St. Louis developer takes massive TIF case to state Supreme Court

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Intro:	Developer Paul McKee's three-year fight to get millions of dollars in St. Louis tax credits is now in the hands of Missouri's state Supreme Court.
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Wrap: McKee wants judges to restore a 390-million-dollar tax credit package that the city awarded him in 2009.

Four north St. Louis residents have sued to stop the package.

But Gerard Carmody, an attorney representing the city, told the Supreme Court on Wednesday that the city needs flexibility with the tax credits in order to lure developers to more run-down areas of St. Louis.

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Description: "Should it be a judge, should it this court, that says, 'No, don't even try it,' to somebody who says 'I'm going to dedicate the rest of my life to make a difference'?"

McKee was present at the Supreme Court on Wednesday, but did not take questions from reporters.

From the state Capitol, I'm Wes Duplantier.

Intro:	Developer Paul McKee has taken his fight for millions of dollars in city tax credits to the Supreme Court.
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Wrap: McKee wants judges to restore a 390-million-dollar tax credit package the city awarded him in 2009.

Four St. Louis residents have sued the city over McKee's project.

One of the plantiff's attorneys, Bevis (BEE-vus) Schock says he thinks the tax credits can only be used for specific construction projects--not developing an entire neighborhood.

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Description: "Ninety percent of the argument is about whether a project means a specific building that has a door and a roof and has a purpose or not."

McKee was present at the Supreme Court on Wednesday, but did not take questions from reporters.

From the state Capitol, I'm Wes Duplantier.

Intro:	Developer Paul McKee's fight for tax credits in north St. Louis has gone to the Supreme Court.
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OutCue:	SOC

Wrap: McKee's attorneys say he should get 390-million dollars in tax credits. City aldermen approved the package for a two and half mile block of land McKee owns.

Four residents sucessfully sued to stop the deal in 2009. They say the credits have not been linked to any specific project.

One of the residents, Isiah Hair, says McKee has dodged questions about what he wants to build on that land.

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Description: "I'm not opposed to development within my community at all. But what I am opposed to is the method that he's using to try and build something within my community."

McKee was present at the Supreme Court on Wednesday, but did not take questions from reporters.

From the state Capitol, I'm Wes Duplantier.