Welcome to the Missouri Journal on Patch.

When we last left off, I was lamenting about missing the special session by the Missouri General Assembly set to start in September.

I had surgery on my arm to repair nerve damage, preventing me from covering what was pitched as a short session on economic development.

While the special session lasted longer than anticipated, my recovery is ongoing, as I sit typing with a pillow resting under my left elbow.

I also resigned as editor from Missouri Watchdog around the same time. I am currently in the process of relaunching B.R. Hook, a media development and consulting business I first started back in 2001 here in St. Louis.

The next launch will be Missouri Journal, which will explore the economy— everything from business to politics—around the Show-Me State.

Since one of the goals of B.R. Hook is to explore various business models, I decided to try writing a column about the economy under the Missouri Journal brand before actually launching the website.

Plus, I've been itching to cover Missouri news again.

What's going on around Missouri?

Missouri released its latest revenue collection numbers Wednesday.

What does it mean for the state budget?

My next column will look at the economic implications.

Plus, the debate on whether to eliminate the state income tax and replace it with higher sales tax is heating up. I wanted to know if raising sales taxes would break the Taxpayer Protection Pledge.

The president of Americans for Tax Reform, Grover Norquist answered my question.

Find out what he said in column three.

By Brian R. Hook, brhook@brhook.com, (314) 482-7944

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