Blind pension getting reduced

Thousands of blind Missourians are on their last few months of full assistance from the state of Missouri.

Several viewers called our newsroom Friday and said they had gotten a letter from the Department of Social Services that stated Blind Pension is getting reduced.

A man name Harold (he didn’t want to share his last name) said he got two letters from D.S.S. on the same day — one was his blind assistance check, the other was notifying him of the cuts.

“This can’t be happening,” Harold said. “This will have a domino effect.”

Like many blind Missourians, Harold gets $718 per month from the blind pension. The letter said that would be reduced by $33 per month. Thirty three dollars may not seem like a lot, but Harold said it would mean drastic cut backs for him.

“It will mean I can’t get necessary things and have to be totally dependent on other people for even the smallest things,” he said.

So ABC 17 made some calls to find out why this pension is getting cut.

The Department of Social Services hasn’t responded yet. Senator Brian Munzlinger didn’t even know these cuts were happening. But Representative Sue Allen was able to explain the situation.

“This is from a property tax and the revenues aren’t there anymore….it’s the economy and probably bad devaluing of a lot of property,” Allen said.

Anyone receiving $33 a month or less will no longer receive this aid starting January.

Around 2,800 Missourians receive blind pension.