Dave Helling details the political machinations behind the state of Missouri's proposed statewide transportation sales tax that will appear before voters in August.
"With less than eight weeks until the August vote, supporters and opponents of Missouri’s proposed $5.3 billion transportation sales tax have spent this month frantically preparing their campaigns," reports Helling.
"The early debate over the 10-year sales tax plan has deeply scrambled the state’s politics. Longtime friends are at war over the levy, while political enemies have uneasily agreed to work together on the issue."
Among the heavy political questions raised by the vote:
- "Will Democrats agree with labor and support the tax or join Jay Nixon and oppose it?"
- "Will rural Republican businesspeople side with anti-tax groups fighting the state’s largest-ever tax increase, or will they join with the Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry to back it?"
- "Will the state’s big-city mayors endorse the increase?"
FULL STORY: Missouri’s transportation tax fight makes for strange political bedfellows
What ‘The Brutalist’ Teaches Us About Modern Cities
How architecture and urban landscapes reflect the trauma and dysfunction of the post-war experience.
‘Complete Streets’ Webpage Deleted in Federal Purge
Basic resources and information on building bike lanes and sidewalks, formerly housed on the government’s Complete Streets website, are now gone.
The VW Bus is Back — Now as an Electric Minivan
Volkswagen’s ID. Buzz reimagines its iconic Bus as a fully electric minivan, blending retro design with modern technology, a 231-mile range, and practical versatility to offer a stylish yet functional EV for the future.
Healing Through Parks: Altadena’s Path to Recovery After the Eaton Fire
In the wake of the Eaton Fire, Altadena is uniting to restore Loma Alta Park, creating a renewed space for recreation, community gathering, and resilience.
San Diego to Rescind Multi-Unit ADU Rule
The city wants to close a loophole that allowed developers to build apartment buildings on single-family lots as ADUs.
Electric Vehicles for All? Study Finds Disparities in Access and Incentives
A new UCLA study finds that while California has made progress in electric vehicle adoption, disadvantaged communities remain underserved in EV incentives, ownership, and charging access, requiring targeted policy changes to advance equity.
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.
City of Albany
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research