Use-tax vote reveals urban-rural split

Based on Tuesday's election results, the countywide use tax question seemed to highlight a division within Cape Girardeau County.

Of the county's 30 precincts -- including absentee ballots -- half were in favor of the 1 percent use-tax question, while the other half were against.

The results, made available by the county clerk's office, are uncertified. A verification team will go through the certification process Friday.

Results available Tuesday night showed 3,532 voters in favor of the measure and 3,520 against -- a 12-vote difference. It's a difference of less than 1 percent, making it possible for a registered voter in the county to request a recount within 30 days of the certified results being announced.

Cape Girardeau County commissioners approved placing the use tax question on the ballot again this April after its defeat last year, because it was determined the preferred revenue stream for a county facilities plan. Commissioners chose the tax levied on certain out-of-state purchases over a property tax or sales tax.

The facilities plan was chosen by a nine-person citizen committee, which spent about a year vetting three options from Treanor Architects before making a suggestion to the county commission. It includes moving all county court services to Jackson, building a new courthouse and parking garage, renovating the historic Jackson courthouse and demolishing the county administration building.

In many precincts, the difference between "yes" and "no" votes on the use tax question came down to only a handful of votes. Support for the tax seemed to wane especially in the more rural cities and villages. Even the towns that would geographically benefit from all court services moving to the closer location of Jackson -- Millersville and Fruitland, for example -- seemed to be against the measure.

A number of factors could account for the disparity, said Southeast Missouri State University political science professor Rick Althaus. In some part, it could be a result of more conservative leanings in the county's more rural communities.

"You would generally expect that rural voters might be a little more conservative in general than city voters," he said. "Now, I don't know that that's a huge difference here in Cape County, but you might [notice]. And, sometimes, the people who intentionally seek a place out in the country to live are less interested in receiving public services and also less interested in paying for them."

Throughout the use tax discussion between the county and residents, the issue of how many people regularly use the courthouse was a frequent topic. It was pointed out by many the average resident is not often a frequent user of the courts.

Another factor to consider is how easy or difficult it was to get the message to voters across the county, compared to those living in the cities of Cape Girardeau or Jackson, Althaus said.

Presiding Commissioner Clint Tracy said the county approached the process of spreading information about the use tax and facilities plan by holding formal presentations and casual discussions.

"We probably scheduled 25 or so different groups we went and spoke to in the community, and I think that's probably reflected in the city of Cape and Jackson's support," he said. "But we did do some out-county events as well."

Reliance on public groups was a big part of spreading the county's message and people not involved with them could be less likely to have all the information, Tracy said.

"We would like to do a one-on-one with everybody, but that's just not possible," he said.

The county also faced a deadline on the passage of the use tax. A Missouri Supreme Court decision in 2012 prevented counties from collecting sales taxes on out-of-state purchases such as boats and automobiles -- a costly move for many.

Gov. Jay Nixon approved legislation in 2013 allowing counties to resume the collection on the condition they hold elections about use-tax questions before November 2016.

While the issue of business fairness wasn't at the forefront of the use tax discussion this year as it was last April, Althaus said it still could have been a deciding factor for some voters.

"My guess is that a lot of the impetus for the 'yes' effort was from people affiliated with local businesses who were afraid they were losing businesses to across the river or something else," he said. "So, again, it might be easier to reach those businesspeople or the people who have relationships with the businesses in town."

Tracy said discussion about the use tax won't end because the election is over.

Those with questions still are encouraged to contact the county, he said, and residents across the county are encouraged to participate in what Tracy said will be a "methodical" process of carrying out the facilities plan.

"This is part of a multiphase plan and this is just the first step of a thousand-step journey," he said. "This isn't just a three-commissioner plan, this is a county plan."

It will take at least a year of collecting revenue to determine how much funding is available for the new courthouse.

Once it's time to start drawing plans for its construction, another citizen committee likely will be formed to provide input.

srinehart@semissourian.com

388-3641

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