West Newsmagazine 12-13-23

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10 I NEWS I December 13, 2023 WEST NEWSMAGAZINE @WESTNEWSMAG WESTNEWSMAGAZINE.COM Legislators plan to re-introduce child care tax incentives next session By LAURA SAGGAR A bipartisan group of state legislators, along with business leaders from across the state, met on Dec. 5 in St. Peters for a child care issue forum hosted by the Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the St. Charles Regional Chamber of Commerce and Greater St. Louis, Inc. The goal of the forum was to address what those organizations say is a child care crisis across the state of Missouri. State Rep. Brenda Shields (R-District 011) introduced a Child Care Tax Credit Legislative Package in the last General Assembly session, but the bill (HB 1488) was filibustered by Sen. Bill Eigel (R-District 23). Shields, and a group of bipartisan legislators, plan to introduce the bill again in 2024 and hope to get it passed in the Spring. According to the Missouri Chamber, the Missouri economy misses out on an estimated $1.35 billion annually, including a $280 million annual loss in tax revenue, due to child care issues. The Missouri Chamber also reported that 80% of Missouri business leaders say issues with child care are hurting their ability to recruit and retain workers. Kara Corches, vice president of governmental affairs for the Missouri Chamber, moderated the forum where Shields, Sen. Brian Williams (D-District 14) and Alex Tuttle, legislative budget director for Gov. Mike Parson, each presented their reasons for supporting the tax credit legislation. “The statistics tell the story,” Corches said. “This isn’t just a women’s issue or a parent’s issue. Child care is an economic issue that impacts the entire community.” Corches shared that in 2022 she paid more than $21,000 to send her 3-year-old to a child care facility for the year. Shields noted that if there is not enough of a supply for child care, the price will keep going up. She said that she believes if businesses invest in quality child care, the government will follow. Her Child Care Tax Credit package includes three ways to qualify for tax credits that would support child care facilities, employers and working parents. Taxpayers can receive a 70% tax credit after making a donation to support a child care center; businesses can receive a 30% tax credit for donating to a child care facility or investing in child care services; and child care providers can receive a 30% tax credit for investing in their own facilities. Each program is capped at $200,000 for taxpayers and $20 million for the program. The child care contribution tax credit applies to direct contributions/donations to child care providers. The employerprovided child care assistance tax credit applies to programs through employers like, for example, dependent care spending account cafeteria plans, providing an on-site child care facility or contracting with community child care providers. The child care providers tax credit applies to child care facilities where they can receive a tax credit on capital improvements to their facility and allowing them to keep the employee payroll tax withholdings. “We are asking businesses to put their money where they mouth is,” Shields said. The bill has bipartisan support across the state. Williams said he and his wife pay almost $2,000 a month for child care for one child. “We are losing $280 million in revenue because parents are deciding to leave their profession to be a stay home mom or dad,” Williams said. “In my house, mom has a job and career she loves and deserves to have. How does it affect the state? If people have to choose between family and a job, they will choose family.” Williams also highlighted the importance of paying child care providers higher wages, which is what they could use their tax credit for. Corches said the average pay for child care providers in Missouri is $11 an hour. Shields hopes to keep constituents and legislators focused on this issue in order to get the package passed in the spring. Tuttle expressed Parson’s support of increasing access to quality child care. Sam Meyer is a father three and works in human resources at Component Bar Products in O’Fallon. He said he attended the forum to find out more about the tax credits and how it might affect him and his employees. Meyer’s oldest child is 7 and is in school every day. His younger children are ages 5 and 1. His wife is a nurse practitioner and works full-time. Working out their child care schedule took some planning. One set of grandparents watches the younger children on Tuesdays, the other set watches them on Thursdays. The 5-year-old goes to preschool on Monday, Wednesday Child Care Issue Forum on Dec. 5. and Friday. The 1-year-old goes to a child care facility on Mondays and Fridays. “My wife negotiated to be off of work on Wednesdays so she could take care of the children that day,” Meyer said. “She does morning drop off, I do the pick up. We are fortunate to have our parents help us. I’m not sure what we would do if they couldn’t.” Meyer said they spend around $600 a month on child care. He said he liked the tax credit incentives. He has a lot of younger employees, some are expecting babies in the new year and he’s looking for ways to help them. “We are very flexible for the employees at work,” Meyer said. “For me, if one of our kids gets sick, I’m usually the one to stay home.” Shields hopes to keep the momentum going into the next legislative session. “I believe Missouri will be ahead of every other state if we get this passed,” she said. Conceal-carry legislation sent back to committee in Chesterfield By CATHY LENNY Proposed legislation to amend the firearms regulations in Chesterfield was postponed so that the city’s Public Health and Safety Committee could discuss it further as a whole. At the Dec. 4 City Council meeting, council member Aaron Wahl (Ward 2) proposed the committee review the legislation further before voting on it. The bill concerns matching the city’s regulations on the concealing and carrying of firearms with state law. As such it will be a violation for any person to carry any concealed firearm into a number of establishments, including police stations, within 25 feet of any polling place on any Election Day, any courthouse or courtrooms, any establishment licensed to dispense intoxicating liquor for consumption on the premises, airports, schools, childcare facilities, churches, sports arenas, or hospitals. The prohibition includes any meeting of the city council. However, possession of a firearm in a vehicle on the premises of the office or station will not be a criminal offense, as long as the firearm is not removed from the vehicle or brandished while the vehicle is on the premises. Violators of the law with a concealed carry permit could be subject to denial of or removal from the premises. Those refusing to leave could be subject to a $100 fine for the first offense. A second citation within a six-month period would have a fine of $200 and a third offense within a year would carry a $500 fine. Without a permit, the fine would be up to $1,000 or imprisonment for up to three months or both. Open carry of a firearm is prohibited in the city except when necessary for the person’s job, such as in the case of law enforcement or military members. However, one council “... if there is any possibility that this bill is in violation of state law, we have to consider changing it.” – Aaron Wahl member believes the new regulations need further scrutiny. “My concern, based upon feedback (from community members), is that this law does not conform properly with our state constitutional carry laws,” Wahl said. “A lot more time, energy and research went into making those laws than any of us sitting up here have put into this bill and if there is any possibility that this bill is in violation of state law, we have to consider changing it.” He believes the bill as currently written could open the city up to a potential civil rights lawsuit. He suggested that the public health and safety committee hear testimony from carry law experts before the council conducts a vote on the issue. Committee chair and council member Mary Ann Mastorakos (Ward 2) noted that at no time has the committee not followed state statute. “The whole purpose of revisiting this is to be sure we do comply with state statute,” she said. Council member Barb McGuinness (Ward 1), who seconded the motion, suggested they simply “scrap” the bill and start over. But Mayor Bob Nation said the council was “complicating” the issue unnecessarily. “I think sending it back to a committee of the whole is the appropriate thing to do,” Nation said. The council then unanimously voted to postpone the bill for a date yet to be determined.
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