Bureaucracy is winning.

Red tape, bad policies, and clueless decision-making are holding back cities, choking small businesses, and making economic development way harder than it needs to be. That’s why I wrote Red Tape Empire; to call it out, expose the insanity, and maybe even get people laughing along the way.

The book is satire, but let’s be honest; you’ve seen it happen in real life. The town that spends years writing a downtown master plan but never actually implements it. The city council that obsesses over attracting a Fortune 500 company while local businesses struggle to survive. The endless studies, regulations, and permitting delays that grind economic activity to a halt.

This isn’t just inefficiency, it’s actively hurting communities. That said, obviously its not every community. There are plenty of places out there that are doing it right; we’ve worked in many of them.

Red Tape Empire officially launches this Friday, March 14th. You can pre-order the ebook on Amazon now, and get the paperback and hardcover through the BusinessFlare website.

It’s a fun read, but the problems it tackles are anything but funny.

Right now, local governments and economic development agencies are trapped in a cycle of bad incentives and even worse decision-making.

Cities love planning: they write master plans, economic strategies, vision statements, and consultant reports. But how many of those actually get implemented?

A city spends years developing an expensive downtown revitalization plan, complete with high-end renderings, market studies, and vision statements. They hold town hall meetings, conduct surveys, and get buy-in from everyone. Then… nothing. No action. No implementation. A few years later, they pay for another study—starting the process all over again.

A plan without execution is worthless. If there’s no will to act, stop wasting taxpayer dollars on endless reports and do something.

Regulations exist for a reason, but some cities use them as a weapon against growth instead of a tool for balance.

A small business wants to open a café in a historic building. The zoning code requires a 20-space parking lot, a landscape buffer that costs $20,000, and an environmental impact review; for a coffee shop. I remember once in Miami Beach some insane parking and transportation impact fees for a 2 seat pizza shop on a pedestrian mall. Meanwhile, a major developer gets millions in incentives and gets their project rubber-stamped.

Cities must balance regulations with economic reality. Overly restrictive policies drive out small businesses and favor deep-pocketed developers, creating communities that serve corporations, not residents.

Too many cities chase headlines instead of sustainable growth. They want the big project, the corporate relocation, the flashy downtown redevelopment, in other words, they want a homerun. But ignore the businesses and entrepreneurs already invested in their communities.

A city gives a $10 million tax break to lure a major retailer to town, while locally owned businesses struggle under rising rents, staffing shortages, and outdated regulations. Then the retailer closes after five years, leaving an empty storefront and a net loss for the community.

Real economic development is about investing in long-term, place-based growth—not throwing money at corporations who have no loyalty to your community.

From Red Tape to Real Solutions

Economic development doesn’t have to be this complicated. It’s not about endless planning, chasing corporate handouts, or regulating businesses to death.

It’s about creating the right environment for success by:

Cutting through the noise. Cities don’t need 500-page reports, they need clear, real-world insights that drive action.

Thinking local first. Supporting entrepreneurs, small businesses, and existing assets should always be the priority.

Fixing what’s broken. Instead of launching new programs, tax incentives, or funding initiatives, start by removing the barriers that hold businesses back.

Measuring success differently. Success isn’t about ribbon cuttings. It’s about long-term investment, economic mobility, and quality of life.

That’s what we do at Street Economics: use AI-powered economic intelligence to cut through the noise and give cities real, actionable strategies.

Pre-Order Red Tape Empire and Join the Movement

Red Tape Empire isn’t just a book, it’s a wake-up call for economic developers, city leaders, and business owners.

If you’ve ever dealt with bureaucratic nonsense, bad city planning, or pointless regulations, you’ll recognize the world inside this book. And you’ll laugh because sometimes, that’s all you can do.

The ebook is available for pre-order now on Amazon. The paperback and hardcover editions are available on the BusinessFlare website.

It officially launches this Friday, March 14th.

If you’re tired of how economic development is sometimes done, or just want a good laugh at the bureaucratic circus we all deal with, this book is for you.

Let’s start calling out the nonsense and actually getting things done.

📖 Pre-Order Now:
Amazon – Ebook
BusinessFlare – Paperback & Hardcover