BE OUR GUEST: SENIOR CITIZEN TAX DESERVES SUPPORT

Cecelia "Skeets" Sonderman is a retired assistant administrator for the city of Cape, who also served on the Cape City Council. She volunteers at the Cape Nutrition Center.

The words of a song keep running through my mind lately. In part, they go something like this:

"Where are you going my little one, where are you going my baby, my own

Turn around and you're two, turn around and you're four

Turn around and you're a young girl going out of the door ...

Turn around, turn around, turn around and you're grown

Turn around and you're a young wife with babes of your own."

It's a beautiful song, but I'm thinking the writer should have added another verse: "Turn around and I'm among the elderly with needs of my own." Or, maybe, it was just a half-turn the past 30 years have gone by so fast.

It seems only yesterday that I drove to Mother's house where she was sitting on the porch, her hands folded in her lap, looking out at the quiet street. She had brought up nine children, all now married and gone. She no longer was physically able to make garden or work in her flowers. What little housekeeping was needed had been done and her light lunch had been eaten. It was evident that she was lonely, but she still liked being in her own home.

There were no ElderCare or Nutrition Centers where she might find companionship and a hot, nutritious meal. There was not even subsidized taxi service at that time. When she later became more disabled, she had two choices live with her children, most of whom had jobs, or go to a nursing home, which was very expensive. She did some of both as her health demanded.

But times have changed. My generation of senior citizens have it better but it may not be for long. The government and general public have become more aware of the needs of the elderly. Younger citizens are beginning to realize that they will be walking in their parents and grandparents' shoes in the not too distant future.

However, federal funds which support most of the services for senior citizens are being cut routinely at a time when these services need to be expanded to serve more of the elderly. Cape County has about 11,155 residents over 60 years old, 15.3% of these at the poverty level. It is estimated that the senior citizen population will greatly increase in the next few decades.

Local money must be made available if the services to the elderly are to continue, even at the present level. On April 2, voters in Cape County will have an opportunity to give their approval to a proposed tax of 5 cents per each $100 assessed valuation on all taxable property to provide services to persons 60 years of age or older.

If approved, the tax will generate annual revenue of about $220,000. The Cape County Commission will appoint seven directors from all areas of Cape County. These directors will serve without pay and no money will be spent for rent, utilities or office equipment. Any of about 20 agencies in Cape County providing services to the elderly can apply for funding. Decisions on programs to be funded by the tax money will be made by these directors.

Some of the services that will be expanded with the local tax money are:

* Home-delivered meals to shutins. Now these meals are delivered only within the City limits of Cape Girardeau or City limits of Jackson. Senior citizen volunteers deliver the meals. With the meals they also deliver a smile, a word of hope and, perhaps, the only other voice the recipient might hear all day. There is a great need to make these meals available to shutins in rural areas of Cape County. Equally great is the need to contract for transportation of the home-delivered meals. Our elderly should not be doing these chores, particularly in winter weather.

* More available transportation for medical care and shopping, particularly for seniors in rural areas. Now Cape County Transit serves as many as possible. With more funding it could serve more seniors who never learned to drive or whose physical health won't permit them to drive.

* Personal care, respite and home-work services for the frail elderly. Personal care means help with bathing, shampooing and nail-clipping. Respite services is when a trained person is sent to give some time off to a person who is taking care of a disabled senior citizen. Home-work services is help with various household chores or repairs around the home.

* Adult day care services. This pertains to day care centers such as ElderCare where a senior citizen may spend the day, find companionship, have a nutritious meal, engage in crafts, and have the watchful physical care they need. A son or daughter caring for a frail parent can take their parent to ElderCare during the day while they are at their job.

This tax is for a very worthy cause, particularly to seniors or those who care for disabled seniors. Most every taxpayer will benefit from the services provided by the tax at some point in their life, either through receiving the services themselves or by their parents or grandparents requiring the services.

And the cost is minimal. With a home of $40,000 market value ($7,600 assessed value) and two cars (1983 Buick LaSabre and 1986 Oldsmobile Delta 88) the total tax each year is $5.28.

We can do so much for so many for so little. On April 2, let's do it!