BusinessFlare Take

American Dream Skepticism- Cities, Your Wake-Up Call Is Here Young Americans no longer buy into the traditional American Dream – the house, white picket fence, stable jobs. Instead, they’re opting out, skeptical of economic stability. Cities, your economic development playbooks are obsolete. Start building authentic places where younger generations actually want to be. If your city isn’t adapting to this reality, prepare for economic stagnation. Young people are skeptical of the American Dream

Street Economics Insights

Waymo Rules the Streets, and Generic AI Is Still Lost at the Wheel Autonomous vehicles like Waymo are reshaping urban economies overnight. Unlike generic AI (which, let’s be honest, often hallucinates worse than I do), Street Economics®‘ custom-trained analytics anticipate exactly how these disruptive technologies impact your city – traffic, land use, economy (try it now). Stop trusting off-the-shelf AI models that can’t drive straight; you need custom, accurate insights tailored specifically for your city’s reality. It’s Waymo’s World. We’re All Just Riding in It. – WSJ

Drama Meter

Sunnyside City Hall Drama Escalates, Again Sunnyside City Hall, already famous for its never-ending drama, just upped the ante with fresh accusations and political infighting. Residents are exhausted; city operations are disrupted. Meanwhile, declining condo values in Miami-Dade signal broader economic trouble. The drama meter hits a sizzling 9/10: city halls can’t seem to get their act together, and residents pay the price. Declining condo values in Miami-Dade reflect weakening market | Miami Herald

Book Drop – Governing for Economic Development & Unleash Your Unfair Advantage

San Francisco’s Revival Needs More than Wealthy Donors – it Needs Smart Governance San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie thinks enlisting the city’s wealthy will fuel revival. As outlined in my books Governing for Economic Development and Unleash Your Unfair Advantage, sustainable revival isn’t bought, it’s built. Economic vitality requires streamlined governance, cutting red tape, and leveraging your city’s authentic strengths. Throwing money at problems won’t fix bad policies. Real revival starts at city hall. San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie Enlists Wealthy to Fuel City’s Revival – Bloomberg

ECOSINT Signal

Foreign Farmland Near Military Bases – Cities Face New Security Realities Foreign entities buying farmland near U.S. military bases are sparking new drone threat concerns following the Ukraine/Russia news. Cities adjacent to military installations must ramp up local security measures. This isn’t just a national security issue; it’s local economic stability. Act now or risk your city’s safety and economy being compromised. Foreign farmland purchases near US military bases raise new concerns over drone threats | Fox News

Red River Flavor (Double Feature)

Texas May Force Junk Food Warning Labels, Finally! Doritos and M&Ms might soon carry warning labels in Texas, alerting consumers about the risks of ultra-processed junk food. Cities should cheer; it’s about time transparency arrived. Big Food won’t like it, but your residents’ health and your local healthcare budgets will benefit. Doritos, M&Ms Could Be Forced to Include Warnings in Texas

Ultra-Processed Foods – Why Your Residents Keep Bingeing Ultra-processed foods like chips and candy are designed for overconsumption. Cities, stop enabling this health and economic disaster. Prioritize local, real food economies to save your communities from the junk food spiral that’s draining healthcare resources and productivity. Why Some Ultra-Processed Foods Go Down So Easily, So Fast – WSJ

The Music Cities

Hollywood’s Movie Exodus – Music Cities, Pay Attention Hollywood no longer shoots movies in L.A., a lesson music cities like Nashville and Austin must learn quickly. Music industries, like film, can relocate if costs and regulations become burdensome. Cities: streamline policies, support local artists, and foster authentic culture before your music economy packs up and leaves too. Why Hollywood Doesn’t Shoot Movies in Los Angeles Anymore

Space Economy Signal

Drones Over Ukraine; Cities Must Harness the Next Aerospace Revolution Ukraine’s innovative drone strikes have not only changed warfare, they’ve rewritten aerospace innovation rules. Cities with aerospace industries (hello Huntsville, Dayton, and Wichita!) need to aggressively court drone technology startups and defense contractors. Your local economic growth might depend on capturing the next wave of drone and aerospace innovation first. Drones Over Ukraine and Russia Are Changing Warfare

Purple Cow of the Day

Ukraine’s Drone Strikes: Terrifyingly Inspiring Innovation Cities Must Emulate Ukraine’s rapid innovation and battlefield implementation of drones in attacks on Russian airbases is a jaw-dropping example of breaking free from bureaucratic inertia. U.S. cities take note! Entrepreneurs and innovators in your communities can create equally bold, economic breakthroughs. Cut your red tape, streamline your processes, and adopt a battlefield mentality. If Ukraine can innovate under fire, surely your city can too.

About Street Economics Daily

Street Economics Daily cuts through noise, jargon, and bureaucracy to deliver sharp, actionable insights for civic and economic development professionals. Blunt, irreverent, and grounded firmly in reality, it’s essential daily reading for city leaders who refuse to settle for outdated strategies.

BusinessFlare | Street Economics | Drama Meter | The Music Cities | Goodnight’s Red River