AP: Democrats Should Be Proud

A measure billed as boosting the slumping housing market showers money-losing businesses with $25 billion in tax relief in the next few years but offers just $3 billion to homeowners.

The estimates released Thursday by the Joint Tax Committee, which explores for lawmakers the effects on the Treasury of tax legislation, lend credence to accusations that the measure helps businesses like home builders while doing little to help millions of families threatened with foreclosure.

The benefits to businesses also dwarf the $4 billion in the measure that would be provided to cities and towns to buy up and refurbish foreclosed and abandoned homes. The only direct help in the measure to homeowners threatened with foreclosure is $100 million to provide counseling to people threatened with foreclosure and help them in negotiating with their lenders.