VOTE YES ON BOTH ISSUES FOR RIVER CAMPUS

Cape Girardeau voters are encouraged to vote YES on two measures that will be on next Tuesday's ballot regarding the River Campus proposed by Southeast Missouri State University at the former St. Vicent's Seminary between Morgan Oak Street and the new Bill Emerson Memorial Bridge.

Bold plans require enough vision to see beyond next week. If voters approve the necessary $8.9 million bond issue and another measure to increase the hotel-motel tax and to extend the hotel-motel and restaurant taxes, the city and university will become partners in a project that promises economic, cultural and educational benefits.

When voters get their ballots, they will have to make a decision on two issues. Both issues must pass in order for the River Campus plan to proceed. The bond issue requires a four-sevenths majority, which is 57.1 percent of all voters. And the tax measure requires a simple majority of 50 percent plus one. It is, therefore, important for supporters of the River Campus to make sure they get to the polls (or vote by absentee ballot if they plan to be away on Election Day) and to make sure they vote in favor of both measures.

The city's portion of the River Campus funding is one-fourth of the total project. Another fourth will be raised by the university's foundation through donations. Half of the project, or $17.8 million, will be sought in state appropriations, if the vote for the city's portion is successful.

The River Campus idea is the result of both good fortune and strategic planning. The good fortune came when B.W. Harrison, who lives across Morgan Oak from the old seminary, agreed to give the university stock valued at over $800,000 for the purchase of the property. It was further good fortune that the Vincentians, the Roman Catholic religious order that owned and operated the seminary for more than a century, was willing to accept a reasonable offer from the university to purchase the property.

Meanwhile, the university had already completed an extensive strategic-planning process that took stock of facilities, future needs and student growth. This plan includes an ambitious goal of increasing on-campus enrollment over the next few years. Additional space will be needed, and the gift to purchase the old seminary and the future needs for campus space dovetailed.

At the same time, there have been both economic-development and historic-preservation efforts to save the old seminary, one of the best riverfront sites the city has to offer. In short order, the university proposed developing a School for the Visual and Performing Arts to be located at the newly designated River Campus. This would combine the university's art, music, theater and dance programs into one cohesive unit. And relocating those programs would free up space on the main campus for other needs.

City officials and many business leaders began to see the proposed River Campus as a much-needed shot in the arm to spur the city's economy. This would be accomplished through business growth, tourism and expanding university enrollment.

Regarding the city tax issue, it is important to understand that most Cape Girardeau residents would only be affected by the extended (but not increased) restaurant tax. The increased and extended hotel-motel tax would be paid mostly by visitors to the city, and the increase would likely add much less than a dollar to most hotel-motel bills for a one-night stay.

There are issues yet to be resolved -- transporting students, how to preserve the integrity of the historic seminary buildings, how to use vacated space on the main campus -- that many voters would prefer to have settled before they decide next Tuesday. But these seem to be solvable issues that are more than outweighed by the overall benefits of the River Campus plan. Voters who favor the bond issues and tax measure will be showing their support for a joint city-university project that would have a long and positive impact on Cape Girardeau.