Parks tax initiative gets promotional boost

The effort to promote the $25 million parks and storm-water tax initiative is expanding.

Starting March 17, a 15-minute video reviewing how the tax will fund projects will begin airing on Charter cable Channel 11.

Voters will decide April 8 whether to approve a half-cent retail sales tax. Three-fourths of the tax would expire after 10 years. The one-fourth remainder would be used to pay for operating costs.

Danny Essner, chairman of the city's parks and recreation advisory board, said the television time was purchased by the Parks Development Foundation.

The video will air back-to-back between 9 and 10 p.m., from March 17 through the April 8 election.

Essner, who has been stumping for the tax using a slide presentation and an 11-minute version of the video, said Monday he had not yet seen the longer version. He said the additional segments on the broadcast video will include comments from area children.

The broadcast time was purchased "so that people who don't belong to service clubs or other organizations will have an opportunity to see the video," he said.

A public presentation is also scheduled for 7 p.m. today at the Osage Community Centre, he said.

Essner, a Rotarian, said Cape Girardeau has nearly 50 service organizations and the goal is to reach every one. He is one of several people taking the presentation to meetings. He spoke at two Monday and expected to speak to a third group today. Since the campaign started more than a month ago, parks tax supporters have booked at least four speaking engagements a week.

The Parks Development Foundation has also paid for a Web site, www.yesapril8.com.

The tax is expected pay for building a family aquatic center; remodeling the Arena Building; improving Shawnee Park Sports Complex by adding restrooms, concessions, fences, lighting and parking; building a community center on the city's south side; installing an elevated walking track inside Osage Community Centre; rebuilding and irrigating greens at Jaycee Municipal Golf Course; expanding the walking and hiking trails; adding lighting and fencing for Arena and Capaha parks' fields and making general parks improvements. The tax would also pay for a new air exchange system for Central Municipal Pool, known as "The Bubble."

Three million dollars would be used to pay for storm-water abatement projects and $2 million would buy equipment for the city.

If approved, the city's retail sales tax would be 7.975 percent. Essner said the effect on residents is reduced because so many people travel to Cape Girardeau to shop.

pmcnichol@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 127