Crestwood, its mayor and one resident are challenging the constitutionality of state laws requiring the city to pay annual taxes to the Affton Fire Protection District, claiming they have no say in the process.

A lawsuit filed Wednesday in Cole County Circuit Court names the Affton Fire Protection District, Gov. Eric Greitens and Attorney General Josh Hawley as defendants. Affton fire Chief Nicholas Fahs declined to comment. Greitens and Hawley could not be reached for comment.

Crestwood Mayor Gregg Roby is a plaintiff in the lawsuit, along with Affton district resident David Schmoll and the city of Crestwood.

The lawsuit claims a state law requiring Crestwood to make annual payments to Affton for fire service to an area that Crestwood annexed from the county in 1997 is unconstitutional and is applicable only to fire districts serving residents in St. Louis County.

“To me, it’s taxation without representation,” Roby said.