Mixed emotions surround senior tax

Ahmad Safi

Jul. 27, 2008 (McClatchy-Tribune Regional News delivered by Newstex) -- Medicaid has paid for Shirley Groves' in-home medical care for the last five years.

She uses a wheelchair and has chronic bronchitis.

"I get help, and I'm blessed," Ms. Groves, 70, said, as her nurse, Barbara Meredith, arranged her prescription medicine at her kitchen table Thursday afternoon. "I pray others get help, too."

While she expects no interruption in weekly visits by InterServ, others like her have been turned away.

And supporters of a new senior tax that voters in Buchanan County will decide on Aug. 5 say the extra $1.1 million every year would help keep people like Ms. Groves independent in their homes, as well as filling large gaps in state and federal cuts to individuals over age 60.

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Eight homemade cakes in the Westchester Village community room on Friday afternoon celebrated July birthdays at the monthly resident potluck luncheon at the 55-plus housing facility.

Living on a variety of Medicaid, Medicare, deceased spouse pension and disability, the 60 residents' opinions on the new tax were as varied as desserts.

Some distrust local politicians having any hand in deciding who will sit on the seven-member board that will distribute the money.

"As long as they don't use this money to buy a $2,500 desk," said Terry Proffit, 61.

Others have concerns that the tax is backed by a local health giant that provided the seed money to advertise the tax.

"I do feel they (Heartland Health) are a monopoly, but what are you going to do?" asked Nancy Kelley, 62.

Still others do not want to burden the working class in a community already reeling in a spiraling economy. "I've had my turn to make a living. We don't need young people's money," said Fran Perkins, a Medicare recipient for 28 years.

Despite the misgivings, the majority of residents said they would support the tax.

They are the grandpas and grandmas who have supported new taxes to help schoolchildren and police officers over the years, said Dean Watson, 78, a retired auctioneer. Now it is their turn to be "invested in."

"So many seniors in Buchanan County need help ... and the thing people need to consider is, 'What if this was their own parents?'" he said.

The gaps in government assistance make such community help an extreme need, especially for those on Medicaid, Dianne Smith, 62, said.

Each month she receives a $569 check from Social Security, based on her ex-husband's earnings, and a $62 disability stipend for back problems.

Ms. Smith said chiropractic visits for her back pain comes out of her own pocket -- help she hopes will come from senior tax revenue.

"So many people on Medicaid, they need someone to help with house cleaning," she said. "But they (Medicaid) just don't help enough."

Others remain undecided.

Phylis Wyckoff, 78, lives on Medicare and a pension from her late husband's job as a union carpenter.

"To tell you the truth, people I know who own homes say they cannot afford more taxes. They don't think the extra help (to seniors) would compensate for the extra tax on them," she said.

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Another concern is the tax could burden fixed-income seniors who are trying hard not to become eligible for public assistance, like Medicaid.

"I am a senior, (and) I do not want an additional tax on my already devalued property," Maggie Siegmund said.

But senior tax advocates cite so-called "circuit-breaker" tax credits available already to low-income senior citizens and the disabled.

As long as a person 65 and older has an income less than $30,000, or a senior couple makes less than $34,000, they are eligible for state refunds on property taxes ranging from $750 to $1,100.

The majority of local seniors would benefit, as the median household income in Buchanan County for people 65 to 75 is $26,484, and older than 75 is $20,705, said Martha Wakely, co-chairwoman of the Buchanan County Advocates for Adults 60+, citing the Missouri Senior Report in 2007.

The benefit also is available to persons who are 100 percent disabled and those receiving surviving spouse Social Security benefits.

A second option to seniors that the group cites is the Missouri Homestead Preservation Act.

That allows seniors and disabled individuals with incomes less than $72,380 to receive a tax credit, depending on whether their property assessment increased 2.5 percent in an even-numbered year or 5 percent in an odd-numbered year.

Ahmad Safi can be reached

at ahmadsafi@npgco.com.

Newstex ID: KRTB-0283-26950824