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For Immediate Release, May 4, 2017
Through an inspiring bipartisan effort, the Missouri Senate acted to protect the well-being of 108,000 vulnerable Missourians in the upcoming fiscal year 2018 budget. It is now up to the Missouri House to protect home and community based services and the circuit breaker property tax credit in the last days of the legislative session.
“We applaud the Senate’s bipartisan leadership on behalf of Missourians,” said Amy Blouin, Executive Director of the Missouri Budget Project. “Given the contentious nature of politics nationwide, the Senate’s example serves a beacon for the nation about what can be accomplished when elected officials work together across party lines to address the needs of their constituents.”
As a result of this Senate compromise, 108,000 Missourians will continue to be eligible for services that support their independence and ability to stay in their homes – if the House also passes House Committee Bill 3 as amended by the Senate.
“School children, seniors, working families, and Missourians with disabilities did not create Missouri’s budget struggles – faulty tax policy did,” said Blouin. “We urge the Missouri House to act quickly to pass the amended bill.”
As a result of the Senate effort, 8,000 Missourians will continue to receive home and community based health services, and 100,000 low-income Missouri seniors and people with disabilities who rent their homes will continue to be eligible for the circuit breaker property tax credit, as they have been since it was enacted – if the House approves of the Senate changes to HCB 3.
A number of poor tax policies have eroded Missouri’s ability to invest in the education, transportation, and social services that provide for our quality of life and build the foundation for our economy. Most recently, corporate income taxes nosedived following a change in how multi-state corporations can calculate their income. But this is just one of several Missouri policies that have worsened Missouri’s budget shortfalls, created poor incentives for business, or outlived their purpose. Additional tax cuts that go into effect in January will make this problem even worse in the future.
“The changes advanced by the Senate protect Missourians while buying our state more time to address the underlying policies that have created our budget struggles in the first place,” continued Blouin. “We thank them for their work, and look forward to similar leadership to ensure Missouri has the resources to fund the public services that provide the foundation for families, communities, and our economy to thrive.”
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