Casa Grande Dispatch
The Pinal County Board of Supervisors will address a lawsuit filed against the county by the cities of Casa Grande and Apache Junction at its Wednesday meeting in Florence.
The lawsuit, which also lists County Treasurer Dodie Doolittle as a defendant, was filed last June, alleging improper calculation of tax increment financing money — leaving both municipalities short funds they say they should receive.
TIF funds are generated through improvement districts. Based on assessed valuation at the time of formation, a base primary tax is set. Casa Grande formed a City Hall improvement district in March 1996 and a Central City district in July 1998
voted to eliminate such districts after Dec. 31, 1998. Any increase in taxes was to go to the district for improvements.
Casa Grande has lost about $600,000 a year.
The county contends the decision by the Legislature is retroactive, therefore making the districts obsolete. Casa Grande and Apache Junction say they should still receive TIF money because the districts are grandfathered in, since the Legislature’s decision came after the districts were formed.
The Board of Supervisors will decide whether to hire Phoenix law firm Perkins Coie to represent the county in the litigation.
The board meets at 9:30 a.m. Wednesday at the Pinal County Courthouse at 135 N. Pinal St. in Florence.
Also: Concern about Pinal County’s rainy day fund
