SCOTT CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS INTEND TO PROMOTE STREET TAX

SCOTT CITY -- Members of the Scott City Council plan to urge voters in their respective wards to vote in favor of a half-cent sales tax to fund street repairs.

A vote on the proposed tax is set for Aug. 6.

At Monday's council meeting, Mayor Shirley Young asked council members to push for passage of the tax. She said it's vital that voters approve the tax in next month's election. The tax failed in April by 33 votes.

"I think the word `tax' was a deterrent," said council member Brenda Moyers. She added that residents have told her they understand the tax better now than they did in April.

Young said residents weren't sure in April that the approximately $100,000 raised annually from the tax would be spent strictly for street repairs. Turnout for the April election was about 22 percent, with 316 residents voting against the tax and 284 voting for it.

"I think they understand it now, and I think it will go this time," the mayor said.

The sales tax revenue would be used to repair at least 40 city streets and seal others in good condition.

If passed, the tax would bring the city sales tax rate to 6.225 percent. Collection of funds would begin in October and the tax would expire after five years.

Councilman John Rogers said by the time street work could be done in July or August of 1992, the city will have collected between $50,000 and $90,000.

Young said all voting on Aug. 6 will take place at City Hall instead of the usual ward-determined polling places. She said the move would help curb the city's election costs.

Young said councilmen are being urged to encourage citizens to support the tax not only because of the poor condition of the city streets, but because the tax will be the only issue on the August ballot. She said only those citizens who feel strongly about the tax likely will vote on a single issue.

The mayor said if the tax passes, she plans to make public the amount collected each month into a city street repair fund that will be established if voters approve the tax.

The transportation tax would fund only contract labor costs to pave and resurface existing city streets.

Young said feedback she's gotten from citizens and council members has lead her to believe that more people will support the tax this time around.

In past years, the city budget has allotted about $20,000 annually to pay for street repairs, an amount council members have said is grossly inadequate.

Young said: "When the cost of operating a city goes up and revenue doesn't keep up, something has to give. Traditionally, and not only in our town, streets are the first thing to go."

In other business Monday, the council approved a contract with PR Developers of Cape Girardeau to install a water line across Ramsey creek. The water line is part of one leading to the city's industrial park.