Mike Sanders threatens development agency with lawsuit

Jackson County Executive Mike Sanders announced today that he’s going to challenge the composition of the Kansas City Tax-Increment Financing Commission in court.

The TIF Commission evaluates requests for incentives that developers bring. When approved, TIF plans more or less freeze property taxes in a designated area. The county and other entities that rely on property taxes complain the program has been too generous.

TIF Commission is largely a creature of City Hall. The mayor appoints six members, who comprise the voting majority. Sanders says the current arrangement does not meet state law, according to report filed earlier today by Mike Mahoney‘s sideburns.