LAST-MINUTE OPPOSITION FORMS AGAINST BOND ISSUE

Opponents of a proposed bond issue and building fund levy hike for Cape Girardeau public schools have organized a last-minute campaign against the Tuesday election ballot measures.

Meanwhile, two state lawmakers have come out in support of the $25 million bond issue and 27-cent building fund levy hike.

State Sen. Peter Kinder and State Rep. Mary Kasten, both of Cape Girardeau, urged voters Saturday to approve the funding measures.

Said Kinder, "My sentiment against tax increases instead of budget cutting is well known, but our schools have cut their budget to the core and have some basic needs that demand the passage of these two propositions."

Kasten cautioned against the "high cost of inaction." She said, "The social costs of a poorly educated population are enormous.

"The lower the education quality, the higher the unemployment and the more we will have to have welfare programs like food stamps," she said. "I know that's not what our voters want for Cape."

Retired Cape Girardeau businessman Joe L. Mirgeaux and retired school principal Fred Withrow are among opponents of the measures who have organized a last-minute flurry of newspaper and radio advertising aimed at sinking the school tax measures.

"We probably won't spend over $1,500 or $1,800," Mirgeaux said Friday, contending a massive effort isn't really necessary.

"Most of the people have their minds made up anyway," he said.

The campaign was set in motion following a meeting Tuesday night. Mirgeaux said Friday that about 14 to 16 people attended a meeting held at the Town House Inn.

Withrow said Saturday that the meeting began at 7:30 p.m. and lasted three hours. He said Mirgeaux was "more or less the chairman" at the meeting.

Those in attendance included businessman Jim Drury; Bob Hahn, a long-time Drury employee; Cape Girardeau attorney Kevin Spaeth; Jim Bowers, a retired teacher; Cape Girardeau businesswoman Susie Dodd; and former Cape Girardeau city councilman Frank Bean.

Withrow said he didn't know all of those in attendance. Mirgeaux declined to name those who attended, except for himself, Withrow and Drury.

Neyland Clark, superintendent of the Cape Girardeau public schools, said Friday that school officials were not invited to what he termed "a secret meeting."

But he said that he and the district's business manager, Larry Dew, attended the meeting anyway and answered questions about the ballot issues.

Clark said he didn't know many of those who attended the meeting. He said Saturday that it was his impression that not all of those in attendance Tuesday were opposed to the school funding measures.

In fact, Spaeth said Friday he is neither a proponent nor opponent of the school bond issue and that his attendance at the meeting shouldn't imply otherwise.

Yet Clark expressed frustration Friday over the last-minute campaign against the school funding measures.

"If they have had questions, where have they been?" he asked.

Mirgeaux said opponents weren't being secretive. "Dr. Clark knows who we are. We had him and Larry Dew come out and answer questions."

Clark declined to comment further Saturday on the opposition effort. Dew could not be reached for comment.

"This is just a citizens group trying to do what is right for the city of Cape Girardeau," said Withrow.

Both Mirgeaux and Withrow said the group has not formed an official campaign committee and doesn't plan to do so.

The names of Mirgeaux and Withrow are the only ones that appear on the newspaper ad. But Mirgeaux said others helped pay for it. He did not identify them.

Mirgeaux questioned the wisdom of spending $25 million now to improve the Cape Girardeau schools. He suggested that better planning and phased construction should be considered.

"There are some citizens that feel like it hasn't been thought out very well," said Mirgeaux.

He said opponents don't feel the Sprigg and Bertling site is a suitable location for construction of a new elementary school and a middle school.

Plans for making existing schools more earthquake resistant are another target of Mirgeaux's group. He said opponents feel such work is an "unnecessary expense."

Mirgeaux criticized the overall school construction and renovation plans. "We've got some people who know about construction and engineering, and we figure the planning is poor, very poor, and that taxpayers are going to have to pay for it.

"It's like Ross Perot says, `You do some experiments with it first and live with it, and see if it works," said Mirgeaux.

But Kinder and Kasten argued for passage of the ballot issues in a prepared statement released Saturday by proponents of the school funding measures.

"The most critical issue here is the safety of Cape children and their teachers," said Kinder. "It is appalling to know that we will have a high death and injury toll in our schools when an earthquake occurs.

"The school propositions will fix that by replacing three schools that were built before 1920 and providing an earthquake protection program for the rest," he said.

"Safety is the overriding issue," agreed Kasten. "We know we have the problem. We know how to fix it. It's our responsibility as voters to do the right thing."

Kinder and Kasten both voiced concern that voters might think state aid could solve the district's facility problems.

"I assure you there is absolutely nothing in any of the state funding proposals for education that can be used to repair or build buildings, " said Kinder. "Cape school needs are a local problem that is going to have to be solved by the local voters."

Kasten said, "The community has the responsibility to give these kids what they need the basic learning tools for a 20th century education."