video above—which you’ll notice was largely produced here in Kansas City—has been out for a few months, but “broke...
Marketing Water?
It might not surprise readers to learn that government bureaucrats overspend. But the Kansas City Water Services Department spent a...
Kansas City Fails to Meet Goals Set by 1968 Report
Immediately following the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and riots in Kansas City, Mayor Ilus “Ike” Davis appointed...
More Reason to be Skeptical of Economic Development Incentives
If you’re hoping that a new report on Kansas City’s economic development incentives accurately assesses their value, I’ve got some...
The More They Give, the More They Take
The bottom line regarding tax giveaways like tax increment financing (TIF) and other subsidies is this: The more officials hand...
Is Success Really Just a Matter of Showing Up?
A student who fails every test in a course is unlikely to get a passing grade just because he makes...
Patrick Tuohey Discusses KCPD on Ruckus
On Thursday, August 2, the Show-Me Institute’s Patrick Tuohey appeared on KCPT’s Ruckus to discuss the mayor’s influence over the Kansas City police...
