Sikeston won't support permanent law enforcement tax

SIKESTON, Mo. -- Sikeston officials have decided they will not support Scott County's attempt to make the countywide half-cent law enforcement sales tax permanent.

Council members voted unanimously during their special meeting Monday morning to endorse Sikeston Department of Public Safety director Drew Juden's position on the proposed tax.

City council members agreed with Juden's assertion that the county's proposed sales tax would have little benefit for city residents and would make it difficult, if not impossible, to get a citywide half-cent law enforcement tax approved.

"I think it's important that we work to defeat this tax," Juden said, "and then put ours on the ballot."

Two weeks ago Marshall and city manager Doug Friend said the city would take no official position on the sales tax, leaving Scott County Presiding Commissioner Jamie Burger surprised to hear the latest news.

Burger and the county's other two commissioners, Dennis Ziegenhorn of Sikeston and Ron McCormick of rural Scott City, have been campaigning for the tax extension as a way to fund law enforcement and free up general revenue money for other projects. Burger said extending the tax will be "a betterment for the whole county" by providing the ability to maintain the current level of law enforcement protection, regardless of which part of the county, city or country, is being discussed.

About a third of the $1.6 million collected annually from the tax comes from Sikeston, Burger said.

Ziegenhorn, who represents the county's southern end including Sikeston, said he won't pass judgment on Sikeston's decision to officially oppose the tax since the city is a large part of his constituency. Now the fate of the tax is "left up to the voters," he said. "I want my constituents to vote their convictions."

Ziegenhorn said he will support Sikeston's sales tax proposal when it's placed on the ballot.

Sikeston council members also expressed concerns about how revenue from the county's proposed tax would be spent -- such as on roads in the northern part of the county -- and that the tax has no sunset clause.

Juden said he has spent a lot of time looking over the proposed countywide sales tax. The city should try to "capture those revenue dollars and use them in the city," he said.

He said Sikeston's residents have paid the county's law enforcement sales tax for nearly eight years. Voters approved the tax in April 2000 to fund the construction of a new jail and to cover the costs of housing the county's prisoners in other jails.

Juden said he has a problem backing a plan to continue sending the city's money to the county when their goals were accomplished while the city's law enforcement has needs. "I'm greatly concerned about the ability to continue to provide services at the level they are being provided now," he said.

DPS staffing is down due to officers serving in Iraq, injuries and unfilled positions, according to Juden, resulting in the department being short nearly an entire shift and having to pay overtime.

And DPS is already bearing the cost of mental health transports and paying $30 to board city prisoners in the county jail, Juden said.

Juden estimated a half-cent city tax would bring in $1.4 million per year.

Southeast Missourian writer Matt Sanders contributed to this report.