The Most Unkindest Tax of All
We’ve written a great deal about the various forms of taxation in Missouri. Some taxes are too high, some may...
A Drought of Our Own Making
Can we call a place a desert if we refuse to let water in? The Fordham Institute recently released an...
So That’s What You Spent Your Money On
A few weeks ago I asked the question, “school administrators, what did you spend your money on?” The purpose of...
A Retirement House of Cards
In a recent blog post about the state of affairs in a couple of Missouri state pension funds, we pointed...
New Essay Reiterates Importance of Tax Reform
Today my colleague Patrick Tuohey and I are proud to announce the publication of our latest essay, “A New Tax Policy...
Sunshine in Atlanta
Earlier this month Atlanta mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms announced the launching of the city’s own municipal checkbook in order to...
Missouri’s Dubious Tax Honor
Taxes. They’re high. They’re regressive. They’re inefficient. And in Missouri there are too many of them. None of this is...
School Administrators, What Did You Spend Your Money On?
When my wife and I took our four children to Disney World over spring break, we knew they would pester...
I Don’t Think We’ll Be Making the Honor Roll
The results are in, and they’re not great. On Tuesday, the U.S. Department of Education released the Nation’s Report Card,...
Legislative Update: TIF Reform
Researchers and activists across Missouri have long decried the way in which city governments too easily give away taxpayer money....
Public Employee Pensions: Time to Get Our Heads Out of the Sand
Andrew Biggs’ Show-Me Institute essay on the current condition of the Missouri State Employees Retirement System (MOSERS) demonstrates that, like...
Innovation Brings Hope for Teacher Pensions
The city teacher retirement plans in Missouri are in trouble. There’s a solid chance that the Kansas City Public Schools...
Do Kentucky Teachers Even Know Why They’re Protesting?
Kentucky public school teachers are right to be worried about their retirement benefits. According to the Kentucky Teacher Retirement System’s...
Cities May Actually Be the Culprit in Underfunding Schools
Education funding is a hot topic in several states, with lawsuits alleging that state governments are failing to meet their...
School Options and the Rise and Fall of Cities
It’s a problem that plagues many U.S. cities: How can we make sure that all families have access to a...
A Plague on Both Your Tax Credits!
Economic development tax credits that, whatever their intended purpose, enrich a few at the cost of the many are simply...
Will Springfield School District Become the Next Kansas City or St. Louis?
At around 25,000 students, the Springfield Public Schools is currently the largest district in Missouri. Just 20 years ago, the...
Who Is to Blame for Underfunded Schools?
Education funding is an ever present issue in state budgets and Missouri is no exception. My colleagues have written about...
If We’re Going to Administer Standardized Tests, Let’s Make Them Useful
In 1988, kids enjoyed their video games on an 8-bit Nintendo, people listened to music on cassettes, and the World...
Don’t Complicate Prevailing Wage Repeal
For the last year or so, momentum has built behind the idea of reform to the state’s prevailing wage law....
