As reforms go, his is modest. If a TIF commission rejects a project, he proposes, the most a city should be able to subsidize is the cost of demolishing buildings and clearing land. “The vast majority of the costs included in most TIF projects would be eliminated,” Koenig said.

For a green-field development such as the one proposed in Maryland Heights, Koenig’s bill would greatly diminish the city’s power. The county TIF commission, which often rejects projects that don’t have a regional benefit, would gain clout.

Koenig said he was dismayed by projects such as the St. Louis Outlet Mall in Hazelwood, built in 2003 with $57 million in tax subsidies. In an auction last year, the struggling mall received a high bid of just $9 million. Even that bidder pulled out.

“Why would taxpayers want to subsidize a bad idea?” Koenig asked. “That just shows you the abuse that’s gone on for too long in the way we finance development.”

At a committee hearing this week, Koenig’s bill received support from Schnuck Markets and the Missouri Grocers Association. Even companies that sometimes benefit from TIFs, Koenig said, realize that the subsidies are out of hand.