Let's have tax breaks for seniors

Tuesday, June 26, 2007
To the editor:My wife and I recently went to Pensacola, Fla., for a vacation. While we were there I met a retired man from Georgia. He asked me if Missouri gave a tax break to senior citizens. I told him I didn't think so and asked what he meant. He said in Georgia when a property owner reaches the age of 62, the school tax is dropped from his property-tax bill. The man said his property tax was around $1,500 a year, and when he turned 62 his property tax dropped to $350 a year.

I think this is a good idea for our senior citizens. We all hope to be senior citizens someday. Regardless of what branch of government sets these assessments -- city, county or state -- this should be a statewide program.

I would like for our state legislators to look into this and act on it. I hope our newspaper and TV and radio stations will stay on top of this.

JOHN BLACKWELL, Cape Girardeau