http://www.showmedaily.org Advancing liberty with responsibility by promoting market solutions for Missouri public policy Thu, 09 Feb 2012 15:16:23 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en Last week, the Arnold City Council decided against selling its sewers to Missouri American Water. It appears that the elected city officials did not care for the terms of the sale. From the Arnold Patch: "It was clear that not enough assurances could be provided to ensure the protection of the City's ... http://www.showmedaily.org/2012/02/clutching-the-sewers-the-foul-smell-of-a-missed-opportunity.html Show-Me Institute Policy Analyst Audrey Spalding is in Jefferson City today to give testimony about land banks. The state legislature is currently considering legislation that would create a land bank in Kansas City with much the same power and authority as the Saint Louis land bank, the Land Reutilization Authority (LRA). ... http://www.showmedaily.org/2012/02/standstill-part-two.html A recent Wall Street Journal article notes the increasing push from state governments to eliminate or reduce personal income taxes. This article reinforces a previous point the Show-Me Institute made that a state's tax environment does not occur in a vacuum. A state's position regarding taxes can decline compared to its neighbors, ... http://www.showmedaily.org/2012/02/left-behind.html Regarding health care, Missouri's legislature is getting it right on at least one front. On the one hand, it is working to close legal loopholes that could allow a health insurance exchange to be implemented unilaterally in the state capitol, either by administrative or gubernatorial fiat. There are lots of ... http://www.showmedaily.org/2012/02/will-missouri-impose-one-mandate-as-it-fights-another.html Last week, Ben Barnes, a Show-Me Institute intern, wrote about the teacher tenure reform bill that Missouri legislators are considering. Reforming teacher tenure may seem like an abstract concept, but the consequences of our current law are very real. Eric Hanushek, of Stanford University, found that a good teacher can help ... http://www.showmedaily.org/2012/02/missouri-where-the-women-are-strong-the-men-are-good-looking-and-every-teacher-is-above-average.html A recent article on emissourian.com questioned whether a Franklin County program violates the Missouri Constitution. Franklin County has and continues to violate the state’s Constitution by allocating hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars annually to fund counseling and antibullying programs in area private schools. That’s according to Tony Rothert, legal director for the ... http://www.showmedaily.org/2012/02/is-franklin-county-violating-the-states-blaine-amendment.html The St. Louis Convention & Visitors Commission (CVC) just released its proposal (estimated price tag: $124 million, with the St. Louis Rams football team paying $64 million) on how it will transform the Edward Jones Dome into a “first-tier” stadium. If it fails to reach an agreement with the St. Louis ... http://www.showmedaily.org/2012/02/dough-for-the-dome.html There have been numerous suggestions on how to cure Missouri's budget deficit this year. Last month, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch's editorial board suggested that one of the best ways to close the gap is for the state to decline to redeem — that is, decline to apply against a taxpayer's tax ... http://www.showmedaily.org/2012/02/retired-missouri-supreme-court-justice-decline-tax-credit-redemptions-for-a-year-or-more.html On Monday, Missouri Rep. Scott Dieckhaus (R-Dist. 109) proposed a bill (House Bill 1526) to reform the state's teacher tenure laws. As we have argued before, getting rid of teacher tenure is good for Missouri’s public schools, and this bill is particularly strong for three key reasons: 1. Teachers could be fired for doing ... http://www.showmedaily.org/2012/02/teacher-tenure-why-should-educators-be-different.html Last week, FOX 2 News in Saint Louis reported that the China Hub at Lambert-St. Louis International Airport was essentially dead. The cause? "[T]he big reason seems to be the refusal of the Missouri legislature to approve tax credits for international freight forwarders to operate at Lambert." Because the original proposal was ... http://www.showmedaily.org/2012/02/zombie-bill-aerotropolis-tax-credit-rises-again.html The state of Illinois recently encountered some bad news. Moody's downgraded Illinois's credit rating from A2 to A1, the lowest in the country. On the other hand, Missouri has AAA ratings from all three credit agencies. Times have been tough for both states. Missouri is facing a large budget shortfall. ... http://www.showmedaily.org/2012/01/the-cautionary-tale-next-door.html File this under "Creative Revenue Streams":  Missouri lawmakers are considering legislation that would allow school districts to sell ad space on their buses as a way of raising revenue, and at least one school district is already taking the idea very seriously (emphasis mine). The people who have researched the idea said ... http://www.showmedaily.org/2012/01/lees-summit-debates-selling-advertisements-on-school-buses.html In yesterday's St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Frank LoMonte writes that teacher tenure reform might result in public school journalism teachers being punished for helping students report on contentious topics. LoMonte writes: But there can be no debate on how ending tenure will impact the teaching of journalism in public schools. It will effectively ... http://www.showmedaily.org/2012/01/fear-of-censorship-has-little-to-do-with-teacher-tenure-reform.html The Kansas City Police Department recently completed a study of the city’s red light camera program, detailed in the Kansas City Star. The study’s focus? Whether red light cameras have improved safety on Kansas City streets since they were installed in January 2009. The conclusion? No. Since January 2009, accidents increased ... http://www.showmedaily.org/2012/01/red-light-cameras-fail-to-improve-safety-in-kansas-city.html Legislators can rename their new tax credit programs if they want, but it is utterly absurd to suggest that a "tax rebate" for data centers — as it has been portrayed and presented in the Missouri House of Representatives — or a tax credit for sports events is anything other than business ... http://www.showmedaily.org/2012/01/will-the-missouri-house-ever-learn-on-tax-credits.html Parents continue to demand solutions to failing schools in Missouri. As an example, five Saint Louis firefighters recently sued three suburban school districts for failure to enroll their children under the Missouri Supreme Court's Turner decision. One of the firefighters is spending $20,000 per year in Catholic school tuition just ... http://www.showmedaily.org/2012/01/school-reform-have-we-reached-the-boiling-point.html The St. Louis Land Reutilization Authority (LRA) met today to consider offers to purchase vacant property. The LRA, part of Saint Louis City government, is the largest owner of vacant property in the city. Our research showed in 2011 that the LRA had a track record of frequently rejecting offers to buy ... http://www.showmedaily.org/2012/01/do-aldermen-still-have-outsize-power-over-whether-lra-sells-property.html This article in the Kansas City Star is a must-read for anyone interested in payday lending. Here are some of the details (emphasis mine): Central Bank has agreed to make old-fashioned signature loans (that means no collateral from the borrower) of $300 to $2,500. That’s also what payday and installment lenders ... http://www.showmedaily.org/2012/01/can-the-market-provide-cheaper-short-term-loans.html Two failing charter schools in Saint Louis City will be closed at the end of this school year. You may remember the St. Louis Post-Dispatch's somewhat sordid saga of Imagine Schools that was recently published. It might sound harsh, but this is exactly what is supposed to happen with charter schools: We ... http://www.showmedaily.org/2012/01/closing-bad-schools-is-exactly-what-is-supposed-to-happen.html It is no secret that Missouri Rep. Scott Dieckhaus (R-Washington, Mo.) is not a fan of Missouri's teacher tenure law. Last year, he filed legislation to require annual teacher evaluations. Under that bill, the public school teachers who perform best would receive four-year teaching contracts, and those performing the worst would receive single-year ... http://www.showmedaily.org/2012/01/it-is-time-to-reform-teacher-tenure-in-missouri.html Now that Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon has delivered his State of the State address, legislators in Jefferson City are prepared to tackle spending in their own way. The Missouri Legislature is considering a constitutional amendment that would cap state spending increases to the annual rise in the Consumer Price Index ... http://www.showmedaily.org/2012/01/the-next-half-measure.html An unpopular item in Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon’s budget proposal is the 12.5 percent funding cut to higher education. Considering there are more frivolous, untouched state expenses like tax credits for wine or beef production, I can understand why. What I cannot understand is why one of the first things ... http://www.showmedaily.org/2012/01/promote-kindness-not-taxes.html Last night I was in Cape Girardeau, Mo., to talk tax credit issues. I noted that the Missouri Legislature could eliminate hundreds of millions of dollars' worth of failing tax credit programs and basically wipe out the corporate income tax if it assigned the tax credit savings toward the tax's elimination ... http://www.showmedaily.org/2012/01/tomahawk-chop-tax-credits-on-block-in-senate.html I saw this excellent story on Tony's Kansas City. Independence, Mo., is privatizing bus and transit services within the city. The Independence City Council has decided to contract with a private bus operator to meet the city's transit needs, and I think that is great. (The city intends to maintain some service from ... http://www.showmedaily.org/2012/01/independence-privatizes-its-bus-services.html Last night, Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon delivered his annual State of the State address. The speech — part pep talk, part agenda setter — was nothing if not optimistic, which is good as far as that goes. Like New Year's resolutions, SOTS addresses are meant to give at least a little hope ... http://www.showmedaily.org/2012/01/state-of-the-state-reasons-for-hope-but-more-reasons-for-skepticism.html If you have not done so lately, check out the latest videos on our video page. A couple recent videos: Are Missouri Public Schools Failing to Make the Grade? Saint Louis Public Schools Superintendent Kelvin Adams and University of Missouri Professor Michael Podgursky have the scoop. If You Play, You Pay I-70 in Missouri ... http://www.showmedaily.org/2012/01/are-missouri-public-schools-failing-to-make-the-grade.html The St. Louis Post-Dispatch editorial board is urging Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon (D) to stall the awarding of state tax credits. Why? Missouri is facing an estimated budget shortfall of $500 million, a number very close to annual state tax credit awards. As the Post editorial points out, tax credits for ... http://www.showmedaily.org/2012/01/could-nine-people-stop-tax-credit-nonsense-in-2012-and-maybe-help-state-budget.html The Kansas City Star has reported a delay in the lawsuit between five suburban school districts and the Kansas City Public Schools. The five districts allege that Kansas City Public is not following the law in paying the tuition expenses of students that transfer from the unaccredited district, as allowed ... http://www.showmedaily.org/2012/01/clumsily-lurching-towards-comprehensive-school-choice-in-missouri.html Last week, I highlighted one good-intentioned but misconceived proposal that a Missouri legislator suggested to get the state's economy moving. This week, there is a proposal that may have a kernel of a good idea in it, though the implementation leaves something to be desired. State Sen. John Lamping, R-Ladue, has followed ... http://www.showmedaily.org/2012/01/legislators-can-rebalance-the-states-tax-system-and-make-missouri-more-competitive-without-raising-taxes.html Missouri is not alone in wanting to give its economy a boost in 2012. But what is the best way to do it? As Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon's (D) State of the State address approaches on Tuesday, it might be useful to take a look at what some of our ... http://www.showmedaily.org/2012/01/still-at-the-starting-gate.html Missouri Sen. John Lamping (R-Dist. 24), who is no longer my senator because of redistricting, has introduced a bill to basically trade a cigarette tax increase for an income tax decrease. His bill aims to remove the state income tax on the first $2,000 everyone makes, and to offset it with a ... http://www.showmedaily.org/2012/01/a-tax-switch-worth-discussing.html Another session of the Missouri General Assembly has begun and lawmakers in Jefferson City, by law, must close the projected shortfall in the state's budget. The actual amount of the shortfall is difficult to determine. One source estimates it is $500 million, another says the shortfall ranges between $400 million and ... http://www.showmedaily.org/2012/01/we-all-have-our-priorities.html It is fine if certain members of the Dellwood Board of Aldermen do not want to have the Show-Me Institute write an op-ed praising the city, but they are going to some rather extreme lengths to avoid it. Several members of the Dellwood Board of Aldermen have intentionally skipped board meetings ... http://www.showmedaily.org/2012/01/absent-in-dellwood.html Jackson County is considering forcing new pawnbrokers and short-term loan shops in unincorporated areas to locate at least 2,500 feet from each other. That is almost half a mile, and is rather considerable. Just imagine if gas stations were forced to locate half a mile from each other. Can anyone ... http://www.showmedaily.org/2012/01/musings-on-payday-loans-and-pawn-shops-in-jackson-county.html There has been a lot of political talk about fairness lately, with the notion that businesses and consumers are often on opposite sides.  Really?  There are steps Missouri lawmakers can take that would be fair and beneficial to both, and maybe a boost to the faltering state economy. In its effort ... http://www.showmedaily.org/2012/01/helping-business-help-us.html According to an article in the Kansas City Star, Platte County is engaged in a difficult debate regarding budget cuts. Officials have proposed cuts to many departments, including the sheriff's department. In response and opposition, the sheriff said: “The golf course fleet is better maintained than the sheriff’s department’s fleet,” Sheriff Richard ... http://www.showmedaily.org/2012/01/hey-platte-county-sell-your-golf-course.html After a 2011 chock full of tax credit disaster stories, one would think the last thing Missouri politicians would suggest is the creation of a brand new state tax credit for economic development. And yet, here we are. Meet the new ideas, same as the old ideas. The Minority Leader in the Missouri House of ... http://www.showmedaily.org/2012/01/doing-the-same-things-over-and-over-and-over.html Please check out this op-ed that the St. Louis Post-Dispatch ran yesterday on turning I-70 into a toll road. Be sure to also read the comments - they are wonderful. Man, am I ever an idiot . . . This afternoon, I am pleased to appear on the Mark Reardon show ... http://www.showmedaily.org/2012/01/toll-road-twofer.html In a league as competitive as the NFL, it serves a team well to gain any advantage available. In Major League Baseball, the bigger market teams have a competitive advantage in that they can spend more money to acquire the higher-priced free agent talent to improve their teams. However, in the ... http://www.showmedaily.org/2011/12/another-way-to-keep-score.html Successful cultures arise from a dynamic process that balances a healthy respect for the past with an optimistic regard for the future. In this sense, progress may be understood as successive series of creative destruction and new growth. Among the many benefits of growth is an expansion of the tax ... http://www.showmedaily.org/2011/12/when-progress-and-preservation-collide.html Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon is asking some state universities for a loan. To be more specific, Gov. Nixon is asking the University of Missouri-Columbia, the University of Central Missouri, Truman State University, Missouri State University, and Southeast Missouri State for a total of $107 million to help fund the Missouri ... http://www.showmedaily.org/2011/12/college-loans-it-seems-we-all-have-them-now.html Just in time for holiday travel, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) recommended banning the use of cell phones while driving. The news came when the NTSB completed its investigation of a tragic accident that occurred in Missouri in which two people died and another 38 were injured. This provides the ... http://www.showmedaily.org/2011/12/whats-next-indefinite-detention-of-people-who-text-and-drive.html Please check out our latest video where we ask Chicago Blackhawks fans if they intend to take advantage of Missouri's low excise taxes during their visit to Saint Louis. Intrepid intern Amy and I interviewed as many fans from Illinois as we could, asking if they knew about our low taxes ... http://www.showmedaily.org/2011/12/among-the-blackhawks-fans.html The guard is changing at Saint Louis' regional chamber of commerce, the St. Louis Regional Chamber and Growth Association (RCGA). Dick Fleming, the group's longtime head, is stepping down from the organization he has helmed since 1994, and his replacement will come from a city just a short drive east on ... http://www.showmedaily.org/2011/12/the-gateway-city-the-possibility-city-and-hope-for-the-future.html Frederic Bastiat once wrote: Now, legal plunder can be committed in an infinite number of ways. Thus we have an infinite number of plans for organizing it: tariffs, protection, benefits, subsidies, encouragements, progressive taxation, public schools, guaranteed jobs, guaranteed profits, minimum wages, a right to relief, a right to the tools ... http://www.showmedaily.org/2011/12/show-me-institute-book-club-join-us-this-wednesday.html It is not our intention to be the Inspector Javert to the Jean Valjean of Winghaven, constantly chasing Paul McKee's proposals around to criticize them like the fanatical French cop pursued the reformed Valjean. Nonetheless, bad proposals for Saint Louis keep coming from Paul McKee, and if it falls to us to keep saying ... http://www.showmedaily.org/2011/12/ceux-subventionnes-the-subsidized-ones.html Right now, if you are a St. Louis Cardinals baseball fan, you are probably in a state of shock, anger, or melancholic resignation. El Hombre has decided to leave Cardinal Nation behind for the riches of the Golden Coast. Yes, Albert will sign with the Angels. The deal reportedly is ... http://www.showmedaily.org/2011/12/a-heavenly-deal.html Last month, I attended a tax increment financing (TIF) commission meeting in Saint Charles. Last Wednesday night, I planned to testify before the Saint Louis County TIF commission meeting in Shrewsbury, until it was abruptly cancelled on short notice. Both meetings involved TIF applications for retail centers (among other things) in Saint Charles and Shrewsbury. Both ... http://www.showmedaily.org/2011/12/a-tale-of-two-county-executives-more-similar-than-different.html During this time of year, no one wants to say "Bah, Humbug!" However, I would be remiss if I did not mention that the state might run into a revenue shortfall (between $400 million and $600 million) next year. That can be troublesome, but it also presents an opportunity for the ... http://www.showmedaily.org/2011/12/coal-in-the-stocking.html A Missouri House committee heard testimony Wednesday from the soon-to-be former director of the Missouri Department of Economic Development (DED), David Kerr. Kerr's testimony follows testimony from Moberly officials on Tuesday. A key point of Kerr's testimony was that it would be a poor use of time and effort for the ... http://www.showmedaily.org/2011/12/oh-well-it-will-be-a-thin-report-the-mamtek-hearings.html I want to keep our loyal readers informed on the latest developments regarding the Saint Louis County park budget issue. David Stokes, a Show-Me Institute policy analyst, gave a great rundown about Saint Louis County officials considering closing some county parks because of budget problems. Apparently, Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon is offering assistance to the ... http://www.showmedaily.org/2011/11/public-parks-problem-part-2.html The St. Louis Business Journal reported that Post Holdings Inc. (the cereal company) would get millions in state and local tax incentives. The company could get up to $3.8 million in Missouri Quality Jobs tax credits, and another $20 million from the city of Saint Louis. Look, we all know that ... http://www.showmedaily.org/2011/11/truth-in-tax-credit-advertising.html Remember the May 22 tornado that ripped through Joplin? There were 161 people killed and more than 7,000 residences destroyed.  The Associated Press has reported a 17-fold increase in building permits for the city of Joplin since the tornado: The city has issued an average of $35.4 million in permits per month since the tornado. ... http://www.showmedaily.org/2011/11/special-interests-inhibiting-joplins-recovery.html This Missouri News Horizon story has some updated information on the Missouri Department of Transportation's (MoDOT) proposal to institute tolling on I-70. The story has some good information about the plan; a plan that I enthusiastically support. I think this is an excellent plan from MoDOT. MoDOT officials state that in order to pay ... http://www.showmedaily.org/2011/11/is-missouri-ready-for-tolls.html The Missouri Supreme Court recently heard oral arguments in American Federation of Teachers v. Ledbetter. At issue is whether a public school district has a legal "duty" to collectively bargain in "good faith" with a teachers' union. Currently, districts typically recognize and meet with their teachers' designated representative, but are under ... http://www.showmedaily.org/2011/11/good-faith-%e2%80%94-bad-result.html Over at the St. Louis Beacon, high-speed spending (and rail) enthusiast Rick Harnish is just flat-out misleading people to get his beloved waste-of-money concept going. Throughout the article, he keeps referring to trips between Saint Louis and Chicago taking 3, or perhaps down to 2, hours. But the core of it ... http://www.showmedaily.org/2011/11/high-speed-rail-supporters-are-just-making-things-up.html I am happy to report that voters on Tuesday defeated a proposed property tax increase in the Liberty School District. I blogged about the proposal before the vote — it’s important because it highlights the perils of Tax Increment Financing (TIF). TIF allows property taxes which should go to schools to be redirected ... http://www.showmedaily.org/2011/11/we-need-tif-reform-not-higher-taxes.html I miss October. The weather was nice, the sky was clear, and the St. Louis Cardinals baseball team was on its way to an 11th World Series title. Also during October, many people congregated in various parts of Missouri to celebrate Oktoberfest, a fun and lively event where people enjoyed ... http://www.showmedaily.org/2011/11/whining-about-wine.html KTRS talk show host McGraw Milhaven recently called Show-Me Policy Analyst Audrey Spalding “the single most powerful woman in the state of Missouri.” Hear why in this audio clip from the interview on October 27. http://www.showmedaily.org/2011/11/congrats-to-audrey.html I can say with some certainty that this is our last post about the small Saint Louis County municipality of St. George, because in a few days it will no longer exist. Last night, voters in the city of St. George voted to disincorporate. I think they made the right ... http://www.showmedaily.org/2011/11/residents-of-st-george-slay-the-municipal-dragon.html On Monday, Missouri Commissioner of Education Chris Nicastro said in an exceptionally strongly-worded letter that the Imagine charter schools in Saint Louis City should close. Nicastro's letter came after the St. Louis Post-Dispatch published a series of articles showing the derelict state of education at Imagine schools, and after Saint ... http://www.showmedaily.org/2011/11/we-need-to-shut-down-failing-schools.html Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon loves awarding tax incentives. So much so that in April, a road was named after him, which was pavedpaid with tax incentives. Although roads named in the governor’s honor may be rare, state tax incentives are not. Last month, the governor announced a Ford investment that will ... http://www.showmedaily.org/2011/11/the-road-to-prosperity-is-paved-with-state-tax-incentives.html Last week, Show-Me Institute Policy Analyst David Stokes wrote at length about the Saint Louis County proposal to close its parks; the County would shut down operation of 23 of its 50 parks to help close what the county executive says will be a $10 million budget shortfall in 2012. ... http://www.showmedaily.org/2011/11/what-would-you-cut-from-the-saint-louis-county-budget.html It appears the state of Missouri might be running into some revenue problems (net general revenue collections were down in October compared to October 2010). I previously identified some low-hanging fruit that can be cut without too much damage, but if the state still faces a shortfall next year, which is very possible, then ... http://www.showmedaily.org/2011/11/elementary-my-dear-watson.html Voters in Columbia, Mo., are currently voting on a proposal for a downtown Community Improvement District (CID). I say "currently" because this is one of those mail-in ballots to a small number of residents of a mostly commercial area, and the deadline is tomorrow (Nov. 8). Here is a Columbia ... http://www.showmedaily.org/2011/11/sad-cid-sighting-in-central-mo.html Remember the school district in Kansas City that is asking for a tax increase because of lost tax revenue? Show-Me Institute's Bruce Stahl wrote last week that Tax Increment Financing (TIF) is the culprit. Supporters of TIF often say that it is harmless. The rationale behind TIF subsidy is that a development's ... http://www.showmedaily.org/2011/11/tif-is-everyones-education-problem.html When I was a kid, I often visited the Kansas City Zoo with my family; after all, we were members of the Friends of the Zoo program, the private booster organization that now runs the park. Thus, participation in zoo-related activities wasn't uncommon, and even after seeing the more robustly-funded Saint Louis and ... http://www.showmedaily.org/2011/11/a-wild-idea-kansas-city-votes-nov-8-on-proposed-zoo-tax.html Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon announced yesterday that more than 1,600 jobs will be created at a new manufacturing plant in Wentzville. The jobs promised are associated with $360 million in planned investment by General Motors to build a manufacturing plant in Wentzville. I hope that the job and investment numbers touted ... http://www.showmedaily.org/2011/11/manufacturing-mania-that-we-all-pay-for.html The Show-Me Institute is pleased to offer internship opportunities for winter/spring 2012. Internships are open to current undergraduate and graduate students, as well as recent graduates. Winter/spring internships will last approximately four months. The exact starting and ending dates are flexible, but we anticipate that each internship will run from January 4 through May ... http://www.showmedaily.org/2011/11/show-me-institute-accepting-applications-for-spring-internship-opportunities.html While researching Tax Increment Financing, I visited the St. Charles city website. While there (it is a very good municipal website), I noticed the business license link. So, I clicked on it (as I am want to do) and was greeted with this page: Business Licenses Per City Ordinance (Chapter 110), anyone doing business ... http://www.showmedaily.org/2011/11/st-charles-collecting-business-license-fees-it-is-not-authorized-to-collect.html Saint Louis County Executive Charlie Dooley has proposed cuts to the county park system in response to budget shortfalls. Park advocates are outraged: "I don't think it's up to those guys to make that decision," said Walter Crawford, executive director of the World Bird Sanctuary, which borders Lone Elk Park. "That ... http://www.showmedaily.org/2011/11/where-will-nannies-and-chimney-sweeps-sing-songs-and-fly-kites-if-st-louis-county-closes-parks.html Two weeks ago, we debuted Show-Me Daily's first-ever Android phone app, and today it is my pleasure to introduce Show-Me Daily's all-new iPhone application for our Apple users. Both platforms have the latest version of our application, including access to Show-Me Daily and YouTube content as well as News — a continuously updated ... http://www.showmedaily.org/2011/11/now-show-me-your-iphone-smi-smartphone-app-now-live.html During the recently-completed not-so-special Missouri legislative session, some lawmakers continued to push for a new set of tax credit programs, arguing that tax credits can encourage economic growth. Today, the Show-Me Institute is releasing a new policy study on the effectiveness of tax credits: "Tax Credits as a Tool of State ... http://www.showmedaily.org/2011/11/what-do-academic-studies-say-about-tax-credits.html First, a hearty congratulations to the St. Louis Cardinals. The team's late-season and post-season play has been the stuff of sports legend, and I'll be watching the game closely tonight. If you visited the Cardinals' official website today to buy tickets, you've probably seen this page: Now for the good news: Tickets ... http://www.showmedaily.org/2011/10/laws-of-supply-and-demand-at-work-in-game-7-ticket-pricing.html Despite the recent adjournment of the Missouri Legislature's special session (which cost Missouri taxpayers more than $280,000), it wasn't a complete waste. During the debate about Aerotropolis, the Missouri House passed a corporate income tax cut that lowers the rate from 6.25 percent to 5.5 percent. Unfortunately, the tax cut didn't ... http://www.showmedaily.org/2011/10/what-will-the-neighbors-think.html During the special session of the Missouri Legislature, there was no shortage of personal attacks levied at individuals and organizations who dared to question the wisdom of offering more than $300 million in tax credits to corporate interests in the state. As the St. Louis Business Journal put it: "...devotion to God, ... http://www.showmedaily.org/2011/10/its-not-about-china-its-about-corporate-welfare.html Ticket scalping was one of the first issues this blog tackled when we started in 2007. This story in today's St. Louis Post-Dispatch gives an update on how the situation has unfolded in St. Louis for the 2011 World Series baseball playoffs. Just as predicted, using basic economics, legalization of ticket scalping ... http://www.showmedaily.org/2011/10/world-series-ticket-scalping.html Tax Increment Financing (TIF) harms schools. At least that’s what the superintendent of the Liberty School District says. He claims TIF is to blame for the magnitude of a proposed 43-cent tax hike that school district officials have placed on the Nov. 8, 2011, ballot. From the Liberty Tribune: "The tax ... http://www.showmedaily.org/2011/10/unnecessary-taxes.html The Missouri General Assembly has finally adjourned its special session without creating $360 million in new tax credit programs. This is great news for Missouri taxpayers. Proponents of the so-called "Aerotropolis" tax credits argued that they would primarily help subsidize warehouse construction and facility construction in order to encourage increased international trade. Don't ... http://www.showmedaily.org/2011/10/a-victory-for-missouri-taxpayers.html In 2006, Indiana leased its 157-mile toll road to private investors for a $3.8 billion lump sum payment. The lease would last for 75 years, and the money generated from the deal would fund pent-up transportation projects (which were estimated to cost $2.6 billion). At the time, there was an incredible amount ... http://www.showmedaily.org/2011/10/risky-business.html With the economy the way it is, it is no surprise that everybody is trying to scrimp and save whatever they can to manage in this difficult environment. Needless to say, many families aren't in a position to waste money on frivolous items like diamond-crusted watches or gold-plated yo-yos (yes, they do ... http://www.showmedaily.org/2011/10/the-64-million-question.html Occupy Saint Louis is in full effect, and my co-worker Patrick Ishmael and I dropped by last Friday for the group's afternoon march. I can only claim superficial exposure to the pulse of this particular group at that particular time, because I was in the crowd but not of it, ... http://www.showmedaily.org/2011/10/were-not-all-that-different.html I recently discovered that the American Planning Association (APA) has listed 15 blocks of Washington Avenue in St. Louis as a Great American Street. It appears the APA made a good call — it is a popular street. But after determining how much in public funds has been spent on ... http://www.showmedaily.org/2011/10/a-hundred-million-here-a-hundred-million-there%e2%80%a6.html I enjoy the Bernie Miklasz show on 101 ESPN FM and 101sports.com. I also enjoy his writings in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. But the other day, while listening to his show on the way back from lunch (I think it was last Friday), I heard him complaining about parking lot operators in ... http://www.showmedaily.org/2011/10/how-much-for-parking.html From last night's Andrew Puzder event on how jobs are created. The payroll comments are clipped in the first video. The full talk begins around the 8:20 mark in the second video Video streaming by Ustream http://www.showmedaily.org/2011/10/hardees-ceo-payroll-tax-break-not-enough-to-spur-hiring-or-investment.html Click below for live video of the Show-Me Institute’s Speaker Series on Economic Policy, which will begin at 6:00 p.m. CDT. Tonight’s speaker at this Saint Louis University event is Andrew Puzder, the CEO of Hardee's. Puzder's speech, “Job Creation: How It Works and Why the Government Doesn’t Understand It,” ... http://www.showmedaily.org/2011/10/watch-live-tonight-job-creation-job-creation-how-it-really-works-and-why-the-government-doesn%e2%80%99t-understand-it.html No mas. No more. Boxing fans will remember that famous line that a thoroughly frustrated and perplexed Roberto Duran uttered as he quit in his fight with Sugar Ray Leonard. The legendary pugilist with self-proclaimed “hands of stone” realized that it was time to pack it in. Duran wasn’t out of ... http://www.showmedaily.org/2011/10/no-mas.html It's my pleasure to announce that the Show-Me Institute now has an Android App! Click here or the screenshots below to download it. Now you can stay up-to-date on Missouri free-market issues wherever you are: Just click the icon, and away you go. Feature requests are very much welcome. http://www.showmedaily.org/2011/10/show-me-your-android-smi-smartphone-app-now-live.html It's no secret that the cost of public education has ballooned, with little to show for it. During the past four decades, education spending has more than doubled, even after accounting for inflation. And yet, student achievement has not improved. Obviously, no single solution can fix the large problem of education ... http://www.showmedaily.org/2011/10/the-importance-of-digital-learning.html I have a request of the urban planning firms in Missouri. I would like to see examples where cities, counties, etc., hired a planning firm to determine the appropriateness of a blighting, conservation, etc., declaration for the purpose of TIF (Tax Increment Financing) or other types of abatements / incentives, ... http://www.showmedaily.org/2011/10/a-public-request-of-urban-planning-firms-in-missouri.html Andrew Puzder pulled the famous fast-food chain back from the brink of bankruptcy, so he knows something about creating jobs in a tough economic environment. Puzder, the CEO of CKE, will join the Show-Me Institute, the Saint Louis University John Cook School of Business, and the Sinquefield Charitable Foundation  on ... http://www.showmedaily.org/2011/10/speakers-series-on-economic-policy-hardee%e2%80%99s-ceo-talks-jobs.html Over the last few months, we have worked hard to make the following point crystal clear: Tax credits that are narrowly tailored to benefit a powerful elite or fail to produce the return promised to taxpayers should be opposed when proposed, and mitigated or eliminated if enacted. The Aerotropolis tax credit was ... http://www.showmedaily.org/2011/10/tax-credit-sunsets-a-step-toward-reform.html I had no idea that there were so many witches in Romania. Or that European politicians (including French President Nicolas Sarkozy) often go to witches to seek advice. This is exactly why I listen to the Freakonomics podcast, which highlights the ways that economics can provide insight to seemingly inexplicable situations. ... http://www.showmedaily.org/2011/10/witches-economic-development-promises-and-baseball.html News on the proposed China Hub tax credits has been pretty sparse the past few weeks. Just before the Missouri Senate went out of session for all practical (albeit, not technical) purposes on Sept. 23, it kicked its economic development bill containing Aerotropolis over to the House for that chamber's ... http://www.showmedaily.org/2011/10/aerotropolis-and-the-climate-for-substantive-tax-credit-reform.html The Kansas City Star published an editorial last weekend regarding agricultural budget cuts. The article details a shocking amount of waste that would drive any taxpayer nuts. The state of Missouri, like most states in the Union, is faced with the difficult task of balancing the budget. The article gives some examples ... http://www.showmedaily.org/2011/10/red-harvest.html A Community Improvement District (CID) proposal in Nixa, Mo., which had been lying dormant for a few months, resurfaced at a city council meeting this week. That is unfortunate. At the very least, the Nixa City Council should reject the proposed board of directors for the new district, which has three ... http://www.showmedaily.org/2011/10/nixa-will-have-a-cid-to-kick-around-some-more.html The Kansas City Star kindly published a letter to the editor from us the other day on the earnings tax. Our letter was in response to one of their editorials. Thanks to John Combest for linking to the letter. Because the letter is so short, it is reprinted below. Enjoy (if reading letters ... http://www.showmedaily.org/2011/10/letter-to-editor-in-the-kansas-city-star.html The Kansas City area made big news, but not in a good way. According to the latest data, the Kansas City area lost more than 12,000 jobs during the past year. That's the second-largest job loss in any metropolitan area in the entire country. Only Atlanta lost more jobs. There has ... http://www.showmedaily.org/2011/09/a-race-to-the-bottom.html If you recall, earlier this year we published research showing that the city of Saint Louis' land bank, the Land Reutilization Authority (LRA), frequently refused to sell its vacant land to private individuals. The agency is the the largest landholder in the city, and its statutory mission is to get vacant property ... http://www.showmedaily.org/2011/09/a-sign-of-hope.html After learning about the tax credit failure in Moberly that may cost the city millions, a TV station in Kirksville decided to check on a state tax incentive program in their area. In 2009, the state's Department of Economic Development (DED) awarded a $1 million loan to a company called Wi-Fi ... http://www.showmedaily.org/2011/09/just-how-many-mamteks-are-there.html Please join us for the Show-Me Institute Book Club on the second Wednesday of each month for scintillating discussions and free snacks. We are currently exploring The Federalist Papers by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay. Meetings begin promptly at 7 p.m. at the institute's headquarters (4512 West Pine Blvd. in the Central West ... http://www.showmedaily.org/2011/09/did-hamilton-madison-and-jay-overstate-their-case-for-adopting-the-u-s-constitution.html I grew up in the border town of Atchison, Kansas, and vividly recall the perpetual eastbound traffic across the Amelia Earhart Bridge as my fellow Atchisonians made the trip into Missouri. They hoped to take advantage of the lower excise taxes on cigarettes, gas, and alcohol. A gas station and liquor ... http://www.showmedaily.org/2011/09/the-missouri-cigarette-tax-a-partial-solution-to-kansas%e2%80%99-economic-woes.html All of us at the Show-Me Institute were shocked and saddened to hear of the sudden passing of Dr. Ed Robb. Dr. Robb was a wonderful economist who took his ideals and beliefs into the marketplace of American politics. As a member of the University of Missouri Department of Economics, he ... http://www.showmedaily.org/2011/09/in-memory-of-ed-robb.html Will Kansas City be bringing streetcars back to Main Street? If events from early this week are any indicator, maybe. Sure, the trolleys may be five times the price of a bus line, but if you're a city and have money to blow, this is the price you pay for cutting-edge ... http://www.showmedaily.org/2011/09/nothing-says-progress-like-a-vanity-trolley-project.html Missouri Digital News reports in a series of segments this morning that Siva Yam, president of US-China Chamber of Commerce, is cautioning Missourians to lower their expectations of what an Aerotropolis at Lambert would mean to the region. US-China Chamber of Commerce President Siva Yam says Missourians shouldn't expect too much ... http://www.showmedaily.org/2011/09/us-china-chamber-president-doesnt-see-significant-economic-value-in-midwest-china-hub.html If I got to pick it, the slogan for my beloved home state of Missouri would be: "Missouri: We're In The Middle." Most ways you look at it - geography, politics, various standard-of-living measures - we rank in the middle of the states. Sure, there are exceptions. We are low on ... http://www.showmedaily.org/2011/09/missouris-tif-infestation.html A Show-Me Institute supporter contacted me last week to relay the story of the Moberly Mirror, a small newspaper that says it was pressured to close in 2010 for asking too many questions about tax handouts for a development project in Moberly. This is no rumor. What makes this story even ... http://www.showmedaily.org/2011/09/the-moberly-mirror-pressured-for-asking-too-many-questions-about-tax-handouts.html The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that the Missouri Legislature is attempting to create tax credits that could be awarded up front  - that is, before the promised economic activity occurs.  David Kerr, director of the Missouri Department of Economic Development (DED), the state agency that stands to benefit from this proposal, calls the ... http://www.showmedaily.org/2011/09/some-facts-about-tax-credit-programs-in-other-states.html I don't think any American schoolchild escaped this lesson from civics class: On the night of December 16, 1773, in response to Parliament imposing new taxes on tea, a group of colonists from Boston boarded a number of ships in the harbor and threw the newly-taxed tea overboard in protest ... http://www.showmedaily.org/2011/09/the-boston-tea-party-and-targeted-tax-credits.html Looks like the Mamtek story that Show-Me Institute Policy Analyst Audrey Spalding wrote about on Friday is already getting some play on the West Coast. If you're unfamiliar with the Mamtek saga, a primer (Emphasis mine): A company that promised 600 jobs and drew Gov. Jay Nixon to Moberly to announce ... http://www.showmedaily.org/2011/09/china-law-blog-on-mamtek-there-are-some-lessons-to-be-learned.html Saint Louis University professor Dr. Jack Strauss and University of Missouri-Columbia professor Dr. Joe Haslag (also Show-Me's chief economist) have at least two things in common. First, they both are economists, and second, they are very skeptical of Aerotropolis. Dr. Strauss appears as part of a KMOV report on the status of ... http://www.showmedaily.org/2011/09/slu-and-mizzou-economists-weigh-in-on-aerotropolis-jobs-estimates.html Those who follow this blog are aware of the Show-Me Institute's interest in Missouri's 130-plus public pension systems. Tens of thousands of current and retired government employees and their families are depending on their pensions. If these fail, taxpayers will pay one way or another. Kansas City recently began investigating its pension systems. You may access our previous coverage ... http://www.showmedaily.org/2011/09/missouris-ticking-pension-time-bomb-will-the-money-be-there.html The Kansas City Star reports today that AMC Entertainment is leaving Missouri for the state of Kansas, in part due to $47 million in tax credits. Some politicians have already begun using the loss of AMC as an excuse to promote the expansion of tax credits in Missouri. Well, let's not ... http://www.showmedaily.org/2011/09/a-bidding-war-where-everyone-loses.html It’s a question that now is cropping up among some who have looked closely at the Aerotropolis legislation. Ron Calzone was on Jamie Allman's show (97.1 in St. Louis) yesterday and talked at length about the issue, citing specific sections of the Missouri Constitution in support of his position. Segment ... http://www.showmedaily.org/2011/09/the-state-constitutional-question-are-the-aerotropolis-tax-credits-even-legal.html This is the time of year when a multitude of local elected officials across Missouri are setting property tax rates. Because 2011 was a resassessment year, those rates are generally changing. (In non-reassessment years, the rates generally don't change or change only slightly unless voters have approved a tax ... http://www.showmedaily.org/2011/09/property-tax-rates-being-set-across-missouri.html As Yogi Berra says, "It ain't over til it's over!" Via KMOX, (Emphasis mine) Republicans are scaling back a plan offering tax breaks to spur international trade at the St. Louis airport. But it isn’t over yet. KMOX Jefferson City Bureau Chief Phil Brooks says House leadership is expected to try ... http://www.showmedaily.org/2011/09/will-the-missouri-house-ram-300-million-of-aerotropolis-cash-back-into-the-bill.html Missouri Sen. Rob Mayer (R-Dist. 25) announced today that $300 million in tax credits for the construction of warehouses had been removed from the Aerotropolis legislation, part of a contentious economic development bill that the Missouri Legislature is considering in a special session. Regular Show-Me Daily readers are, I am sure, ... http://www.showmedaily.org/2011/09/senate-removes-300-million-in-warehouse-construction-tax-credits-from-aerotropolis-bill.html Via Capitol Calling, Sen. Rob Mayer (R-Dexter) talks about the “erosion” of support for the Aerotropolis bill since the Senate first passed legislation containing the tax credits during the regular session. Fascinating turn of events. We’ll keep you posted. http://www.showmedaily.org/2011/09/video-senate-president-pro-tem-discusses-changes-to-aerotropolis-bill.html A note that if you're interested in commenting at Show-Me Daily or Show-Me Sunshine, we just upgraded our commenting section with Disqus to allow readers to instantly share their comments with friends on their social networks, if they so choose. Commenting is easy: Type a comment into the Disqus box below a ... http://www.showmedaily.org/2011/09/facebook-and-twitter-users-can-comment-directly-at-show-me-daily.html Busy days in these parts, as you might imagine. Audrey Spalding was on with KCMO's Greg Knapp on Tuesday morning in Kansas City talking about the bill. The segment is below: Wednedsay, Patrick Ishmael was on with Mark Reardon on St. Louis' KMOX in a 5-minute radio hit. That segment follows: http://www.showmedaily.org/2011/09/talking-aerotropolis-audrey-spalding-with-greg-knapp-on-kcmo-patrick-ishmael-with-mark-reardon-on-kmox.html Taxpayer-subsidized apartments or $1 buffalo chicken hot dogs? How will I ever decide? (Emphasis mine.) Read what David Martin wrote in The Pitch: The project, which has neighborhood support, sounds worthwhile. But there’s a catch. The public has to provide assistance. The developer is asking for a tax break worth $2.76 million. The ... http://www.showmedaily.org/2011/09/hot-new-argument-for-tax-breaks-in-kansas-city-abate-my-taxes-or-i-just-might-build-a-quiktrip.html Jamie, I hope all is well in "common sense radio" land. I heard you had John Beck, your senior vice-president, on with you this morning, and that you or he gave us a mention. I appreciate that, but I continue to be mystified that you and/or Mr. Beck won't allow one ... http://www.showmedaily.org/2011/09/an-open-letter-to-jamie-allman-and-97-1.html For background on this good-natured feud, Hartmann's post, Audrey's post, and Hartmann's response to Audrey. Was lots of fun. Full audio below. http://www.showmedaily.org/2011/09/my-aerotropolis-debate-with-ray-hartmann-on-charlie-brennans-kmox-radio-program.html First, a picture: Click picture to see Patrick Ishmael's recent post on the DED and tax credits. Every dot represents an address in Saint Louis that has been issued Missouri Department of Economic Development (DED) tax credits since 1999. The larger the dot, the greater the tax credit. Contrary to the misconception ... http://www.showmedaily.org/2011/09/a-reminder-tax-credits-are-not-free-money.html Kansas City continues its mighty struggle to save its children and future offspring from the possible ravages of  pension-induced bankruptcy. The city has commissioned, for this purpose, its Pension System Task Force. In a recent Kansas City Star editorial, the paper notes, with healthy skepticism, the appearance of defined benefit proponent Hank Kim before the task force. According to the ... http://www.showmedaily.org/2011/09/kansas-citys-continuing-fight-for-pension-sustainability.html Craig Cheatham's KMOV exposé, "Selling St. Louis," includes the single-best primer on the Aerotropolis issue that I've seen. Must-watch stuff, especially if you're new to the topic. Below is the segment: ... http://www.showmedaily.org/2011/09/it-wasnt-their-money-to-begin-with-kmov-special-report-rips-rcga-aerotropolis.html The quote comes from notes the NCBE made from a meeting with Jens Tubbesing, "the lead person for Aerostrata to develop airfreight feasibility study for China." We've already revealed that Aerostrata's preliminary report showed warehouse space at Lambert is already sufficient to sustain the sort of cargo activity contemplated by ... http://www.showmedaily.org/2011/09/china-hub-document-we-need-someone-not-a-government-agency-to-make-things-happen.html Embedded below, at Show-Me Sunshine, and on our DocumentCloud. You can search the entire bill below. DV.load('http://www.documentcloud.org/documents/239519-special-session-jobs-package-831111.js', { width: 550, height: 700, sidebar: false, container: "#DV-viewer-239519-special-session-jobs-package-831111" }); http://www.showmedaily.org/2011/09/leviathan-special-session-bill-balloons-to-nearly-400-pages.html For more on how businesses could receive Aerotropolis tax credits without using an airplane or even exporting a product, see this post. http://www.showmedaily.org/2011/09/what%e2%80%99s-wrong-with-aerotropolis-airplane-optional.html Here is a fun graph from a (non-scientific) online poll on Aerotropolis from the St. Louis Business Journal, which not too long ago endorsed the Aerotropolis project. Presumably, the readers voting here reflect, broadly speaking, the business community in the region, and yet the sentiment of the more than 1,700 ... http://www.showmedaily.org/2011/09/an-aerotropolis-intensity-gap.html Now that the city has taken over the operation of the Kansas City animal shelter, from a private operator who was failing miserably, and is saving money and increasing pet adoptions, how do the dedicated volunteers think the city is doing? Not so well.  As I wrote here on March 15: I have suspicions from reading ... http://www.showmedaily.org/2011/09/shockingly-volunteers-not-happy-with-city-management-of-kc-animal-shelter-either.html We've talked about how an Aerotropolis "new building" doesn't actually have to be "new" to get tax credits. Now, Steve Johnson of the RCGA says there currently are discussions of explicitly removing the "build" requirement entirely. Amazing. So where are these supposed 20,000 construction jobs coming from again? The whole segment is worth ... http://www.showmedaily.org/2011/09/wow-rcga-suggests-%e2%80%9caerotropolis%e2%80%9d-new-warehouse-building-requirement-may-go-bye-bye.html On Tuesday, I participated in a panel discussion with Missouri Rep. Sylvester Taylor (D-Black Jack) and Dave Roland, executive director of the Freedom Center of Missouri, during the Saint Louis Aerotropolis Forum at the St. Louis County library headquarters. Taylor asked me during the discussion whether subsidized warehouses and facilities would ... http://www.showmedaily.org/2011/09/fact-check-there-is-no-protection-for-taxpayers-in-aerotropolis-legislation.html Over the last few months, Bruce Stahl and I have been compiling data from the Missouri Department of Economic Development (DED) to determine how economic development tax dollars the Department manages are distributed geographically in the state. A full case study is forthcoming on the topic, including regional, city, and ... http://www.showmedaily.org/2011/09/who-gets-tax-credits-distribution-of-tax-credits-the-department-of-economic-development-has-issued-since-1999.html Let me take you back in time for just a moment. On October 27, 2006, the RCGA released a study by Bryan Bezold, the organization's then-chief economist, telling Saint Louisans that (emphasis mine): The total, indirect and direct, employment impact of the Ball Park Village Project will thus be approximately 3,040 jobs. Phase I ... http://www.showmedaily.org/2011/08/and-the-job-guesstimates-resume-rcga-now-says-aerotropolis-will-bring-32000-jobs-to-saint-louis.html On July 27, we requested e-mails from Governor Jay Nixon's office that pertained to the China Hub/Aerotropolis legislation. Specifically, we requested access to and a copy of all e-mails sent to, from, and within the governor's office containing the words "aerotropolis" or "china" since May 1, 2011. I also request all ... http://www.showmedaily.org/2011/08/has-the-public-records-runaround-begun.html On Tuesday, I will participate in a panel discussion of the Aerotropolis tax credits at the St. Louis County Library, organized by the Citizens Alliance for Missouri Patriots. The discussion will be held at St. Louis County Library's headquarters at 1640 South Lindbergh Blvd., in Frontenac. The event will be in the ... http://www.showmedaily.org/2011/08/come-to-a-tuesday-panel-discussion-on-aerotropolis-in-st-louis-county.html [caption id="attachment_32983" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Demolition in Cleveland. Photo by Mhari Saito for NPR"][/caption] National Public Radio ran a segment today on a Cleveland-area land bank. According to reporter Mhari Saito, the Cuyahoga Land Bank (CLB) is scheduled to demolish about 700 properties this year. The situation in Cleveland looks like this: A ... http://www.showmedaily.org/2011/08/is-bulldozing-a-way-to-prosperity.html Yesterday, St. Louis Magazine co-founder Ray Hartmann wrote about how the Show-Me Institute has been raising questions regarding a proposal to create $360 million in tax credits which would primarily go toward subsidizing warehouse and facility construction in the Saint Louis area. It appears that Hartmann was troubled by Crosby ... http://www.showmedaily.org/2011/08/an-open-response-to-st-louis-magazine-co-owner-ray-hartmann.html We've been working for a while to get studies, draft studies, or reports from the Midwest China Hub Commission that might be able to show that $300 million in warehouse and facility construction subsidies  is warranted. After all, third party market research shows that there is a great deal of ... http://www.showmedaily.org/2011/08/according-to-china-hub.html Yesterday we received a firm date for the legislative special session that will include the proposed Aerotropolis tax credits — September 6. This move surprised basically no one, and Audrey and I have been preparing our share of revelatory facts for just this occasion. But, let's recap what we've published ... http://www.showmedaily.org/2011/08/aerotropolis-the-end-of-the-beginning.html There is no ballpark quite like Wrigley Field. Although I am a diehard Cardinals fan who passionately despises the Chicago Cubs, I can appreciate a truly great and historic ballpark when I see it. Last weekend, I traveled to Chicago to see some college friends and visit Wrigley for the first ... http://www.showmedaily.org/2011/08/visiting-the-friendly-confines-of-wrigley-field.html Every journalism student at the University of Missouri is taught that the state has pretty good laws governing access to public information. After all, public agencies — according to the state's Sunshine Law — can only charge the cost of reproduction for the information requested. This openness is crucial to individuals who ... http://www.showmedaily.org/2011/08/local-governments-license-public-information-in-order-to-charge-exorbitant-fees.html The Star's editorial board writes that the Aerotropolis tax credits, which would heavily subsidize warehouse and facility construction near the Lambert-St. Louis International Airport, become "more dubious the closer one looks." Despite Aerotropolis proponents' tendency to dismiss every expert who dares to cast doubts on the proposal, yet another one has come ... http://www.showmedaily.org/2011/08/both-kansas-city-star-and-kansas-city-airport-question-aerotropolis.html Kansas City has recently begun to confront its future pension crisis.  The issue is captured succinctly in the following quote from City Manager Troy Schulte, taken from a Kansas City Star editorial (emphasis mine): City Manager Troy Schulte was appropriately blunt recently discussing Kansas City’s troubled pension system. He proposed good ... http://www.showmedaily.org/2011/08/kansas-city-grabbing-the-pension-bull-by-the-horns.html We’ve talked at length about Emerald Automotive and how it would not have to use an airplane or export a widget to receive Aerotropolis tax credits, but would businesses like Emerald Automotive even have to construct a “new building” to get the public’s money? A close reading of the Aerotropolis legislation reveals that ... http://www.showmedaily.org/2011/08/whats-old-is-new-again-new-building-in-aerotropolis-legislation-may-not-actually-mean-new-building.html Note: Tyson Foods is the largest exporter of beef from the United States.  In response to an e-mail from the National Center for Beef Excellence, Roel Andriessen -- Tyson's senior vice president of international sales -- stated his views on a Saint Louis beef export hub bluntly: beef is not eligible for ... http://www.showmedaily.org/2011/08/in-july-2010-e-mail-to-ncbe-tyson-executive-saw-very-little-opportunity-in-beef-export-plan.html As people in Saint Louis County continue to appeal their assessments, the city of Blue Springs on the other side of the state is considering a proposal to raise its property tax rate in response to declining assesments. This is the perfect time for us to release a major policy study ... http://www.showmedaily.org/2011/08/property-assessments-and-taxes-in-the-news.html We reported yesterday on the National Center for Beef Excellence's Beef Study That Wasn't, and last night KMOV reporter Andre Hepkins, who's been covering the NCBE "meat feasibility" story since last week, sent along this latest development concerning the Beef Center's elusive meat report: The legislative special session -- assuming it is called ... http://www.showmedaily.org/2011/08/so-the-ncbes-mystery-meat-study-wont-be-published-until-after-the-special-session.html Last week KMOV reported that a “non-profit agency” commissioned by the Midwest China Hub Commission had conducted a study about export opportunities from a proposed “Aerotropolis,” and determined that "shipping meat from Lambert [Airport] to China is feasible..." (emphasis mine). The Midwest China Hub Commission hired the National Center for Beef Excellence ... http://www.showmedaily.org/2011/08/hey-national-center-for-beef-excellence-wheres-the-beef.html