Although he had proposed the elimination of the tax break earlier this year, the governor had said he would accept the tax-break repeal only if it were part of a broad-based overhaul of Missouri’s numerous tax credit programs.

The Republican-led Legislature sent Nixon a stand-alone bill that would have ended the tax break for senior and disabled renters. It has not passed a separate, more comprehensive tax credit overhaul and is running out of time to do so before the session ends at 6 p.m. Friday.

Read the full story as it appeared in the Rolla Daily News by CLICKING HERE.

In addition, the legislature passed SB350 which eliminates the circuit breaker tax credit for senior renters. That bill has been sent to the Governor to sign or veto. The Governor can veto the elimination of the circuit breaker —but he’ll have to use his budget authority to find funds for the developmentally disabled children and the blind.

The $570,000 that did pass will at least soften some of the effects of sequestration—-and it put back $250,000 that we still needed from the 2010 cuts. More work needs  to be done and we will continue when we get the next opportunity.

Thank you for all you do for the seniors of Missouri.

Go on-line to http://health.mo.gov/emergencies/ert/phpconference.php by June 3, 2013 to register for the conference.  If you have questions, please
E-mail certreg@dhss.mo.gov or call 573.526.4768.  There is no registration fee to attend the Public Health Preparedness Conference and space is limited to the first 350 individuals registering.

Please share this with your partners.  We look forward to seeing you at the 2013 Public Health Preparedness Conference.

Edwards explained that, “ the advantage of the circuit breaker tax credit is that it leaves the money with the seniors to direct to their specific needs rather than have that money go to some fund to be distributed as the legislature determines.” Edwards further explained that many low-income seniors have very few sources of what could be considered “discretionary income”, and that those few dollars are an important component of helping seniors maintain their independence.

Under the current program, renters can receive no more than $750 per year as a tax credit, with the average tax credit claimed amounting to approximately $450 per year or about $37.50 per month.

“While $30 to $50 per month may seem like a small amount to many, it makes a huge difference to seniors who need important common items like glasses, dental care or even new clothing,” said Edwards. “While the legislation is well-intentioned in that it does redirect these funds to other senior programs, it takes those funds from the people who are least able to contribute. We cannot rob Peter to pay Paul – because Peter is most likely a senior who depends on this additional monthly income just to make ends meet.”

Edwards suggests that there are other sources of income that could be tapped that would allow the current Circuit Breaker Tax Program to remain intact and still provide funding for other senior programs such as home delivered meals and the full array of programs offered through the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services.

One source cited for alternative income could be the adoption of The Marketplace Fairness Act, a proposal that would collect sales tax on all sales transacted via the Internet. According to Edwards, passage of the act could generate an additional $500 million per year in revenue, more than enough to cover budget gaps in programs offered through the Department of Health and Senior Services, and would have the added benefit of helping small businesses in Missouri compete against larger online retailers like Amazon.

To date, SB 350 has won first round approval by the Missouri Senate Appropriations Committee and will be scheduled for floor action in the full Senate and referred to the Missouri House for consideration today.  The Circuit Breaker Tax Credit program was first established as an amendment to the Missouri Constitution in 1972 by a direct vote of Missouri citizens and has been upheld by each legislature since.

ABOUT MA4

The Missouri Association of Area Agencies on Aging (MA4) was founded in 1973 to serve as a statewide advocate and resource for older Missourians.  MA4 is comprised of the state’s 10 Area Agencies on Aging (AAA), which were created under the 1973 amendments to the Older American’s Act of 1965.   For almost 40 years, these local agencies have been providing vital services, programs and information to millions of Missourians and their caregivers, including legal services, home-delivered meals, disease prevention and health promotion, transportation, public benefits counseling, senior centers and in-home services. The 10 Area Agencies on Aging (AAA) provide a coordinated network of care in implementing statewide initiatives that are designed to help older Missourians maintain their independence and give them a voice in articulating their concerns and changing needs.

As the official statewide association of these agencies, MA4 is dedicated to carrying out its mission of service, information and advocacy to improve the lives of older Missourians and to plan for the changes that will take place as the aging population grows in number and importance in the next decade.

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In March of this year, the Missouri House proposed a budget increase of $1.5 million for home delivered meals programs in Missouri. In April, the Missouri Senate stripped that funding from its version of the budget, forcing the issue to be considered by a joint conference committee.

On Tuesday, May 7, the conference committee reported that it had recommended adding back $570,000 in funding for meals, but made the remaining $1 million in funding contingent upon savings that would be realized only if the legislature eliminated the Circuit Breaker Tax Credit program for senior renters – a program that also benefits a large number of seniors throughout the state. At this time, the renters’ tax credit is NOT slated for elimination – therefore the $1 million in funding would be cut from the meals program. That cut would result in the loss of nearly 200,000 home delivered meals for seniors.

“Food is a basic need,” said Catherine Edwards, Executive Director of MA4, “and no senior should have to go hungry in our state.Meals programs in Missouri have seen no increase in funding for five years, yet food costs continue to rise, and the senior population continues to grow. The addition of $570,000 by the legislature is appreciated, but it only brings us to 2010 funding levels. The additional $1 million in funding that is now in limbo is crucial in maintaining our ability to serve seniors throughout Missouri,” added Edwards.

Edwards suggests that despite the conference committee recommendation that did not include the additional $1 million, the legislature as a whole could elect to fund the home delivered meals program through general revenue funds and not tie the issues of nutrition and renter tax credits together.

“In April we learned that the State of Missouri had realized 11.2% more in revenue than had earlier been expected,” said Edwards. “That means there is more money available than when these budgets were first being considered. We would certainly support taking $1 million of those newfound funds and applying them to a program that has served our senior population well for years. It makes good economic sense. And it is the right thing to do. All it would take is an amendment from the floor,” added Edwards.

MA4 has consistently maintained that long-term, improper nutrition can lead to increased costs for long-term care and increased Medicaid outlays. If only 90 seniors enter a nursing home because of the loss of home delivered meal service, the state of Missouri would spend MORE in MO HealthNet matching dollars for nursing home care than the funding currently proposed to be cut from the Home Delivered Meal Program. Missouri currently ranks 14^th in the nation in terms of the number of seniors who experience food insecurity.

ABOUT THE HOME DELIVERED MEALS PROGRAM

The home delivered meals program is designed to deliver a nutritionally balanced meal that represents one-third of a typical adult’s Recommended Daily Allowance of nutrients to homebound individuals. Participants must be 60 years of age or older and physically or mentally unable to leave their homes. Priority is given to people who have no immediate family members available to assist in meal preparation or delivery; individuals in greatest economic and social need; and people who are in the protective services program of the Missouri Division of Senior and Disability Services.

A high percentage of these meals are delivered by local volunteer drivers. State funding for this program is combined with federal funds, client contributions and other private and public donations to expand the reach of the program.

During 2012, the 10 Area Agencies on Aging delivered approximately 5 million meals to Missouri seniors in their homes.

ABOUT MA4

The Missouri Association of Area Agencies on Aging (MA4) was founded in 1973 to serve as a statewide advocate and resource for older Missourians.  MA4 is comprised of the state’s 10 Area Agencies on Aging (AAA), which were created under the 1973 amendments to the Older American’s Act of 1965.   For 40 years, these local agencies have been providing vital services, programs and information to millions of Missourians and their caregivers, including legal services, home-delivered meals, disease prevention and health promotion, transportation, public benefits counseling, senior centers and in-home services. The 10 Area Agencies on Aging (AAA) provide a coordinated network of care in implementing statewide initiatives that are designed to help older Missourians maintain their independence and give them a voice in articulating their concerns and changing needs.

As the official statewide association of these agencies, MA4 is dedicated to carrying out its mission of service, information and advocacy to improve the lives of older Missourians and to plan for the changes that will take place as the aging population grows in number and importance in the next decade.

Through a grant to FCA’s National Center on Caregiving from The Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert Foundation, three awards of $20,000 each will be given to organizations to recognize unique programs that address the needs of Alzheimer’s caregivers. One award will be granted in each of three categories

*Creative Expression*

 *Diverse/Multicultural Communities”

 *Policy and Advocacy* 

Family Caregiver Alliance oversees this national awards program. Click to view details about the awards at http://caregiver.org/caregiver/jsp/content_node.jsp?nodeid=2188 and  to complete an online application at http://caregiver.org/caregiver/jsp/content_node.jsp?nodeid=2191

The deadline for applications is August 16, 2013. Winners will be announced in late November 2013.

Dear Editor:

The Missouri legislature is facing many tough choices for the next fiscal year’s budget.  One of those choices is to fund an increase for the Area Agency on Aging’s meals program in Missouri. One of every 7 seniors suffers from food insecurity or hunger.  This program provides for the basic need of food for those unable to cook or shop for themselves.  It can mean the differnce between staying healthy through enough nutrition, recovering from surgery or illness and ending up rentering a hospital or prematurely entering a skilled nursing facility.

Missouri will have to choose if it will feed seniors when gas and food costs have drastically increased and the population of seniors who need assistance is increasing.  Missouri can help them now or have to help them later at a much greater cost.

Mary E. Schaefer
Executive Director
Mid-East Area Agency on Aging

TO VIEW THE LETTER AS IT APPEARED IN THE ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH, CLICK HERE.

Opportunities still exist for sponsorships and players – so don’t hesitate to contact to contact Melissa Gower at the Warrensburg Senior Center today. Call 660.747,2642 or email mgower@goaging.org for details or CLICK HERE for the official flyer.

It’s a great time for a great cause. Tell your friends and sign up today.

The relationship between exercise and fall risk has been studied by researchers throughout the world. Common forms of exercise shown to reduce falls include strength training with or without weights and cardiovascular workouts such as walking or swimming. Recently, Tai Chi has received attention due to its effectiveness in improving stability in older adults and those with chronic diseases. New research suggests that tango dancing improves balance in people with Parkinson’s disease.

While we don’t know which type of exercise is best, research has shown that an active lifestyle and participating in physical activity are critical in maintaining the ability to safely get around one’s home and the community. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends getting at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic (i.e., brisk walking) exercise each week and doing strengthening exercises at least two days per week.

For a complete copy of the St. Louis Post Dispatch article, CLICK HERE.

Meals On Wheels Association President and CEO Ellie Hollander remarked on the report, “Funding Meals on Wheels goes beyond just doing the right thing. It’s about investing in programs that save taxpayer dollars and actually reduce our federal deficits as opposed to contributing to it. It’s a no brainer.”

To view the full report visit, http://www.foreffectivegov.org/sequestration-and-meals-on-wheels.  

For the press release issued by the Center for Effective Government, go to:  http://www.foreffectivegov.org/automatic-spending-cuts-meals-wheels-program-could-force-39000-seniors-nursing-homes.