Mike's quick, weekly no-nonsense look at civic affairs in Columbia and Boone County, Missouri. This week, Mike takes a look at the upcoming election on Aug. 4 and the impact it will have on Columbia. An open seat from the fourth ward gets filled and will surely change the dynamics of the city council. And the fate of a proposed one-cent sales tax increase to fund public safety will shape the narrative from city hall for months, if not years. For a city council that insists it’s mindful of equitable outcomes in its policy making, this tax proposal raises plenty of questions. Mike is asking them.