Solid process, effort in CID voting

It was an interesting outcome from an unusual vote for a unique place.

Last week we learned the results of two separate-but-connected votes concerning a special taxing district for downtown Cape Girardeau.

Registered voters in the Community Improvement District approved a sales tax of a half cent, but rejected the creation of a property tax of $0.6709 per $100 assessed valuation within the district.

The funds generated by the sales tax will go toward improving the safety and cleanliness of the district, which includes a wide area of downtown, including the area near the riverfront.

The vote was done by mail-in ballot. The sales tax portion of the vote passed 31-20, but the property tax went down 28-26.

"Since the sales tax did pass, the CID will move ahead," said Jim Maurer, chairman of the CID steering committee. "We just have a few less funding dollars to move ahead with."

Mauer and others involved in the CID process are to be commended for the hours of work put into the CID. Communication efforts, accounting efforts, legal considerations and community buy-in were just a few of the areas that had to be tackled long before the district was formed and the votes taken.

Once funds are received in the next year (new sales tax will likely go into effect at the start of 2015), the downtown area will be a cleaner and safer place. Now the district takes on the responsibility of executing plans and being good stewards.

Because of the negative vote on the CID property tax, the future taxing responsibilities of the downtown merchants who previously formed a special district and already pay a property tax remains in place. The riverfront properties along Spanish, Main and Water streets have been paying a property tax for several decades, and there was an agreement that they would drop their old property tax if the new one was approved by voters. That riverfront district tax generates about $20,000 per year. The new CID property tax would have generated about $50,000 per year. The riverfront group will have to decide its best next step while maintaining its current obligations.

Overall, the new CID sales tax is expected to generate about $200,000 a year.

The CID vote is a big step, but there is still much work to be done and still some important decisions ahead.

Overall, the CID formation and corresponding vote was a great collaborative effort, and all involved should be commended.