CITY LOOKS AHEAD TO ITS SPENDING NEEDS

Cape Girardeau is taking a close look at its spending habits as the City Council and municipal staff fashion next year's budget. Progress doesn't come cheap, and for the most part, the city seems to make good use of its tax dollars.

All told, the budget will top $40.8 million, which is down nearly 12 percent from the current year's budget. That includes $23.7 million for operating expenses and another $9.6 million for capital improvements. The capital-improvement expenditures will be nearly half of this year.

The budget plan also includes a small increase in the cost of water and trash services. While no one likes to see higher bills, it is important that these fees are linked to usage. The city must also make sure that income covers expenditures.

The city is proposing a 2 percent raise in water and 2.1 percent increase in trash.

The budget must also reflect increasing costs for the city's taxi coupon program, which provides public transportation to a large number of residents every year. The bid for the service came in almost $80,000 higher than last year.

But the council should think long and hard before changing the program. It is well used in the city and is significantly less expensive than some other kinds of public transportation system. In many towns, public bus systems are a money pit.

If the bid for subsidized taxi service gets too high, another company may throw its hat into the ring. That's the good part of putting such services out to bid.

The taxi coupon program has worked well for Cape Girardeau. The service is especially helpful to the city's handicapped and elderly. The program has been immensely popular since its introduction in 1981.

This is not the time to reduce hours or service. Instead, the city should find some way to make up the shortfall in the regular budget.

The budget also includes $500,000 to pay for demolishing either the St. Francis Hospital or Marquette Hotel. Both are safety hazards and city eyesores in the eyes of many city officials. But this demolition carries a stiff price tag. Perhaps a portion of these dollars could be shifted to the taxi coupons or other pressing needs.

All in all, there seems to be confidence on the part of the public regarding the city staff, department heads, city manager, city council and mayor. There are few complaints even in the midst of major capital-improvement projects that have torn up major thoroughfares.

The relative silence of taxpayers says a great deal about the comfort level in city services and leadership.