Sequester Impact: Driving and Talking

Earlier this week, Rep. Andy Harris (R-MD) made headlines as the man “who destroyed Obama’s sequester scare story.”  The gist of the story was that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) could not back up the Obama administration’s claims children would lose access to vaccinations due to the sequester (watch the take down here). Today, [...]

Kansas City Makes Streetcar Tax Proposal Another Mail-In Affair

While Clay Chastain’s light rail proposal likely will not be on the ballot in November, voters in Kansas City will have a rail plan to consider before winter officially arrives. Early last week, the city’s newly created streetcar development district board decided to hold a vote by mail in the next few months to determine whether [...]

Kansas City Adds Single Measure To November Ballot

It has been a busy week for public officials in Kansas City. Yesterday, the Kansas City Council added one new item to this November’s ballot —a proposal that would raise the mandatory retirement age for municipal judges — but nixed three proposals that were of a more ambitious nature. The proposals that were axed?

A proposed [...]

Day late, report shows big drop in state labor force

One day after the scheduled release, the latest jobless numbers reveal that thousands of more residents have left the labor force in Missouri.

Warrantless Fears Of Tolling In Warrenton

Yesterday, I testified at the Missouri Blue Ribbon Citizens’ Commission on Transportation meeting in Hannibal. It was a good public forum: well-attended, well-run by its co-chairs, former Sen. Bill McKenna and former House Speaker Rod Jetton, and it was interesting. There was less rent-seeking in the public comments than I expected (Thank you for being here. [...]

Weekly jobless claims climb by more than 2,000

Layoffs in manufacturing, transportation and warehousing pushed unemployment claims higher.

Consumers help boost economy across Missouri

The economy is expanding modestly to moderately due to some unexpected help from consumers.

Missouri ranks third for higher jobless claims

Only Georgia and Tennessee had a larger increase than Missouri in weekly unemployment claims.

State economy shows signs of improvement

The economy improved moderately and continues to grow at a modest pace across Missouri.

Wagner plans to eliminate 56 jobs in Kansas City

A logistics provider, offering distribution and transportation services, plans to close a facility.