A new report from the Show-Me Institute provides a scathing critique of the demographic disparities apparent in how the city of St. Louis deploys tax increment financing.
Sarah Fenske reports on a new report from researchers at the Show-Me Institute that criticizes the use of tax increment financing (TIF) in St. Louis.
Fenske quotes Patrick Tuohey, co-author of the conservative think tank's report, who provides a potentially explosive soundbite about the racial issues at play in the use of TIFs both in St. Louis and Kansas City (Tuohey also completed a study of Kansas City for the Urban League). "These (TIFs) are modern-day versions of redlining and block-busting," says Tuohey. Fenske follows up on that comment:
That fact comes across in Tuohey's more limited study of St. Louis, which echoes the findings of local progressives by showing that tax increment financing is mostly given to the neighborhoods that need it least. City officials say that such tax deals are needed to spur development in neighborhoods where it would otherwise not occur — yet Tuohey's study shows that only a small percentage of TIFs are found in high poverty census tracks.
The Show-Me Institute will be working to seek reforms to the TIF program in St. Louis, according to Fenske. Tuohey mentions one possible reform in the article: "to delineate which neighborhoods they're open to TIF packages — and eliminate their use in the others." It should be noted, that the Show-Me Institute has already posted that one of the anecdotes included in the article was in error, originating from the report.
FULL STORY: TIF Plans in St. Louis Are 'Redlining and Block-Busting,' Show-Me Institute Says
Depopulation Patterns Get Weird
A recent ranking of “declining” cities heavily features some of the most expensive cities in the country — including New York City and a half-dozen in the San Francisco Bay Area.
California Exodus: Population Drops Below 39 Million
Never mind the 40 million that demographers predicted the Golden State would reach by 2018. The state's population dipped below 39 million to 38.965 million last July, according to Census data released in March, the lowest since 2015.
Pennsylvania Mall Conversion Bill Passes House
If passed, the bill would promote the adaptive reuse of defunct commercial buildings.
Google Maps Introduces New Transit, EV Features
It will now be easier to find electric car charging stations and transit options.
Ohio Lawmakers Propose Incentivizing Housing Production
A proposed bill would take a carrot approach to stimulating housing production through a grant program that would reward cities that implement pro-housing policies.
Chicago Awarded $2M Reconnecting Communities Grant
Community advocates say the city’s plan may not do enough to reverse the negative impacts of a major expressway.
City of Costa Mesa
Licking County
Barrett Planning Group LLC
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Mpact Transit + Community
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
City of Universal City TX
ULI Northwest Arkansas
Town of Zionsville
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.