ARCHIVE WEBPAGE
THE FOLLOWING WAS POSTED IN LATE 2023, PERIODICALLY UPDATED, AND ON THE HOMEPAGE THRU THE APRIL 2, 2024 ELECTION. 52% OF VOTERS DECLINED THIS PROPOSAL.
Voters Could Decide to Dedicate Funding to Police Officers & Firefighters
Voters could decide April 2, 2024 on a real estate and property tax levy dedicated to police officer and firefighter salaries and benefits. For every $100 in assessed property value there would be an increase of approximately $0.25 in property tax (25 cents). Estimate your household tax using the charts mailed to Cape Girardeau households.
If passed, our police officers and firefighter/EMT/paramedics would get an 8% raise in the first year. We would continue working to keep our compensation competitive with this new resource in the years to come.
Competitive compensation for public safety in Cape Girardeau is imperative to retaining talent. Improving salaries not only retains skilled individuals but also attracts new talent, fortifying our force with capable professionals. Equitable compensation also fosters job satisfaction, elevating performance and community safety. By investing in our people, we cultivate a resilient and proficient public safety team dedicated to safeguarding our community's well-being, ensuring we remain at par with our neighbors in recruiting and retaining top-tier personnel.
The City of Cape Girardeau has a 1% sales tax to support safety, maintenance, and other essential personnel and expenses in the General Fund. Our general revenue property tax rate is also among the lowest of comparable cities across the state. The ballot will ask for the current general tax plus the additional $0.25 for a total general property tax of $0.56.
Ballot Language: The maximum tax levy rate permitted by state statute for general municipal purposes, which includes public safety expenditures, is $1.00 on one hundred dollars valuation. Shall there be an increase in the tax levy for general municipal purposes to the rate of $0.56 on one hundred dollars valuation in the City of Cape Girardeau, Missouri? The City's existing tax levy for public health purposes would be unaffected.
READ MORE IN OUR LETTER TO CAPE GIRARDEAU