Smith v. Independence Tax Increment Finance Commission

SPINDEN, Presiding Judge.

Independence residents, Darrell Smith and Kirby Minor, are unhappy with the city’s allowing Homart Development Company to receive preferential tax treatment under a tax increment financing (TIF) plan1 for development of a shopping center. The circuit court granted the city’s and the TIF Commission’s motion for summary judgment. We affirm.

The disputed site was a vacant, 56-acre lot on the north side of 39th Street across from the Independence Center Mall. More than $200,000 in taxes assessed against the tract remained unpaid. Homart was willing to build a shopping…