SCOTT CITY COUNCIL DISCUSSES TAX ELECTION

SCOTT CITY -- Though few attended a public comment session Monday to discuss the proposed half-cent increase in city sales tax, members of the Scott City Council heard opposition to it.

If approved by voters, the sales tax increase will fund street repairs and improvements in the city for the next five years.

The proposal will appear on the April 2 ballot and would bring the city's sales tax rate to 6.225 cents.

Edith Davidson, a member of the city's Community Betterment Committee, told council members that as a result of talking with city residents, she thinks many are against the increase.

"Too many people said to me, `(The city) has got plenty of money ... to fix the streets; they don't need more'" said Davidson, adding that she is in favor of the tax increase.

Councilman John Rogers replied that the city has set aside only $20,000 a year in its budget to fund street repairs, a figure he called "a drop in the bucket."

The half-cent rate increase will generate about $100,000 a year.

"We don't need any more (money) to run the city, but we need more to fix the streets," Rogers explained.

The councilman said city streets have been in a state of disrepair for years, and the city has tried to find ways, other than a tax increase, to pay for their upkeep.

Upon hearing opposition to the tax, Rogers said, "I guess the streets are going to keep going down."

Mayor Shirley Young noted that in order to fund the amount of street repairs needed from the current city budget, citizens would have to "give up" other city services.

"What are they willing to do without?" she asked. "We only have so much money coming in."

Davidson said many people are opposed to any sort of additional tax.

Young's reply was, "If we didn't feel we needed it, we wouldn't ask for it."

The city's current sales tax rate is 5.725 cents. The proposed increase would bring it to the same level as the cities of Chaffee and Jackson, but to a quarter-cent higher than Cape Girardeau's current sales tax rate of 5.925, the mayor said.

She added that those who are opposed to the tax should consider that Scott City's sales tax rate now is a quarter-cent lower than Cape Girardeau's, and many Scott City residents still travel to Cape to make purchases.

"Nobody hesitates to go to Cape to spend money," the mayor said.

The mayor stressed that city officials are "just trying to find a solution" to the street problem.

"All we can do is put it before the voters for their approval," Young concluded.

Rogers urged citizens who are against the increase to visit City Hall and "see how the city is run."

A final comment session on the tax will be held April 1 at 7 p.m. at City Hall.

In other business, the council approved the annexation of a four-acre tract of land near Interstate 55 and Nash Road into the city. The land is owned by Gene Rhodes of Cape Girardeau.