Reasons to support use tax

I have been following the news about the internet sales use tax for the city of Cape Girardeau, and I didn't know the city was not collecting sales tax on online purchases but the county does. I don't like taxes any more than the next guy, but I also know that the revenue the city gets from sales tax is what helps pay for my trash pickup, the water and sewer service connected to my house, police and fire protection, and the streets in front of my house. It seems only right that our city should be able to collect from online purchases too.

This isn't a new tax. It's just applying the existing sales tax to purchases that are made online. The same tax you would pay if you if you had bought the same item at one of our local stores. It just makes sense, and it helps us and our city.

I hope everyone will join me in learning the real details of the sales use tax and join me in voting yes on Nov. 2.

LLOYD F. WILLIAMS, Cape Girardeau