MAYOR WANTS TRANSPORTATION TAX ON BALLOT

Twice in eight years, voters have rejected a transportation sales tax to fund street improvements.

Now Cape Girardeau Mayor Al Spradling III thinks the third time will be the charm. He has suggested the council put a half-cent transportation sales tax on the April ballot.

Council members, however, are tepid to the idea.

On Aug. 6, 1986, a transportation tax was rejected by a 171-vote margin. A year later, a similar tax measure failed by 332 votes.

Spradling, who raised the issue at Monday's study session, said the council needed to act in January to get the measure on the April ballot.

Spradling's proposal, which would generate an estimated $35.8 million, would end after 10 years or in 2005.

Such a tax could fund a number of major road projects, he said, including extending Hopper Road and reconstructing a segment of Perryville Road.

The money also could go toward paving the city's gravel streets.

Spradling said road projects could be funded without imposing special assessments on property owners along the affected routes.

Jackson and Perryville have financed major street construction through transportation taxes, he said.

But Councilman Richard Eggimann said he was "astounded" at the mayor's suggestion.

"I think it is nice you fellas want to raise taxes again," he said sarcastically.

Earlier this year voters approved a $25 million bond issue for sewer improvements, and $1 million in city money has been spent on the Lexington Avenue extension.

That money, Eggimann said, could have been put to better use upgrading existing streets, such as Bloomfield Road.

Councilman Melvin Gateley said the council needs to decide what projects would be funded with such a tax before placing the issue before voters.

Cape Girardeans are good people, he said, "but they won't write you a blank check."

Gateley suggested the city might fund street improvements without a tax increase, using the money generated by an increase in general sales tax revenue.

But Spradling said he would prefer not to drain city reserves to pay for street projects.