Good Call, Ellisville

Economy | April 5, 2012

By David Stokes | Read Time 1 minute

Ellisville officials made the right decision last night. They decided to delay a vote on the much-discussed Tax Increment Financing (TIF) proposal involving a proposed new WalMart at the corner of Manchester and Clarkson Roads. We have already discussed why we think the TIF would be bad policy.

It would have compounded the mistake if the Ellisville City Council had voted for it one day after a new mayor and city council were elected. Mayor-elect Adam Paul and the new city council will be sworn in April 18. Properly, the ball is now in their court.

About the Author

David Stokes

David Stokes is a St. Louis native and a graduate of Saint Louis University High School and Fairfield (Conn.) University. He spent six years as a political aide at the St. Louis County Council before joining the Show-Me Institute in 2007. Stokes was a policy analyst at the Show-Me Institute from 2007 to 2016. From 2016 through 2020 he was Executive Director of Great Rivers Habitat Alliance, where he led efforts to oppose harmful floodplain developments done with abusive tax subsidies. Stokes rejoined the Institute in early 2021 as the Director of Municipal Policy. He is a past president of the University City Library Board. He served on the St. Louis County 2010 Council Redistricting Commission and was the 2012 representative to the Electoral College from Missouri’s First Congressional District. He lives in University City with his wife and their three children.

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