KCRag Forum

Merriam is preparing to wind down the Tax Increment Financing (TIF) that helped develop Merriam Town Center at Antioch and Johnson Drive, the Prairie Village Post reports.

The major retail center has netted $19 million in sales taxes since 1999, and the TIF is slated to expire in February. Once the TIF expires, the city's share of property tax will increase by $328,914.

The Merriam City Council discussed the TIF during Monday's meeting, and noted how the center has transformed the area. In 1995, the 65-acre district was valued at $951,045. Now, it's valued at $12.9 million – more than 13 times the original value