Board sticks to tax increase

Members of Cape Girardeau's Parks and Recreation Advisory Board may have just declared a political war.

They agreed to take a hard line on a proposed half-cent tax increase during Monday's regular meeting.

The money would pay for an estimated $36.9 million in improvements to parks and the city's storm water system.

Just last week, the city council directed board chairman Mike Keefe to reconsider the initiative, scaling the tax bid back by a quarter cent and limiting the tax to 10 years. The council asked for a prioritized list of improvements and for detailed plans to build an aquatic center.

"The city council hasn't got a clue," said Rick Fehr, the board's vice chairman, during Monday evening's meeting, adding that he didn't think they'd read the background material provided.

"Personally, I think we've got a hell of a good plan," Keefe told the parks and recreation board. The six members in attendance agreed. So did a handful of residents at the meeting.

The city's parks and recreation director, Dan Muser, cautioned against taking a hard line, saying it might lead the council to reject the ballot proposal completely. But Keefe said that won't happen if people who support the improvements become vocal enough.

Dan Rau and Mark Coots showed up at the meeting representing the Gator Swim Team. They handed over a copy of a petition in favor of the parks and recreation plan circulating since Tuesday, which included 56 signatures of people 18 and older.

Rau, vice president of the parent-run team, said he will continue collecting signatures and can probably double the number of signatures in a short time.

"This is not just for swimming," he said and suggested baseball, soccer, golf and other sports groups follow suit.

That's exactly what Keefe wanted to hear.

"We need you to get up and tell them the exact stories you're telling us," he said, adding that e-mail to the mayor and council members as well as comments in the Southeast Missourian's Speak Out section have indicated little support exists for a parks and recreation tax increase.

Rau said that while he doesn't agree with every item on the list, he didn't "want to be put in a situation where I oppose the soccer players because they're ahead of me on a list."

Coots said limiting the tax increase to 10 years or less was "throwing good money after bad" and that he didn't want to revisit the same improvement issues in 10 years.

Muser said if voters approved a half-cent increase, work could proceed incrementally over 15 to 18 years. The tax increase would deliver an estimated $4 million to city coffers annually. One-eighth of the money would be reserved for ongoing operating costs.

The board agreed to a two-hour meeting at 5:30 p.m. on Aug. 13 to prioritize projects and find ways to trim costs before returning to the city council. The meeting will be at the council chambers, 401 Independence St.

Keefe said he wants to hear from as many residents as possible at that meeting.

pmcnichol@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 127