Bi-State Development will get about $375,000 in federal money to help plan the proposed Northside-Southside MetroLink route. The money is part of a grant application submitted by Bi-State that drew fire from St. Louis County Executive Steve Stenger over the summer.

A committee of the St. Louis Board of Aldermen has approved $2.8 million in tax increment financing and a 1 percent sales tax for a city grocery store and gas station proposed by developer Paul McKee.

A much debated proposal to limit economic development incentives in Kansas City was passed by the City Council. The ordinance caps the level of tax abatements or other tax redirections at 75 percent.

Missouri has made some big strides in saving electricity. The latest report card from the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) ranks Missouri 32nd among the states, up 12 spots from 2015.

Applications are now open for grants of up to $5,000 through the new KC Global Cities Initiative (GCI) Micro-grant program. Grants must be spent on improving the applicant's ability to access world markets.

Governor Jay Nixon announced that Missouri has been awarded more than $634,000 in competitive funding from the U.S. Small Business Administration to increase the number of small businesses in the state that export their products, creating jobs and generating additional economic growth as a result.

More than $15 million in tax subsidies were approved by Richmond Heights officials this week. The public financing, in the form of tax increment financing (TIF), was mostly a formality. In December, Richmond Heights' TIF commission voted to approve $15.3 million in tax increment financing for the project over a 23-year span.

Missourians spend about $15 billion a year on home energy use, but there's growing evidence that residential clean energy improvements not only help lower utility bills but also lead to a range of benefits for households, the community and the nation as a whole.

St. Louis County has acquired the former Macy's retail space at Jamestown Mall for $1 and plans to have a blighting study conducted for the shuttered shopping center that could lead to condemnation. A blighting designation could lead to two options: either condemnation or tax increment financing for a redevelopment.

Kansas City has plans for a major bond issue during next year's April election. The plan would involve a property tax increase to pay for the large infrastructure maintenance backlog that includes street improvements.

Kansas City-area startups have a new, local fund to boost their investment rounds. The KCRise fund announced the closing of $10 million that will co-invest with institutional venture capital groups in early-stage companies based in the Kansas City area.

Lawrence Group and Bull Moose Industries are seeking a variety of subsidies for their proposed $340 million City Foundry project in Midtown, east of Ikea. It would include a food hall, offices and apartments. The first phase could open in 2018.

Shopping centers and other developments around the Kansas City area are collecting higher sales taxes through creation of community improvement districts. These CIDs and their transportation development district cousins now heavily dot the metro area.

Missouri is rated only the 31st best state for American businesses. Missouri should do more promoting of economic development and creating an environment where Missouri businesses could thrive.

Join CDFA in New Orleans, Louisiana for the 2016 National Development Finance Summit! Hosted by the Louisiana Public Facilities Authority (LPFA), the CDFA National Summit brings together the leaders and dealmakers in the development finance industry to discuss best practices, trends, and project financing solutions.

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