City of Crestwood v. Affton Fire Protection District

Summary

The Supreme Court of Missouri affirmed judgment on the pleadings for the defendants. It held that the statutory scheme governing fire-protection services after annexation in the specified counties is supported by a rational basis, that the required payment is not a tax imposed on Crestwood residents and therefore does not violate due process or the Hancock Amendment, and that the statute does not create an unfunded mandate. The court applied de novo review and treated the pleaded facts as true while testing whether defendants were entitled to judgment as a matter of law.