A Free-Market Guide for Missouri Municipalities Part Four: Parks and Recreation

David Stokes on Dec 18, 2025

Economy

Housing construction, Belton, housing regulation>

Legal Challenge over Belton Housing Project Highlights Flawed Approval Process

A legal battle has erupted over a proposed housing development in Belton, Missouri. Regardless of the lawsuit’s outcome, the case […]

Zoning laws, zoning reform, St. Louis zoning, Chesterfield, Wildwood, Des Peres>

We Still Need Zoning Reform in Missouri

Two recent stories out of St. Louis County have demonstrated why we need zoning reform in Missouri. In my most […]

Why Missouri Needs Early Literacy Reform with Cory Koedel and Avery Frank

Susan Pendergrass is joined by Cory Koedel, director of education policy at the Show-Me Institute, and Avery Frank, policy analyst […]

Webster Groves, economic development sales tax, subsidies, corporate welfare, cronyism>

Corporate Welfare

Webster Groves Should Not Institute an Economic Development Sales Tax

There is a long list of really dumb taxes in Missouri. The St. Louis and Kansas City earnings taxes are […]

Data center, Festus, data center construction, data center subsidies, consumer-regulated electricity>

The Data Center Debate Continues in Festus

Amidst great debate, a city commission in Festus recently moved forward with plans for a new data center development. Festus […]

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Missouri’s Reading Crisis: 42% of Fourth-Graders Can Barely Read

Missouri is in a reading crisis. Forty-two percent of the state’s fourth-graders can barely read, the worst results in twenty […]

Downtown Kansas City, creative class urbanism, municipal growth, Kansas City>

State and Local Government

New Observations Confirm Skepticism of Creative Class Urbanism

In a recent Vox column, Rachel Cohen Booth argues that many American cities pursued a “creative‑class” strategy in the 2000s […]

State and Local Government

Kansas City Homicide Rate May Be National Leader for 2025

A story in the November 20 issue of The Washington Post examines homicide rates in large cities across the United […]

Missouri state capitol, Missouri education leaders, education leadership, Missouri State Board of Education>

Watch: Help Build Missouri’s Legacy of Liberty

As 2025 comes to an end, we reflect on the progress made this year, from expanding MOScholars and strengthening property […]

Giving Tuesday>

This Giving Tuesday, Support Liberty

On this Giving Tuesday, we hope you will stand with us as we work to build a more prosperous future for all […]

It’s Time to Hold DESE Accountable

A version of the following commentary appeared in the Columbia Missourian. For years, the Show-Me Institute has scrutinized the Missouri Department […]

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