Editorial

TTF-4 vital to Cape

Wednesday, June 2, 2010

Members of the Cape Girardeau Police Officers Association have achieved one goal: to make the public aware of its concerns about what it considers to be unfulfilled pledges for higher pay made by city officials over recent years. But it has done so in a way that reflects negatively on other city operations, in particular the half-cent sales tax that has generated funding for major street improvements since 1995.

The association, in an ad campaign, is asking voters to oppose a renewal of the Transportation Trust Fund Aug. 3. That fund was first voted in 1995 and approved again in 2000 and 2005, as required by the sunset provision for the half-cent sales tax. TTF-4 would pay for more than $20 million of identified projects and ongoing maintenance.

Without TTF-4, plans for major street improvements would come to a halt. More than that, necessary repairs would have to be funded from other city revenue streams. The main one, the general fund sales tax, is expected to produce more than half a million dollars less in revenue this year -- even less funding available for anything that increases spending, including police raises.

City employees deserve fair wages, but opposing TTF-4 won't pay for raises.

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"Without TTF-4, plans for major street improvements would come to a halt."

Is it even possible to imagine a solution to a problem that doesn't involve government?

-- Posted by Lumpy on Wed, Jun 2, 2010, at 4:20 PM
Things that make ya go 'hmmmmmmm' -

From above - "The main one, the general fund sales tax, is expected to produce more than half a million dollars less in revenue this year"

compared with

"Sales tax revenue for the city is down less than 1 percent so far in 2010 compared to last year." from http://www.semissourian.com/story/1619731.html, dated 22March.

Sounds like either the tides of fortune have been shifted, or some books are being cooked to gear the story toward a particular audience.

Well, unless general fund receipts are in the neighborhood of $500,000 / 0.01 = $50,000,000 - which at a 1% rate would make the city's total sales tax revenue at $137,500,000 at its total 2.75% rate - which would mean the city economy churns along at $5,000,000,000 (5 billion) annually, or roughly $100,000 of taxable sales for every resident man, woman, and child. Wow! Big bucks, no whammies! :-)~

All seriousness aside, IMO it would look somewhat foolish for a city to approve a fun and frills foo-foo tax but then turn around and reject an assessment geared more toward essential needs. Kinda like turning the nose up at the meat and potatoes, while still wolfing down the Ho-Ho's, Gummi Bears, and Twinkies.

-- Posted by fxpwt on Wed, Jun 2, 2010, at 6:16 PM

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