VOTERS TO DECIDE ON PROPOSED FEE INCREASES TUESDAY

Cape Girardeau voters will see proposed increases for everything from golf course fees to sewer connection fees on Tuesday's ballot.

Voters will decide the fates of proposed user fee increases for 11 categories of city services and two new fees.

Most of the user fee increases are aimed at covering higher operating costs for city services, said Mayor Al Spradling III.

"They're basically to cover either increased costs or costs that we're experiencing in the field and we're asking the voters to cover the costs," Spradling said.

Administrative costs, such as publication fees and mailing costs have increased, he pointed out, as have costs for such things as chemicals used for city's swimming pools and the Municipal Golf Course.

"All the labor costs went up, because minimum wage went up," Spradling said.

Fees for services provided by the city's planning, engineering, police and parks and recreation departments would be increased if all of the measures are approved.

Two new fees are on the ballot. If voters say yes, developers will be required to pay for development permits in flood plain and floodway areas, priced at $25 and $50, respectively.

The city is also asking for increases for public notices advertising rezoning and special use permit requests; publication of requests to the Board of Adjustment; subdivision review fees; stormwater management permits; security guard licenses and out-of-district sewer connection fees.

In addition, the city is asking for increased admission fees for several recreational sites, including the Haunted Hall of Horrors, city swimming pools and greens and equipment rental fees for the Municipal Golf Course.

The user fees are based on the idea that people utilizing the service should help pick up the cost of that service.

The licensing fees for dogs and cats are an exception, Spradling said, calling them "more of a regulatory fee."

The proposal on Tuesday's ballot calls for increasing the licensing fee from the current $1 to $3 for dogs and cats that have been spayed or neutered and from $1 to $15 for animals that have not been spayed or neutered.

Some residents have called the increase for non-altered animals excessive.

But Spradling said the city is using the fee increase to encourage residents to have their animals spayed or neutered.

"We're trying to cut down on the large number of cats and dogs that end up being taken to the Humane Society and the unwanted pregnancies and unwanted animals that ultimately end up being euthanized," he said.

The licensing requirement would apply to cats for the first time if the measure is approved by voters.

Licensed kennel owners would be exempt from the licensing fees.

The city charter requires voter approval for all fees increases of more than 5 percent.

The user fees will take up a big chunk of the long ballot that Cape Girardeau voters will face in next week's general election.

In addition to the user fee increases, city voters will also decide a proposed expansion of the city's hotel-motel-restaurant tax, elect City Council members and choose school board members for the Cape Girardeau School District.

Spradling said he is worried that the long ballot might be a turn-off for voters.

"It's not hard for voters, but will the voters take the time to read all the issues?" he said. "We've seen in the past where we've had a long ballot, and they'll pay attention to the first four or five items and ignore the rest, or maybe not vote at all. That does concern me."