Cape Girardeau and county garner bigger checks from sales tax

Cape Girardeau County merchants rang up a lot of sales in March and April, providing county government with a record June sales tax check of $697,470.

The June check sent to the county by the Missouri Department of Revenue, which collects sales taxes charged consumers on their purchases, was up 6.12 percent, county officials said. Businesses send the tax money to the state Department of Revenue, which distributes the money to the various local governments.

The city of Cape Girardeau received a June check that was over 4 percent above its June 2002 check. But Jackson saw a 5.6 percent decrease in its check.

Finance officials with the three local governments say they can't account for the differences.

The city of Cape Girardeau received $1.98 million in its sales tax check, nearly $80,000 higher than the June 2002 check, said John Richbourg, city finance director.

The money comes from a 1-cent general revenue sales tax, a half-cent transportation sales tax, a quarter-cent sales tax for the sewer system and another quarter-cent sales tax for the water system.

Jackson received $314,836 in sales tax money, down $18,773 from the June check a year ago. Jackson's money comes from a one-cent general fund sales tax and a half-cent transportation sales tax.

David Ludwig, county auditor, said the numbers countywide are encouraging. He attributed some of the tax revenue growth to the sale of big-ticket items.

Real estate, for example, is selling well, spurred on by low interest rates, he said.

Ludwig hopes the county's latest check, after months of relatively flat tax revenue, signals the economy is back on track.

"I think we can see the light at the end of the tunnel," he said.