Cape council adopts tax rate similar to last year's

The Cape Girardeau City Council approved an ordinance establishing property tax rates for the city, which remained mostly the same.

Before taking any action on the issue, the council first opened the floor for a public meeting on the matter, an annual statutory requirement. When no one stepped up to speak, the council unanimously approved the ordinance, minus the vote of absent council member Wayne Bowen.

The tax levy rates represent the current year's tax ceiling rates as calculated in accordance with the Missouri Constitution. The rates per $100 assessed valuation are $0.3027 for the General Fund, $0.0567 for the Health Fund and $0.6869 for the Downtown Special Business District. The numbers for the general and health funds remain the same as last year, but the rate for the special business district was allowed to increase slightly because of a 1.9068 percent decrease in its based assessed value.

By the city's calculations, a homeowner who has a house worth $200,000 would pay $136.57 in annual real estate taxes to the city. Residents would pay $11.98 for each $10,000 of personal property they own.

Later in the meeting, the council approved another five-year lease agreement with the Federal Aviation Administration for office space at the Cape Girardeau Regional Airport. The FAA uses the space as its regional headquarters at its Airways Facilities Sector Field Office. The new agreement includes a 12 percent increase, which pays for the space and daily janitorial services provided by airport personnel, for an annual total of $12,662.76.

The council also approved an ordinance amending stop signs at the intersection of Maple Street and Ranney Avenue. The existing signs stop traffic moving east and west on Maple, but a staff review discovered traffic flow would improve if they stopped traffic moving north and south on Ranney. Ranney continues to the north for one block then dead ends at Shawnee Parkway/Highway 74.

The conclusion of Monday night's meeting marked Patrick Koetting's last night as the temporary Ward 3 representative. He's acted as the ward's councilman since May, replacing Trent Summers, who moved out of the city. Today, voters will select either Evan Trump or Victor R. Gunn to take over the position.

Mayor Harry Rediger recognized Koetting during the council's study session and thanked him for stepping up to fill the position.

"It was a short time, but you represented Ward 3 well and you were a good addition to the council," Rediger said.

Koetting said he enjoyed his time on the council and looked forward to fulfilling other service roles for the city.

srinehart@semissourian.com

388-3641

Pertinent address:

401 Independence St., Cape Girardeau, Mo.