Tuesday is election day; important issues at stake

Tuesday, April 2, is election day for municipalities and school districts. Voters will select city council and school board members and decide a number of tax proposals.

In Cape Girardeau, Scott and Perry counties, measures to provide funds for emergency services are on the ballot.

The City of Cape Girardeau is asking voters to raise the city’s property tax rate 25 cents per $100 valuation. If approved, the measure would generate about $2 million annually, and municipal officials said in December the proposal would directly lead to an 8% pay increase for police and fire department personnel.

In Scott County, a countywide measure would impose a half-cent sales tax for law enforcement services. County officials noted the dedicated funds would allow them to shift county funds to other departments and projects, specifically bridge repairs. Another measure would allow a $1.65 million bond issue for Scott County Rural Fire Protection District for a new fire station, fire truck and equipment.

Perry County voters will also consider a countywide half-cent sales tax that would fund a central dispatch of police and fire, emergency telephone and other emergency services.

Several school districts are proposing fundraising measures. Jackson R-II’s Prop T would increase the district’s property tax by $0.47 per $100 valuation for teacher and staff recruitment and retention. Kelso C-7 district officials are asking voters to allow them to borrow $1.2 million for various facilities, with no increase in the property tax rate. In Perry County, those living in the Community College District of Mineral Area College will vote on whether to allow the college to borrow $22 million for facilities, land and energy projects, with no increase in the property tax rate.

Other ballot measures include a quarter-cent sales tax measure for public parks in Delta, whether to sell alcohol by the drink for on-premises consumption in Oak Ridge, a 3% sales tax on marijuana sold in the City of Chaffee, a 1% sales tax in Blodgett and a half-cent sales tax in Morley.

Various government positions are also up for grabs. In Cape Girardeau, incumbent City Council member Shannon Truxel is facing Rhett Pierce in Ward 5. Other municipal government races include Oran mayor (Travis Scherer and incumbent Gary Senciboy), Morley at-large alderman (incumbent Brent Powell, James Kerber and James Scherer and write-in candidate Rodney McCoy), Scott City mayor (incumbent Norman Brant, Ray Parker and Robert Foulk Jr.), Kelso Board of Trustees (Michael Landewee and Larry McClain), Chaffee City Council Ward 3 (Steven Milz and incumbent Darla Buckhannon Britain) and Perryville City Council Ward 2 (incumbent Curt Buerck and Christopher Wilson). Chris Francis and Gwen Schweiss are seeking a seat on the Perry County Memorial Hospital Board of Trustees and three people — Alexander Wade, Robert Erlbacher II and Andrew Ostrowski — are vying for one seat on the Cape Special Road District.

Voters will choose school board members for: Cape Girardeau County — Cape Girardeau Public School District No. 63 (incumbent Paul Cairns, incumbent Kyle McDonald and Kristal Flentge; two seats), Oak Ridge R-VI (incumbent Andrew Seabaugh, incumbent Nathan Schilling and Ethan Siemer; two seats) and Jackson R-II (Bradley Walters, incumbent Sheila King, Todd Rushing, Tracy Metzger and Bethany Byrd; two seats); Scott County — Kelly R-IV (Brent Peters, Bobby Newton and Kindel Ward; two seats), Scott County Central (incumbent Hunter Juden, incumbent Matt Pobst and Billy Kirkpatrick; two seats) and Oran R-3 (Carla Graviett, Daniel Hahn and Tiffany Schaefer; two seats); and Perry County — Perry County School District No. 32 (incumbent Kevin Bachmann, incumbent Mark Gremaud, Melissa Carroll and Lindsey Unterreiner; two seats) and Oak Ridge R-VI (incumbent Andrew Seabaugh, incumbent Nathan Schilling and Ethan Siemer; two seats).

Spending tax dollars, charting the future of our communities, educating our children — these are important issues. Make informed decisions and vote Tuesday.