FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, July 5, 2007
Contact: Jessica Robinson, 573-751-0290

Blunt Ends Social Security Cut for Thousands of Missouri Seniors

Signs Senior Tax Justice Act

COLUMBIA– Gov. Matt Blunt today visited with seniors at Lutheran Senior Services at Lenoir Woods to sign legislation that ends the tax on Social Security benefits for tens of thousands of Missouri seniors. The tax relief package for Missouri's seniors was one of the governor's top priorities during the legislative session.

"Missouri's tax on Social Security benefits is an unjust cut on Missourians' hard earned income. Like many other challenges this is not a problem we created, but it is a problem we have solved," Gov. Blunt said. "For too long Missouri's social security tax has kept seniors from receiving the benefits they earned. I am pleased to sign the Senior Tax Justice Act ending the Social Security cut for tens of thousands of Missouri seniors."

"We were extremely pleased to provide a tax cut for our seniors this year. Missouri was just one of 15 states that still even collected this tax, and by getting rid of it we were able to bring some tax justice to some of our citizens," Speaker Rod Jetton said. "By eliminating this tax we were able to make Missouri a retiree friendly state and, I believe, potentially attract retirees to Missouri. This would never have been possible however if the economic climate in our state hadn't turned around, and we continue to hear good news as our employment numbers rise. Ending this tax also represented a strong coalition of bipartisan support; it started with the leadership of the Governor and was carried to both parties in the House and the Senate as well as a great group of senior and retiree advocates."

"During his "State of the State" address to the General Assembly earlier this year, Governor Blunt made tax relief for Missouri seniors a priority. House Bill 444 was championed as a bill that made common sense because Missouri seniors had already paid for Social Security and were being taxed twice. With many of us on fixed incomes, this tax relief signed today is most welcome and appreciated. On behalf of seniors at Lenoir Woods and throughout Missouri, we thank you," said Mark Brumbach, president of the Lenoir Woods Residents' Association.

House Bill 444, sponsored by Speaker Rod Jetton, provides tax relief to thousands of Missouri's seniors by phasing in a state income tax exemption on Social Security benefits over six years. Missouri is only one of a handful of states that tax Social Security benefits. The legislation also provides relief for teachers, firefighters, police officers, military personnel, federal employees and railroad workers.