Small businesses could get a tax break for hiring teens
From Missouri Digital News: https://mdn.org
MDN Menu

MDN Home

Journalist's Creed

Print

MDN Help

 MDN.ORG: Missouri Digital News
MDN Menu

MDN Home

Journalist's Creed

Print

MDN Help

 MDN.ORG Mo. Digital News Missouri Digital News MDN.ORG: Mo. Digital News MDN.ORG: Missouri Digital News
Lobbyist Money Help  

Small businesses could get a tax break for hiring teens

Date: February 16, 2010
By: Scott Kanowsky
State Capitol Bureau

Intro:  The House Jobs committee debated a bill giving tax breaks to small businesses for hiring teens.
RunTime:  0:44
OutCue:  SOC

Wrap: The bill would give a tax credit to small businesses for hiring teens during the summer.

Kansas City Democratic Representative Michael Brown said Tuesday this legislation would benefit urban teens.

Actuality:  BROWN2.WAV
Run Time:  00:15
Description: "Because these are the ones who are ending up in prison for ten, twenty years which we're paying $33,000 a year for these people to be housed. We need to do something for them or they're going to grow up career criminals, better criminals, come out more hardened."

 
Small businesses would only receive the tax credit if the teen had above a 2.0 GPA and a good attendance record.
 
Opposition came from one representative who said the bill does not help out needy Missouri families.
 
The committee took no immediate action on the bill.
 
From the State Capitol, I'm Scott Kanowsky.

Intro:  A bill giving tax breaks to small businesses for hiring teens came under fire in the House Jobs committee.
RunTime:  0:41
OutCue:  SOC

Wrap: Lee's Summit Republican Will Kraus was the only member of the committee Tuesday to raise opposition to the bill.

He said many Missourians hurt by the bad economy need these jobs more than teens.

Actuality:  KRAUS.WAV
Run Time:  00:13
Description: "I've supported this bill in the past. With the economy the way it is right now, I don't think it's the right time for us to pass this legislation. I think that there's a number of people out there that need to have jobs and we need to support people that working to try to support their family."

Kraus added he doesn't want to give businesses "another tax credit that will hurt Missourians." 

Supporters of the bill countered Kraus, saying he did not consider its positive effect on urban teens.

The committee took no action on the bill.

From the State Capitol, I'm Scott Kanowsky.