Missouri lawmakers to consider ending tax break for seniors who rent

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) - Some Republican lawmakers in Missouri want to end a tax break for low-income senior citizens who live in rental housing.

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that Republican Sen. Wayne Wallingford is sponsoring a measure to make the so-called "circuit breaker" tax credit only available to homeowners during the 2019 tax year. The proposal would save the state about $52 million, marking the latest attempt by the GOP-led Legislature to limit benefits for the elderly and disabled.

Wallingford says Missouri can't afford the program under which an estimated 91,000 low-income seniors who rent qualify for an average credit of roughly $500.

Democratic Sen. Jamilah Nasheed says she's been fighting opposition to the tax credit for a decade. Nasheed plans to end the legislation through a filibuster.