A proposal to give tax credits to people or companies that make donations to food pantries struggles in its first round of debate in the senate.
The bill, introduced in the House by the Speaker Rod Jetton, passed unanimously in that chamber. But Senator Rita Days of St.Louis says it contains no standard system for determining the true value of the things that are donated.
Senate sponsor Rob Mayer of Dexter says the Revenue Department will determine if the items are worth the tax credits that go with their donation. But he admits the department is nowhere close to having enough people to check the legitimate value of every donation.
More debate on the bill will come later. The bill provides a fifty percent tax credit for food, land, or stocks given to food pantry, with a maximum credit of $2500.
(The bill is SS/HCS/HB 453)
Download the discussion between Days and Mayer ( 6:11 mp3)
