State Rep. Jamilah Nasheed on Wednesday filed a bill to provide state tax credits to Missourians who suffer financial losses due to extended power outages.
Under the bill, the Missouri Department of Revenue would issue state income tax credits to taxpayers for costs related power outages at their homes lasting three days or longer. Costs eligible for credits include damage to the home directly caused by an outage, reimbursement for hotel or motel stays and the replacement of spoiled food.
“In the last year alone, tens of thousands of Missourians have been left without power for extended periods on three different occasions,” said Nasheed, D-St. Louis. “Many of the affected Missourians lack the resources to cover the financial losses of long-term power outages. In these situations, it is appropriate for the state to provide tax relief. If Missouri can provide millions in tax breaks for sports stadiums and corporate interests, it can afford to provide assistance to storm victims.
Four days after an ice storm swept through the state on Jan. 12, an estimated 215,000 Missouri customers were still without power. Nearly a week after the storm, power remained out to 121,000 of those customers. Large numbers of Missourians were also left without power – many for a week or more – after a major snowfall in December and a series of severe thunderstorms in July.
