Medicaid is breaking Missouri’s budget, and expanding the program would only make things worse. Every additional dollar Missouri spends on Medicaid is one that can’t be spent elsewhere. Visualizations can help illustrate the scale of the problem.

Neighboring St. Louis and St. Charles Counties are taking different approaches in handling federal coronavirus relief funds, with potential consequences for taxpayer dollars.

This morning, the U.S. Supreme Court handed down its ruling in the case of Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue. The court held that Montana could not restrict participants in a tax-credit scholarship program from using the scholarship funds to attend private religious schools.

Not long ago, I was having a civil conversation with a colleague with whom I regularly disagree. (I know, this type of thing is rare these days.) We got to the heart of the issue, which was a disagreement on a fundamental principle that led us in slightly different directions.

Thanks to COVID-19, Missouri policymakers still have legislative work to do before the year is out.

The Show-Me Institute isn’t typically one to join “coalitions” or issue open letters to officials, but the public debate on a proposed second round of coronavirus-related bailouts to state and local governments deserves a plain response.

There should be no further state bailouts. None.

As the coronavirus pandemic accelerated this spring, governments across the country clamped down dramatically on businesses and associations of all kinds. Churches were closed. Restaurants were reduced to carryout, if they were lucky.

The past spring, much of Missouri turned into an education desert of homework packets, learning “opportunities,” and optional enrichment suggestions for children. Soon, very soon, it will be time to turn the education spigot back on. Who will lead us out of this desert?

Last fall, there was much rejoicing about the effort by Missouri Governor Mike Parson and Kansas Governor Laura Kelly to end the economic development border war between the two states. I was skeptical and said so at the time.