Vote yes for sales tax

Cape Girardeau has so many outstanding attributes right now: the new bridge, a federal courthouse under construction, both hospitals building significant additions, a vibrant university, strong retail base, thriving factories, a new water plant, good schools with first-rate facilities, wonderful neighborhoods, growing churches, well-maintained streets -- the list goes on and on.

The city also has professional men and women whose jobs are to maintain order and help us when disasters strike. Our police officers and firefighters are well-trained and dedicated to providing the highest quality of services possible. And they do, day and night all year long.

Over the past two years, the city's spending needs for police and fire protection have been highlighted many times. Previous attempts to address those needs have not swayed voters to approve proposed tax increases, in large part because some of the items the money would have been spent for were not seen as absolute necessities.

Now the city is asking voters to approve a quarter-cent sales-tax increase to pay for absolute necessities at the police and fire departments. City voters have an opportunity to continue the list of "outstanding attributes" by voting yes on June 8.

This sales-tax plan is limited to critical and essential city services. There are no frills. The city needs to replace one of its fire stations. The city needs to upgrade life-saving equipment. The city needs to give its employees long overdue pay raises.

These are all among the specific items that would be funded over the next 10 years by the increased sales-tax revenue. The tax is expected to generate about $2 million a year. Half would be used for capital improvements. The other half would be used for police and fire operations.

The tax would cost each city household about $44, the city estimates. That's just 85 cents a week or 12 cents a day. That is a more than reasonable amount to pay for city needs that are so vital to a thriving community.

Voters in the past have shown they are willing to support tax increases and spending plans when the need is clear and when there is a specific plan for spending the money. That's the case now. Revenue from the additional sales tax would be put into a trust fund to be used only for police and fire needs.

The city has a good plan. It deserves the support of voters on June 8.