Taxpayer can use ballots to decide about more taxes

To the editor:

Here are the taxes the citizens of Cape Girardeau pay: Federal income tax and other federal taxes on gasoline and telephone service. State income tax, vehicle taxes, sales tax, gasoline tax and other hidden taxes. County and city taxes on real property, personal property and retail sales.

Last year real estate was reassessed, which raised the tax base and taxes. There was an increase in the school tax. A year before, the sales tax on hotels and restaurants was raised to help pay for the River Campus.

One bright spot is, thanks to President Bush and the Republicans, our federal income taxes were decreased. However, it looks like the state and city are positioning themselves to take away what little tax relief we received. The state is proposing a 4-cent increase in the fuel tax and a half-cent increase in the sales tax. The city will probably opt for a three-quarter-cent increase in the sales tax. If voters approve, the total sales tax will be almost 8 cents on the dollar.

During all the debates about revenue shortfalls, I do not remember reading about putting the brakes on spending. All the debate centered on increasing taxes. Not one member of the city council has ever recommended pulling out of the River Campus project. This would save us nearly $9 million.

Our elected politicians seem to think our pockets have no bottoms. Fortunately, taxpayers can put a stop to this insanity at the ballot box.

CHARLES W. POWERS

Cape Girardeau