Everyone Hates Property Taxes, Which Is Why We Should Depend on Them More
A version of the following commentary appeared in the Springfield Business Journal. When the Emperor was trying to convince Anakin...
St. Louis County is Right to Be Concerned about Volunteers at the Animal Shelter
There are major changes coming to the St. Louis County animal control operation. The Animal Protective Association (APA) of Missouri...
Some Good News for Kansas City and St. Louis
For years, many who sought to excel in a creative or professional field headed to the coasts. Cities like New...
The Chevron Debate Comes to Missouri
One of the biggest decisions at the U.S. Supreme Court last year was its decision in the Relentless vs. Department...
An Update on Land Banks in Missouri: From Bad to Worse
What do you do with a program that has failed repeatedly and led to corruption and cronyism? Well, if you...
On Hold for Telemedicine
After a disappointing end to the 2024 legislative session, when Missouri’s policymakers missed the call for telemedicine reform, there’s reason...
The Gang that Couldn’t Plow Straight
There’s an old warning that “the plural of anecdote is not data.” But there sure are a lot of anecdotes...
Missouri is Shrinking
In each decade of the past 50 years, Missouri’s population growth has failed to keep pace with the nation. From...
Sedalia Doesn’t Need a 353 Redevelopment Plan
There is a lot happening in Sedalia right now. Many local residents are starting to ask questions about the goings-on...
Is Professional, Non-Partisan Management the Solution for St. Louis Government?
Both the City of St. Louis and St. Louis County are debating whether or not to adopt a city manager...
The Last Thing Missouri Needs Is More Urban Planning
A recent op-ed in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch called for substantially increasing the power of urban planners in St. Louis and...
For More Affordable Housing We Need More Housing, Period
St. Louis, at least relative to other cities, is not facing a housing affordability crisis. In fact, a 2024 study...
Civil Service Reforms Can Go Too Far
Tom Pendergast (and to a lesser extent his brother, James) cast a huge shadow over Missouri government and politics, both...
Downtown St. Louis Doesn’t Need Subsidies
State lawmakers in Missouri are considering a $102 million tax credit program to convert empty downtown St. Louis office buildings,...
Absurd Light Rail Project Marches Onward
Metro is hosting a series of public meetings on its proposed new light rail line in St. Louis. Now called...
Kansas City and St. Louis Road Quality
Our roads are crucial for commerce, safety, and daily life. Yet the state’s extensive road network presents challenges that have...
Does the Hancock Amendment Mean Anything to Town and Country?
Town and Country, a suburb of St. Louis with a slightly pretentious name, is making a mockery of the Hancock...
Does St. Louis Need a City Manager?
A version of this commentary appeared in the St. Louis Business Journal. Back in 2022, in response to the seemingly...
Missouri’s Mean Streets
Traffic fatalities in both Kansas City and St. Louis have seen significant increases, drawing concern from local leaders and community...
St. Louis Making the Right Moves on Regulation
St. Louis is taking steps to roll back the bureaucratic barriers that have long stifled economic growth. With the introduction...
