COMMITTEE PASSES BOLLINGER, CAPE LAKE PROPOSAL

A Missouri Senate committee approved a bill Tuesday that supporters hope will revive the Cape Girardeau-Bollinger counties lake project.

The Local Government and Economic Development Committee passed the bill out of committee on a 5-1 vote.

But lake opponents say the bill has a long way to go to become law.

The committee heard from proponents and opponents at a hearing in the State Capitol last week.

State Sen. Peter Kinder, R-Cape Girardeau, introduced the bill, which would amend a 1990 law.

That law gave the Cape Girardeau and Bollinger county commissions the power to put a 1-cent sales tax issue on the ballot to finance construction of a lake. The measure also would have provided for a lake authority to oversee development.

But the two county commissions never put the tax measure on the ballot.

Kinder's bill would allow lake supporters to circulate initiative petitions to get a tax issue on the ballot. The bill also would limit the eminent-domain power of a lake authority and increase landowners' rights.

Cape Girardeau lawyer and lake proponent Don Thomasson said he was pleased by the committee's action.

"We think this is a healthy, very worthwhile thing for the community. Hopefully, we are going to move ahead toward getting it on the ballot and letting the citizens make a decision."

Thomasson said lake proponents will lobby the full Senate in an effort to secure passage of the bill.

But lake opponent Jim Roche of the Millersville area said the lake project still has a long way to go.

The Senate would have to pass the bill. Then it would go to the Missouri House, which also would have to pass it. After that, the governor would have to sign it.

Even then, lake backers would have to secure sufficient signatures on initiative petitions to force the two county commissions to put a lake tax measure on the ballot.

"Nothing is a total loss yet," said Roche. "If I was them, I wouldn't be planning a party just yet."