GOVERNOR: CITY VOTE KEY TO CAMPUS ISSUE

Community support for Southeast Missouri State University's River Campus project will be a key factor in getting state funding for the project, said Gov. Mel Carnahan.

On Wednesday Carnahan, along with city and university officials, toured the St. Vincent's Seminary grounds to see the site of the proposed $35.6 million redevelopment.

The university and Cape Girardeau are working jointly to redevelop the old seminary into a school for fine, visual and performing arts.

Cape Girardeau residents are being asked on the Nov. 3 ballot to approve an increase in the hotel-motel tax from 3 to 4 percent and to extend the tax from 2004 to 2030.

In addition, voters are being asked to extend but not increase the 1 percent restaurant tax from 2004 to 2030.

The tax measures, if approved, would fund an $8.9 million bond issue that represents the city's share of the project.

The university is working to raise $8.9 million in private donations for the project, and university officials will ask the state to appropriate $17.8 million.

In addition to classroom and studio space, the River Campus would include a lab theater, performing arts center and an expanded University Museum facility.

Carnahan called the project "exciting."

"To both preserve this historic, beautiful site and have a performing arts center sounds like excellent planning for the future," he said.

The governor said voter support of the project in the form of the tax increase and extensions would be "most impressive" to his administration and to the General Assembly.

"It also affects, I'm sure, the priority that it will receive" in getting funding, Carnahan said.

The state gets many requests to fund capital improvement projects from school and universities, he said.

Carnahan said he hasn't made any decisions regarding "how much and when" funding might be appropriated.

"Certainly an unusual display of community support and solidarity and a high degree of community participation will be impressive and might eventually determine what kind of priority it gets and what year's list it goes on," he said.

Dr. Dale Nitzschke, Southeast president, said university officials have always assumed the public's share of the project will be an important issue when the state decides whether to fund the River Campus project.

"If they understand that this community, this whole area, is rallying around this project and they see evidence of that -- for example if the issue passes on Nov. 3, and that is a very clear declarations by the people that they support it -- I know from experience that will be important for the governor and the members of the Legislature to hear," Nitzschke said.

"You're putting your money where your mouth is. I feel very confident that if the issue passes here, we will get a very, very good hearing from Gov. Carnahan and the Legislature."