Expanding the VIP List for Charter School Eligibility
In Missouri, only a select few are eligible for the VIP status of charter school eligibility. The “bouncer” until recently...
The St. Louis Demographic Decline: One Explanation Among Many
Most St. Louisans I know are die-hard fans of the city they call home. Maybe it’s because we are blessed...
St. Louis Should Eliminate Its Economic Development Agencies
A version of this commentary appeared in the St. Louis Business Journal. In July 2010, Missouri politicians joined the state’s...
On Property Taxation
Of all the positions I hold, the one that probably surprises people the most is my opposition to changes to...
The Kansas City Earnings Tax Tortoise Versus the St. Louis Earnings Tax Hare
When the pandemic struck and remote work took over, two city tax policies diverged in an asphalt jungle. Kansas City...
On Lying, Kansas City Says the Quiet Part Out Loud
When I was at Saint Louis University’s School of Law back in 2006, I vividly remember finding out that SLU...
What Does Missouri’s Teacher Shortage Really Look Like
A version of this commentary was published in the Columbia Daily Tribune. Over the past few years, Missourians have gotten...
Springfield Should Eliminate Its Economic Development Agencies
A version of this commentary appeared in the Springfield News-Leader. In July 2010, Missouri politicians joined the state’s economic development...
The St. Louis County Budget
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch recently ran an article on St. Louis County’s budget situation that was lacking, in my opinion....
Lead Us into Battle for Academic Development
I still find myself thinking about the Missouri Commissioner of Education’s vague comments following Missouri’s dismal scores on the National...
How Easy Is It to Commute KC without a Car?
The Kansas City Star has an interesting article out today that looks at something called the “Green Commute Challenge,” a...
Can We Have Meaningful Dialogue on Pension Reform?
I recently published an op-ed about a curious incident that occurred in September. Out of nowhere, superintendents and educators throughout...
St. Louis County Needs a Land Bank Like I Need a Hole in My Head
In truly unwelcome news for people who care about good government, a coalition has been put together to create a...
Laclede County Should Reduce Its Commercial Property Tax Surcharge
A version of this commentary appeared in the Laclede County Record. This November, Laclede County residents will vote on reducing...
Clay County Should Reduce Its Commercial Property Tax Surcharge
A version of this commentary appeared in the Clay County Courier-Tribune. This November, Clay County residents will vote on...
Kansas City Westside Community Goes All-in on Abatements
The Kansas City Westside neighborhood is the historic home of the Mexican–American community in Kansas City. It has experienced particularly...
Laclede County Proposes Its Own Tax Cut
Patrick Ishmael and I have been writing and talking a lot about the proposal on the ballot in Clay County...
This Is What Number Four Looks Like?
By now, we have all seen that wonderful photo of the young child sitting in the backseat of her parents’...
Would an Income-tax Cut Benefit Missouri?
Missouri’s economic growth has consistently lagged that of much of the country—so badly, in fact, that our state’s gross domestic...
Affordable Housing and Kansas City: Further Thoughts
(You can read part one, part two, part three, part four, part five, part six, part seven, and part eight in this series here.) The concerns...
