Plan to end tax break for Missouri seniors, disabled stalls

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) -- Missouri Senate budgeters are moving forward as if a plan to eliminate a tax break for low-income seniors and disabled renters will fail.

Republican Chairman Dan Brown on Thursday said that means the Senate Appropriations Committee needs to cut at least $52 million in proposed spending for next fiscal year.

A House plan would end the tax break in order to spare other services for the elderly and disabled. Brown said raising taxes on low-income seniors and disabled renters would have brought in between $52 million and $56 million in revenue.

But that proposal's met pushback. Senate Democrats spoke overnight Tuesday and into Wednesday morning to block a vote on the bill.

So Brown said he's moving forward as if "that ship's sailed."

The budget crunch comes amid lagging revenues.