Doors will open at 5:30 PM. The event will start at 6 PM, followed by a post-event reception.
Groceries. Rent. Childcare. Utilities. Health Care. Under both Democratic and Republican administrations, the cost of living keeps climbing and no one seems to agree on what’s driving the squeeze or how to fix it. As we head into a new year with midterm elections on the horizon, tariffs shaking global markets, a disrupted farm economy, and the national debt at historic highs, this program asks a simple question: why is everything so expensive, and what does that mean for communities like Kansas City? Join American Public Square for a candid, fact-checked conversation about the forces shaping our wallets. Our panel of economic experts will unpack the pressures behind the rising cost of living and explore solutions we may be overlooking.

