9:05 – 9:22 (17mins)  David Stokes, Director of Municipal Policy at the Show-Me Institute, @DavidCStokes@ShowMeShowMeInstitute.org

to discuss: 

1. 
   Kirkwood is at a crossroads: Kirkwood is facing roughly a $7 million budget deficit, driven by a $13 million electric utility overrun, a potentially $90 million water system overhaul, and flat sales tax revenue.

2.
School board culture wars lose steam in St. Louis area. (I know you can't read Post-Dispatch, so a summary): Conservative school board activism in the St. Louis area has largely fizzled out, with culture war candidates declining to seek reelection, losing races, or resigning mid-term after years of community pushback and voter fatigue. Political scientists attribute the cooling to voters prioritizing school stability over ideological battles, as well as conservative attention shifting to higher-level political fights under the Trump administration. Francis Howell in St. Charles County remains the main exception, where a well-funded conservative PAC continues fielding candidates, though it has lost elections for the past two consecutive years.

9:25 – 9:37 (12mins)