COUNTY FINANCES

Cape Girardeau County continues to enjoy financial strength that many county governments envy. As a result, fund balances continue to increase.

This fiscal prosperity represents a combination of sound management and steady income from the county's sales tax. Cape Girardeau County is fortunate to be a retail and medical hub for Southeast Missouri. The county's population swells by thousands of neighbors who work here or spend their dollars here every day.

In 1995, the latest figures available, the county's assets topped $34.8 million. That represents excellent growth from 1994's assets of $31.5. Of course, the bulk of the county's assets are earmarked for other state entities such as schools, road and bridge projects or general county services.

But the county has a growing reserve fund, which isn't earmarked for other projects. In 1995, that fund hit $9.7 million, growing from $8.5 million in 1994.

With that kind of reserve fund, property owners might expect some kind of tax relief. But the county's general property tax is already at zero and has been for many years. Most other counties in the state and nation rely heavily on real-estate taxes can climb into the thousands of dollars for homeowners and landowners.

County commissioners have been using interest from the reserve fund for additional road paving projects. That makes sense. While it is important to keep sufficient reserves, it is also essential to keep the county's many road and bridges in satisfactory shape.

Commissioners might also want to consider using some reserve funds to address other key needs in the county, such as additional jail space or larger juvenile detention quarters. It is important to save for a rainy day, but not at the expense of existing county needs.

County commissioners Gerald Jones, Larry Bock and Joe Gambill have proved to be prudent stewards of county finances. They are following in the footsteps of former presiding commissioner Gene Huckstep, who turned county finances around during his administration.

All county taxpayers benefit from this tradition of sound financial management.