CAPE COUNTY TAXES REMAIN UNCHANGED

JACKSON - Despite a temptation to raise taxes, the Cape Girardeau County Commission has decided to keep property tax rates for general revenue and the county road and bridge fund at the same levels for 1991.

The commission followed a recommendation from Auditor H. Weldon Macke that the general revenue rate remain at zero, where it has been the last nine years, and the road and bridge rate stay at 23 cents.

A required public hearing on the tax rates will be held Monday at 11 a.m. in the county commission's chambers in Jackson.

The commissioners had suggested that with sales tax receipts coming in flat, a significant drop in interest income likely the next few years, and costs increasing in many areas, that it might have to consider increasing taxes to avoid putting the county in a financial crunch.

"I felt we had enough surplus money us carry us over one more year," said Macke. "I think we need to see what happens to the sales tax this year and then consider what action might be necessary."

State law would allow the commission to levy only a 1.5 cent property tax for general revenue this year, which would amount to only $70,000. Macke, and the commissioners, agreed it did not make much sense to levy such a small rate because the amount of money generated would not be significant.

The commission could, however, increase the road and bridge rate from 23 cents to 35 cents without going to a vote of the people. Such an increase would bring in a significant amount of money, but the commissioners opted to wait another year before taking any action.

"We'll probably have to raise that levy some day," conceded Associate Commissioner Leonard Sander, who oversees the highway department for the county commission. "I think we can get by without it and won't have to fool with considering an increase for this year."

But Sander added, "there is no question that if we have another year - even no worse than last year - we will have to probably go the other direction (raise the tax levy) or cut services, and that's the last thing I would want to do."

In recent years, the road and bridge fund has been subsidized with interest income and money from the capital trust account.

Interest earned on general revenue has been earmarked for roads and bridges. Also, the commission has used funds in the capital trust account to pay for bridges, to purchase highway department equipment and expand the maintenance facility at the intersection of Highway 72 and 34.