CITY FEES, FOOD TAX NEED TO BE APPROVED

In three weeks Cape Girardeau voters will consider 13 city fee increases that will be on the April 7 ballot. The increases would raise a relatively small amount of money in relation to million-dollar budgets. The additional annual revenue would be $63,000. But the fee ballot issues are really more of a matter of principle than money.

All but one of the issues are user fees. That means these fee increases are needed to directly cover the cost of services. It is better for users to pay these costs than the entire city. Most of these fees would be generated by users at the Municipal Golf Course and the swimming pool.

One of the fee issues is an increase in the animal control fees. The fees would increase more for animals that aren't spayed or neutered. The Humane Society of Southeast Missouri must euthanatize a shocking number of animals each year. This is one way to help encourage people to help control the pet population.

In addition, the city would raise the fee charged for dog and cat impoundment to cover actual costs.

By law the city can't increase user fees, taxes, assessments or licensees more than 5 percent in any fiscal year without voter authorization.

Voters will also consider a change to the charter that involves the city restaurant tax. Again, this is an issue of equity.

From its start there have been complaints that nontraditional restaurants could escape the tax. That's because the requirements had to do restaurant seating and other such requirements.

Businesses that aren't chiefly in restaurant sales but sell food have been exempt from the tax. That's not fair.

This change would broaden the scope of the charter to include most businesses that sell restaurant food. It is long overdue and deserves approval from voters.

The expansion of the restaurant tax will generate another $45,000 in annual revenue, but it will be paid by customers a few pennies at a time.

The tax was approved by voters to pay off the Show Me Center and funding operations of the Convention and Visitors Bureau. It also helps pay off construction costs of the Shawnee Park Sports Complex and Osage Community Centre.

This is not a way to generate additional revenue. It is simply a matter of more fairly taxing all businesses that sell restaurant food.

All 13 city fee increases and the charter change are worthy of voter approval. It is better for users to bear the actual cost of non-essential city services as opposed to all taxpayers picking up the tab.