CITY PROPERTY RATES WILL STAY UNCHANGED

Cape Girardeau property owners won't see any change in their city tax rates.

The City Council gave first reading Monday night to an ordinance setting the city and downtown business district tax rates for fiscal 1996.

Council approval followed a public hearing at which no comments were voiced.

The combined city and library tax will stay at 63 cents per $100 assessed valuation. The tax rate includes 32 cents for the general fund, 5 cents for the health fund, 10 cents for debt service and 16 cents for the library fund.

The property tax will generate an estimated $1.7 million for the city based on an assessed valuation of $292 million.

The downtown business district tax rate will stay at 80 cents. It will generate nearly $14,000, officials said.