Cape Girardeau County Commission approves sheriff spending limit

Cape Girardeau County commissioners have approved in a 2 to 1 vote an agreement to limit the county sheriff's department spending increases to 3 percent. The agreement was written as a memorandum of understanding. Sheriff John Jordan said he was happy with the measure.

This year marks the first time commissioners defined long-term spending limits for the department. On average, the sheriff's department has had an annual spending increase of 3.6 percent over the previous year, according to county Treasurer Roger Hudson.

The move was made in part to make Proposition 1 funds — money from a half-cent sales tax approved by voters in 2006 — last longer. Since the beginning of the year, county officials have been looking for ways to maximize the money, which is divided among the sheriff's department, the county's highway department's paving program and various other entities, such as the city of Jackson and the Cape Special Road District.

The commissioners reviewed a draft of a memorandum of understanding over Proposition 1 revenue during a budget workshop Wednesday, which included Hudson and the three members of the county auditor's office.

Look for more details on this story later today or Tuesday on semissourian.com.