JEFFERSON CITY • ºüÀêÊÓƵ-area residents will need to look elsewhere for free tax help thanks to budget cuts made by Gov. Jay Nixon this week.
When Nixon made $1.1 billion worth of cuts to the fiscal year 2015 budget, which starts Tuesday, all seven tax assistance centers -- one of which is in ºüÀêÊÓƵ -- were axed.
Think of these offices as free H&R Blocks, where both individuals and businesses can go for tax assistance.
This service no longer exists after Nixon cut 260 jobs and closed 19 regional state offices for the departments of Revenue, Mental Health and Natural Resources this week.
"(The state) isn't providing this service any longer, you can do that online," Nixon's Budget Director Linda Luebbering said. "(The state) can't afford in only these seven areas of the state to provide these services."
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Thirteen people are employed at the ºüÀêÊÓƵ office.
During fiscal year 2013, the ºüÀêÊÓƵ office handled nearly 71,000 walk-ins or phone calls. Now, these people will have to go elsewhere if they want in-person assistance.
But area residents are not without options. The United Way, for example, provides free tax preparation to qualifying households in ºüÀêÊÓƵ city, ºüÀêÊÓƵ county, St. Charles and metro-east Illinois, according to its website.Â
Taxpayers with questions about personal taxes can call the Department of Revenue's Taxation Division at 573-751-3505 or income@dor.mo.gov. They also can visit . Businesses with questions about taxes also can call or email the department as well as visit .