Missouri prepares to end tax credit for elderly and disabled

[Playinghardball]

Source: AP - Raw Story

The Associated Press is reporting that Missouri legislators are about to repeal a $750 state tax credit that has helped over 100,000 disabled and elderly residents who live in rental housing.

According to the AP, "The move could save the state $855 million over 15 years, and some lawmakers want to redirect a portion of that money to new tax breaks intended to lure Chinese cargo planes to the St. Louis airport and more businesses to Missouri."

Although opposed by advocates for the poor and elderly, the repeal is expected to pass in a special session that starts this week. It would be "the single largest budgetary savings being proposed to offset the cost of the new business incentives."

Even a representative of the Missouri AFL-CIO supports the plan, arguing that "while we're not very happy with the elimination of some provisions that help people in need, we've got to get our people to work if we're ever going to have enough money in the state coffers again to support human need issues."



Read more: http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2011/09/04/missouri-prepares-to-end-tax-credit-for-elderly-and-disabled/

[theophilus]

1. Next they'll be hiring "hit squads" to just shoot the needy and sick. Great job! n/t

[AlbertCat]

2. Who wants to bet...

... if they added 2 cents to everybody's taxes, they could pay for this... and make a give away to corporations?

[Gin]

3. what does the tax credit do for renters? I don't understand this.

how do they benefit and how will it hurt them?

[subterranean]

5. It reduces their state income tax by up to $750.

Ending the credit will increase their tax bill by that amount. I presume most of those eligible are low-income people who are unable to work full-time due to age or disability, so the tax credit can make a big difference for them.

[shraby]

6. You don't get a tax credit if you don't owe any taxes due to

low income. They are rather useless.

[jtuck004]

10. Actually it helps them a great deal. It is a refundable tax credit, so

even if they don't owe a tax.

From the Missouri site -

"The Missouri Property Tax Credit Claim gives credit to certain senior citizens and 100 percent disabled individuals for a portion of the real estate taxes or rent they have paid for the year. The credit is for a maximum of $750 for renters and $1,100 for owners who owned and occupied their home. The actual credit is based on the amount of real estate taxes or rent paid and total household income (taxable and nontaxable).If you rent from a facility that does not pay property taxes, you are not eligible for a Property Tax Credit."

It is a refundable tax credit, so even if they owe no tax on their income they still get a check.

It can mean the difference between having heat in the winter, or even eating every day for those 106,000 of our neighbors.

[SoapBox]

4. Remember that the Holy and Pious, love the fetus and hate everyone else!

Why not just cast them into a pit and get it over with?

There is simply something so cold and unconscionable about this.

[Odin2005]

7. Evil, just evil!

:grr:

[christx30]

8. Don't denounce it

that quickly. I heard some of those people have refrigerators. As Jon Stewart said... "Food chilling mother@#$#ers" :sarcasm:

[ThoughtCriminal]

9. Meanwhile...

Mo. lawmakers to mull incentives for sports events

http://www.newstimes.com/news/article/Mo-lawmakers-to-mull-incentives-for-sports-events-2156117.php

Once again, it's another race to the bottom, to "attract business" from other states. No jobs are really created.