Tax timing

Convincing voters to approve a tax increase hinges mostly on need and timing. It is the view of the Cape Girardeau parks advisory board that there is a need for some major improvements to the city's well-used parks. The city also has identified some major storm-water improvements that are needed.

For a variety of reasons -- including the fact that Cape Girardeau County voters just last August approved a sales-tax increase for roads and law enforcement while city voters in February approved property-tax increase to expand the library -- the timing for putting a city parks/storm-water improvement sales-tax increase on the ballot this fall was off. The city council late last month said it would hold off on the plan to give city officials and the park board more time to put together more specifics about how the money would be spent.

Having a plan that is convincing and easy to understand is crucial for voters who are increasingly concerned about the taxes they pay. The delay in voting on parks and storm-water needs allows time to put together that plan.