Tax proposal

Even though the Cape Girardeau parks and recreation advisory board has been working for years on a plan for major improvements and a way to pay for them, it realized shortly after making a proposal in April that there were details to be worked out before submitting the package to voters. That plan called for $32 million of upgrades for both parks and recreation facilities, as well as storm-water improvements, to be funded with a half-cent sales tax that would generate about $4 million a year.

Since then, the parks board has held meetings to pare down the scope of the proposal. Recently, board members agreed to lop off nearly $5 million. Chairman Mike Keefe said some projects would be delayed, not discarded.

Setting priorities for the most needed projects will help convince voters to support a tax increase. The board members are to be congratulated for working toward that end.

But board members also appear determined to ask voters for approval of a plan that does not include a sunset provision, which would require voters at some future date to evaluate how their tax increase was used and decide whether to extend the tax.

For planning purposes, it is easier to work without a sunset provision on revenue streams. Any plan that requires reauthorization periodically runs the risk of not being renewed. But Cape Girardeau voters have repeatedly renewed taxes for the city's transportation trust fund that has paid for millions of dollars in street and related projects.

While the plan to ask voters for another increase in the city sales tax is being reworked, it would be good to consider a sunset provision -- or come up with a rationale for not having one that will convince voters.