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Stormy Fiscal Seas Ahead For St. Louis
A Look at the City of St. Louis’s FY2017 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR)
Local Officials Could Save St. Louis City Millions in Yearly Costs by Eliminating Cash Bail System
This post is part of an ongoing collaboration between DecarcerateSTL, the Coalition Against Police Crimes and Repression (CAPCR), and Team TIF.
Once Upon a Parking Garage: The Developer Too Shady Even for the Trump Brand
(but it still got TIF, lol)
In the coming weeks, Team TIF will be posting a couple of articles that focus on the financial underpinnings and rationales given for some recently approved development deals.
Tax Time: Abatements, Appraisals, and Tax Rates

Infographic on the connection between property assessment and taxes, tax abatement, and equity in St. Louis. Click to enlarge
Small Potatoes, Big Potatoes: The 2018 Budget Reveal
At the Board of Estimates and Appointment (E&A) meeting on Wednesday, April 19, Paul Payne, director of the city’s budget division, presented Fiscal Year 2018’s proposed Annual Operating Plan (aka St. Louis City’s budget). It’s easy to get stuck in the weeds understanding this one, so we’ll try to break it down, and point out a few highlights.
We Can Use the Proposed Use Tax Increase to Re-Imagine Public Safety
This is the final post in a series on the true cost of putting proceeds from the proposed use tax increase towards building an MLS stadium instead of funds for public services. It does not advocate for or against the passage of the increased sales tax proposition.
3 Ways We Can Use the Proposed Use Tax Increase to Improve Public Health in St. Louis
This is the second post in a series on the true cost of putting proceeds from the proposed use tax increase towards building an MLS stadium instead of funds for public services. It does not advocate for or against the passage of the increased sales tax proposition.