Cape County raises road, bridge tax levy

JACKSON, Mo. -- The Cape Girardeau County Commission raised the road and bridge tax levy on Monday, setting the tax rate at 22.84 cents per $100 assessed valuation.

That's up from 22 cents last year and nearly 3 cents higher than in 1999.

The increase came even as the county's assessed valuation jumped by around 9 percent to over $807 million, county officials said.

County Auditor H. Weldon Macke said the tax levy is calculated by the state auditor's office through a formula that takes into account the assessed valuation.

The commission set the tax levy without comment.

As in past years, the commission didn't levy a real estate and personal property tax for the county government's general revenue fund. The county's sales tax brings in enough revenue to eliminate the need for a general fund levy.

Last year, the sales tax generated around $5 million for the county's government, Macke said.

Cape Girardeau County is one of only a few Missouri counties with no general fund levy.