Panel votes to ax Missouri low-income housing tax credits

COLUMBIA, Mo. — A Missouri panel has followed through on plans to stop issuing state low-income housing tax credits for the year.

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported the Missouri Housing Development Commission voted 8-2 Tuesday against the credits. The state still is moving ahead with federal low-income housing tax credits.

Republican Gov. Eric Greitens slammed the program as inefficient. But backers say cutting it could hurt access to affordable housing.

Tuesday’s vote came just hours after Greitens appointed two new members to the commission who then voted to ax the state tax credits. The appointees are Craig Porter and John Scariot.

Porter is a residential developer and gave $10,000 to Greitens’ campaign. Financial-services officer Scariot gave $100 to Greitens’ campaign and previously volunteered at the veterans charity Greitens founded.