Final Cape Girardeau fire tax meeting draws few

Most of the 20 or so people who gathered Thursday at Blanchard Elementary School for the city's last public meeting on the June 8 fire tax issue were city employees or family members. After more than 50 meetings in the last six weeks, city manager Doug Leslie said he has told members of many civic groups about the city's proposed quarter-cent sales tax and what it will provide if it passes, though he is concerned about a light voter turnout. If it passes, then in the fall the sales tax will go into effect. Leslie said he was told that the city will start receiving income from it by January.

Then the city will immediately begin seeking bids for new equipment and construction of a new fire station to replace Station No. 3 on Emerald street.

"There's a lot of front end work that needs to be done," Leslie said. "Between now and January we'll be ready to take off running."

Once money begins coming in, Leslie said, half of the proceeds will go into a trust fund for capital purchases similar to the 1995 transportation trust fund. That half will expire after 10 years. The other half of the proceeds, which will be ongoing, will go toward operating costs and salaries.