SALES TAXES: RECEPTS ARE WELL AHEAD OF LAST YEAR

Sales-tax money for the first four months of 1993 are coming in at a pace well ahead of last year. Local officials said they hope it is an indication of things to come and a sign that the area's economy is recovering.

The city of Cape Girardeau and Cape Girardeau County both report receipts from their sales taxes running a little more than 7 percent ahead of 1992. Jackson is showing growth of almost 6 percent.

"I think we have gotten over the hump on the economic slide, and I think we are to the point where people are buying again," said Cape County Auditor H. Weldon Macke.

During three of the first four months of 1993, Cape County's half-cent sales tax generated record amounts for those months. The county's March check of $469,823 is the largest monthly check the county has received since it began collecting a sales tax in 1980.

The city of Cape Girardeau also had a record check in March, receiving $774,635 from its 1-cent sales tax.

In 1991, after years of steady growth, sales-tax growth went flat with increases of less than 1 percent in many areas, including Cape Girardeau county and city. The previous year Cape County's growth was 4.46 percent.

Things began to recover in 1992, with a growth of 5.08 percent in Cape County.

During January through April, Cape County collected $1,150,860 in sales taxes, which is about $77,000 ahead of last year's pace.

The city of Cape Girardeau has collected $1,824,501, an increase of $120,000 over the same period a year ago.

In Jackson, collections of $275,166 are up about $14,000 over the first four months of 1992.

Cape Girardeau City Manager J. Ronald Fischer said that while the 7 percent growth is good, the city is still in a catch-up mode from when growth was considerably less. Also, the city is not earning as much interest on its money as it was several years ago, when growth was good and interest rates on investments were high.

"Even with a 7 percent gain, we are going through a make-up period, especially on capital equipment," said Fischer. He said this year's budget did not provide funds for employee pay raises because of tight revenues.

For this fiscal year, which ends July 1, Fischer said that sales-tax growth has been 7.35 percent, which is far higher than the 2 percent growth the current year's budget is based on. Fischer said the budget for next fiscal year may be based on projected sales-tax growth of 5 percent.

Fischer said development of the Wal-Mart Supercenter may account for some of the growth, but the city's overall retail strength has increased.

"There seems to be a lot of consumer confidence in the area," said Fischer. "People know they have jobs and feel confident to go ahead and purchase things they need."

An increase in construction projects has also helped stimulate sales-tax growth, Fischer said.