SURVEYS SHOW CONSERVATIVE LEANINGS

Two state lawmakers' recent surveys of Cape Girardeau County voters again served to reinforce what is generally accepted to be a conservative attitude in the county.

The surveys were conducted through the mail by state Reps. David Schwab of Jackson and Mary Kasten of Cape Girardeau. The two Republicans were among many state lawmakers who mail an annual survey to voters to gauge their views on pre-selected issues. In Schwab's 157th District, 925 households filled out the surveys. In Kasten's 158th District, 580 households responded. Many of the households had two respondents.

Among results of the surveys: Voters don't want new state taxes to help fund highway and bridge improvements, and they want the state to carry out its much maligned 15-year plan for transportation improvements before embarking on any mass-transit or other transportation projects.

Gov. Mel Carnahan believes the 15-year plan will be underfunded. He has suggested a sales tax to assure that money will be available to carry out the plan. But many disagree that the plan will fall short of its funding needs and say the tax isn't needed.

Sixty-eight percent of the respondents to Schwab's survey of Jackson and out-county voters said they oppose the governor's proposal for a sales tax to fund transportation projects. Fifty-five percent of the respondents to Kasten's survey of Cape Girardeau voters said they wouldn't support additional funding.

Another response that embraces the county's conservative views came on the question of whether to expand the Medicaid program to provide health-care coverage for families with incomes of up to 300 percent above the federal poverty level. Eighty-one percent of respondents in Schwab's district and 82 percent of those in Kasten's district opposed any such effort.

Interestingly, there was a difference of opinion among those who live in Cape Girardeau and those who live in Jackson and the out-county on the question of whether Missouri should build new prisons to handle the growing prison population. In Kasten's district, 67 percent of respondents said new prisons are needed, while in Schwab's district only 47 percent see the need. Regardless, the state plans to build new prisons, including one at Charleston.

The surveys are valuable to lawmakers in determining the positions of most of their constituents on given issues. Whether Schwab and Kasten vote in line with their constituents' feelings is up to them, but with few exceptions the feelings of their constituencies pretty well mirror their own.