GROUP HEARS TAX TALK (ON THE ROADS AGAIN)

Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce members attending the First Friday Coffee meeting reacted favorably to the proposed five-year transportation sales tax program.

"The transportation sales tax is just a good effort to improve the community's infrastructure," said Jeff Krantz following a slide presentation that outlined specific projects the tax would fund.

"This is an opportunity to affect the quality of the transportation system in this area for years to come," he said. "That's important because Cape Girardeau is a regional hub for retail trade, service facilities, medical services, education and commerce."

City Planning Coordinator Ken Eftink and Public Awareness Coordinator Sheri Finley made the presentation to chamber members.

"This is a very critical issue," planning and zoning committee member Harry Rediger said. "It is very vital to the community. The transportation improvement program is well thought out. The challenge is to get registered voters to vote."

The last two times the transportation sales tax was on the ballot the measure failed by narrow margins. In 1986 it failed by 171 votes and in 1987 by 332 votes.

The Transportation Trust Committee, formed to promote the measure, will attempt to call registered voters Sunday and Monday and urge them to vote on the half-cent transportation sales tax issue.

Tom Schulte of Jackson was a tax booster attending the meeting.

"Since I live in Jackson, I can't vote on this issue, but I can see what the transportation sales tax has done for the city of Jackson," Schulte said. "There have been so many improvements made on Main Street and other parts of town since this was passed."

Jackson passed the transportation sales tax in 1987. Perryville, Sikeston, Ste. Genevieve and Charleston are among 78 cities in the state with a transportation sales tax.

Schulte said the condition of roads in a town leaves a lasting impression on residents and out-of-town visitors. "When you have good roads and sidewalks, people remember that," he said. "I think the transportation sales tax is just a good investment in the city."

Larry Shaffer said he can see how a transportation sales tax could help improve Cape Girardeau streets.

"I've only lived here for about a year, but I can see how some areas need attention," he said. "I haven't had a chance to sit down and study this as much as I would like, but so far I can see how it would bring a lot of improvements to this town."

He added, "I'm going to study this more carefully before voting on Tuesday."