The Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad, Teacher Pay Plan
Raising teacher pay is once again a hot topic in Jefferson City, and once again the ideas being floated to...
State of the State, Source of Income, and Triumphant Returns
David Stokes, Elias Tsapelas, and Patrick Tuohey join Zach Lawhorn to discuss: – Key takeaways from Governor Parson’s State of...
911 Systems Are a Great Opportunity for Local Government Cooperation
Versions of the following commentary appeared in the Southeast Missourian, the Columbia Missourian, and the Springfield News-Leader. There is probably no better opportunity for counties...
No, Missouri Is Not Running a Budget Surplus
Governor Parson, in his final State of the State address, said, “Actually, with the budget we outline today . ....
Another Opportunity to Learn
Trying to lure Hollywood productions to Missouri with tax incentives was always a fool’s errand, but a new report from...
“Did You Get My Cheez Wiz, Boy?”
Early in the classic film The Blues Brothers, Elwood takes his recently paroled brother, Jake, back to his Chicago apartment....
Education Spending: Where Does the Money Go?
As the 2024 legislative session gets underway, we will undoubtedly hear more about teacher pay in Missouri. A key question...
Land Banks: A Bad Idea Back for the 2024 Session
The state legislature in Missouri is again considering legislation to dramatically expand the authority to institute land banks to municipalities...
What if We Decided to Lean in to Testing?
The College Board’s Advanced Placement (AP) program teaches college-level coursework to high school students and then tests their knowledge with...
New Avenues for Price Transparency
Why is health care so expensive? In part, it’s because patients rarely have the opportunity to shop for a better...
As Legislature Returns, Whose Priorities Will Take Priority?
Happy New Year! After a lackluster 2023 legislative session, hope springs eternal for 2024 as the Missouri Legislature returns to...
The 2024 Session Begins
David Stokes, Elias Tsapelas, and Patrick Ishmael join Zach Lawhorn to discuss the start of the 2024 Missouri legislative session....
Why Don’t We Remove the Floor from Missouri’s Income Tax Triggers?
RSMo §143.011(4)(1) represents the essence of Missouri’s income tax reduction trigger law. Passed in 2022, the law reduces the state’s...
The Authority of the Missouri Auditor Should Be Expanded to Enhance Local Transparency
The Missouri State Auditor’s Office plays a crucial role in promoting transparency and accountability in government. Although the Auditor arguably...
Expanding Interstate License Reciprocity Can Improve Access to Health Care
Interstate licensing reciprocity in healthcare is an issue near and dear to my heart. Starting with the implementation of the...
Repeal Certificate of Need For the Health and Welfare of Missourians
Certificate of need (CON) laws have been a subject of debate since their inception in the United States half a...
Transparency in Municipal Government Should Be Mandatory
Longtime readers are familiar with the wide array of transparency projects that the Show-Me Institute has undertaken over the last...
The Parents’ Bill of Rights: Its Time Has Come
We have long said that if the government can take your money, it needs to account for it, and whether...
The Worst Law in Missouri
Municipal annexations have been back in the news. An unincorporated area near Manchester (in St. Louis County) overwhelmingly rejected that...
TIF Decisions Should Be Made at the County, Not City, Level
The simplest thing Missouri can do to improve the decision-making process for tax increment financing (TIF) is move the responsibility...
