Tax increase won't be on fall ballot

A proposed half-cent sales-tax increase for park and storm-water improvements will not be on the November ballot.

Cape Girardeau City Council members asked for a more specific, prioritized plan from members of the city's park advisory board after meeting with them Tuesday at the Osage Community Centre. Most council members also asked for an increased focus on storm-water issues, which they said was not made a priority in the park board's proposal.

Mayor Jay Knudtson said several tax increases in the past two years have left citizens "gasping for air." He said he didn't believe they would support the plan.

"I've never gotten so many e-mails and calls from citizens about an issue, and they've been negative," Knudtson said. "November is not the right time for this issue."

Councilwomen Marcia Ritter and Loretta Schneider agreed the timing was not right.

"I don't see how there's any way we could put this on the ballot in November," Schneider said.

Councilwoman Debra Tracy, the lone council member not in favor of keeping the proposal off the November ballot, warned that delays won't help the problems laid out by the park board.

"There is never going to be a 'better time,'" Tracy said. "It may be absolutely the right time."

Tracy objected to Knudtson's portrayal of the proposed increase as a luxury tax and said the parks board proposal had outlined the necessity of their projects. She also said it would be hard to judge public opinion without putting the issue to a vote.

John Voss, councilman from Ward 1, said he wanted to wait and see the comprehensive plan the city has compiled before going to the voters on the issue.

"I think the voters will think we misused the funds for the comprehensive plan if we don't consider their input before putting this increase on the ballot," Voss said.

Mike Keefe, head of the parks board, said input for the plan already came directly from residents.

"We didn't propose these projects because the 10 of us on the board thought it was a good idea," Keefe said. "Citizens we talked to suggested the improvements. If we didn't think it was the right time, we wouldn't be here now."

Keefe said he was scared people would continue to balk at sales-tax increases while parks need improvements.

"I would like to see the increase on the ballot in November, but we'll prioritize and come back with a new plan," Keefe said. "Three thousand people a day use these parks, so my personal opinion is that we need the funding for maintenance."

City manager Doug Leslie explained to residents at the meeting about the limited means a city has to raise funds.

"The state legislature has reserved sales tax as the funding source for cities in Missouri," Leslie said. "It's really the only alternative left for cities, since property taxes have historically gone to the school systems."

pwylie@semissourian.com

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