August feedback shows readers are looking beyond announcements and votes. They want to know who pays, who benefits and whether public promises are kept.
Kansas City
Posted inElections
Kansas City election results: 5 questions sought $1.7 billion in bonds and a sales tax renewal
Five city questions on the Aug. 4 ballot covered water and sewer infrastructure, affordable housing, aging civic buildings and a sales tax for development in the urban core.
Posted inElections
FAQ: Kansas City Question 3 sales tax renewal explained
Question 3 asks Kansas City voters to extend the one-eighth-cent Central City Economic Development tax that helps fund projects in the urban core.
Posted inHousing
A $100 million fund could spell more affordable housing in Kansas City
Financing affordable housing is difficult, but a new regional housing fund backed by local foundations hopes to create or preserve thousands of homes across the nine-county area. A similar fund in Cleveland offers an early look at what to expect.
Posted inEconomics
Barfly on the wall: An inside look at a World Cup match night in a 5 a.m. bar in Kansas City
Argentina vs. Algeria filled the screens, but here’s what we saw from the table of a downtown bar on a match night and what extended alcohol service hours actually looked like.
Posted inBehind the Beacon
Event recap: Understanding the Kansas City budget process
On June 3, The Beacon gathered community members at the Mid-Continent Public Library’s Blue Ridge Branch in south Kansas City for a conversation about one of the most important civic documents shaping life in our region: the Kansas City budget. Budgets can be overwhelming. They’re often hundreds of pages long, packed with technical language and […]
Posted inEconomics
Against headwinds, minority-owned businesses open at higher rate in KC
A new Kauffman Foundation report shows business creation rebounding to pre-pandemic levels, led by Black, Latino and immigrant founders. But increasing numbers are often driven by necessity, and Kansas City is falling behind the national pace.
Posted inLabor
Kansas City’s tipped workers could pay the price for World Cup culture clash
KC restaurants are split on adding automatic tips during the World Cup. For tipped workers the stakes are real — and the safety net is thin.
Kansas City World Cup watch
An estimated 650,000 soccer fans from across the world are expected to make their way to Kansas City beginning in June for FIFA World Cup matches. As fans flock to Kansas City for the games, what impact will this have on our metro? Our reporting goes beyond the pitch as Kansas City prepares for one […]
Posted inMeeting Notes
Controversial Kansas City alcohol ban headed to City Council
Some council members, convenience store owners oppose plan aimed at limiting public drunkenness, loitering, litter and other problems.