JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — A Missouri House panel heard a bill last week that would offer residents a tax break for the cost of construction of a storm shelter.

The bill would allow residents a one-time deduction of as much as $5,000 to cover the costs of constructing a shelter. As the measure is currently written, the tax deduction would be given on a first-come, first-served filing basis and would max out after $2 million in deductions were claimed, meaning deductions would be possible for about 400 Missourians.

“This is not a huge amount of money, but if someone’s sitting here trying to make the decision, we’re hoping it would be enough of an incentive that it would encourage someone to make a decision that would help them save their families, and ultimately maybe their neighbors,” said Rep. Mike Kelley, R-Lamar.

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