It’s Still a Flight of Fancy
Last week, Jeff Rainford, Saint Louis Mayor Francis Slay’s chief of staff, wrote to the St. Louis Business Journal in...
Defeat of ‘China Hub’ or ‘Aerotropolis’ Bill a Significant Victory for Missouri Taxpayers
It was the “Big Idea” that couldn’t — and didn’t — pass. The defeat of a bill calling for the...
Even the Midwest China Hub Commission Knows “Aerotropolis” Tax Credits Are Flawed
You know a policy proposal is bad when its proponents admit internally that the proposed policy is problematic. It turns...
Taxpayers Off the Hook for $360 Million
Good news: The $360 million in subsidies as part of the so-called “China Hub” or “Aerotropolis” bill did not pass the...
“If Someone’s Looking for Space, We Have Space Available”
Christine Harbin and I drove around the Lambert–St. Louis International Airport on Tuesday, to see whether there really was a...
The ‘China Hub’: Another Flight of Fancy?
Although the state government is strapped for cash, Missouri’s General Assembly is about to place a huge and ill-advised bet...
“Aerotropolis” Roundup
What a long, strange three weeks it’s been. My colleague Audrey Spalding and I dropped nearly everything we were doing...
An Open Letter to Missouri Speaker of the House Steven Tilley
Dear Speaker Tilley: It appears that Missouri legislators are about to place a huge and ill-advised bet on the so-called...
Changes to the “Aerotropolis” Legislation: A Critical Review
Last week, Missouri legislators worked late into the evening to iron out the details in a lengthy tax credit bill....
Ms. Harbin and Ms. Spalding Go to Jeff City
Yesterday, Christine Harbin and I testified about the proposed “Aerotropolis” subsidy bill before the Missouri Senate Jobs, Economic Development and...
Airport Expansion Failed in the Past; Why Will This Time Be Any Different?
Lawmakers in Missouri are doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. Government officials tried to...
Film Tax Credits Featured on “30 Rock”!
Did any of our readers see last week’s “30 Rock” episode? They talked about state film tax credits! As regular...
Where’s the Evidence That the China Hub Makes Financial Sense?
In August 2010, Mike Jones, chairman of the Midwest China Hub Commission, told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that a key...
Wait … Shouldn’t Missouri Have a Firm Commitment From China Before Awarding $480+ Million?
Several Missouri legislators are looking to pass a tangled package of state tax credits and other subsidies for developers, cargo...
Benefits of China Hub Focused on Saint Louis; All Missouri Taxpayers Forced to Pick Up $480 Million Tab
Tax credit programs like the proposed China hub are a form of wealth redistribution: Only the favored few benefit, and...
China Hub Tax Incentives More Expensive Than Advertised
Saint Louis politicians, media, and bloggers have enthusiastically embraced proposed legislation that would create a package of tax credits and...
Now in Theaters: Greetings From Missouri, The Show-Me State
The Internet is ablaze with discussion of film tax credits. The New York Times published an article about government officials...
More Good News for Aviation in Missouri
Thanks to former intern (and current staff member) extraordinaire Audrey Spalding for finding this piece on aviation in Columbia. It...
The Heart of Government
David Stokes and I just attended the weekly Board of Aldermen meeting for St. Louis city. It was actually quite...
