No on sewage tax

Whether or not you intend to vote for the $70 million bond issue to finance the proposed sewage treatment plant, vote no on extending the quarter-cent sales tax to pay for it. There is a better way, and the sales tax in Cape Girardeau is too high anyway.

The argument being made to justify extending the quarter-cent sales tax for another 20 years in Cape Girardeau is that we can get people from out-of-town to pay some of the cost to treat our sewage.

Is it the duty of consumers from the surrounding area to bear any of the cost to treat Cape Girardeau's sewage? Out-of-town shoppers who come to Cape Girardeau from East Cape Girardeau, Jackson, Gordonville, Scott City, Chaffee and the many small communities of Southeast Missouri and Southern Illinois are taking care of their own sewage. That's all that can be rightfully expected of them.

Treating our sewage is our responsibility. My share, your share, your neighbor's share, the casino's share -- everyone's share of the cost can be pretty fairly determined and accurately apportioned on our water bills based on the amount of water we use. This is the perfect case for the Libertarian argument that many of the services government provides can and should be paid for by the people who use the service. There is no need for a tax.

GREG TLAPEK, treasurer, Cape Girardeau County Libertarian Party, Cape Girardeau